1928 Babe Ruth

[Archive]

Posted By: vorthian 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1813649479

This card is a reprint. The originals have more spacing in between words, less black ink used and a different sized circle around the card number. Those are the tell-tale signs.

[Archive]

Posted By: fkw

I have one of the blank backed cards (#4), and your right they are slightly different in design on the front, but I would say the card I have is definitely vintage (the #3 pictured below, has an "Ohio" back). Even Lipsets Encyclopedia Vol.2 (1984) notes the blank back cards exist, but he says that some collectors feel they are suspect, But I am not one of them. I rarely see the Geo. Ruth Candy cards, and when I do, I see about the same amount of the blank backed cards as I do the Ohio address back cards. If they were reprinted, they were done a long time ago, but I would also think Id see many more of them than I do, if that were the case. The clincher for me was about 2 years ago a seller had about 4-5 of the blank backed cards for auction on eBay, and he also had a wrapper from the candy too, I wrote him, and he said, they all came from the same source, the original owner. The cards I have never seen are the San Francisco address back ones. The wrapper picture (below) is from the auctions with the 4-5 blank backed cards. Frank

[Archive]

Posted By: fkw

Actually now that I compared my card to the one in the auction you listed above, I do see what you meant by the spacing is different. Both #4 cards are blank backed, but the one in auction is slightly different in the placement of the number "4", and the spacing (note the spacing between the "The" and "Popular"). Interesting. Maybe there were many different printer using slightly different designs, or the cards came out at slightly different times, or locations, etc., rarely do you see so many different designs on cards, but it was the 1920's and things were produced differently back then with less quality control, etc. ???? Frank