Quote:
Originally Posted by nolemmings
I know little about these issues, which of course doesn't stop me from giving my two cents. First, there is always the possibility that these premiums were issued over multiple years- 3 or 4 per year. We as collectors are often so adamant about making sure a particular year fits our needs that we are close-minded to the prospect of multiple-year issues.
Second, it is possible that these were issued in 1952. Maybe the idea was hey, if you like the drawings/illustrations on the '51 mini boxes (scarce until a hoard of unused was found in mid-1990s) and '52 regular boxes, you'll love the photos on which some of these were based. The Legendary auction site showing the 11 cards says that there were contract problems with Rosen and Mantle, which could explain why those were issued later than others. Also, the regular '52 cards apparently issued in series running through at least series "L" (see ads below, pulled from current ebay auctions)--maybe one premium was associated with each series of the cereal box cards and they were released at different times throughout the year. Also note that they advertised 60 cards, and L is the 12th letter of the alphabet. Maybe there were 5 cards per series?--I'll let the Wheaties experts chime in on that.
Just food for thought (pun unintended).
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Todd,
I don't mean to be pedantic here but the wording Legendary used suggested that the issuer produced the cards prior to actually signing a contract and then after they could not consummate an appropriate contract, halted production, thus the rarity.
Their wording in the auction also seems to suggest they know more than detailed in the auction description as they suggest the images were used in
'51 & '52 Wheaties boxes from the same Wheaties Premium set. The distinction is subtle but suggests the images were lifted out of archives of the issuing company. Other auctions date the emergence of pristine examples "...to the early '90's."
Z Wheat