Posted By:
Andy BaranI have another Theory about the overprints, which is similar to Brian's. I think that his theory is probably more likely, but I figured I'd throw this one out there anyway.
Since we don't know how the cards were actually distributed, I have always thought that it was possible that candy store owners received loose cards with their candy orders, along with instructions to give the cards away to kids who bought the candy. My theory was that Breisch Williams may have also sent rubber stamps out in these packages, and asked the store owners to stamp the cards before handing them out. This might explain why there are so few cards stamped - the store owners didn't bother, and how a Type II could have a stamp - if store owners had a stamp, they could use it on the back of an advertising or box cut-out.
There are some major similarities between my theory and Brian's, the largest one being that the cards were not originally issued with the stamps, and they were stamped at a later time. I really like his theory. I can see entrepeneurial (sp) kids at the turn of the century trying to pass the Type II's as regular issued cards to get whatever prize was part of the promotion.