'41 Play Ball - Paper Issue

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Posted By: Mark

Anyone have info on these?

Thanks, Mark

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Posted By: Judge Dred (Fred)

These are tough... I've only seen a few of them. By the looks of yours they must have been hand cut. The ones I recall must have been cut by someone that wanted to ensure that the aesthetic quality of the card was similar to that of the thicker issue. I've heard people state that the cards were produced like this to save material for the war effort but when it comes down to it the bombing of Pearl Harbor didn't take place until December of 1941. We weren't fighting in Europe at that time but we were kind of gearing up to get ready for the forthcoming conflicts.

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Posted By: Griffins

I'd read somewhere that they were issued early in '42, but couldn't ever find any other info to corroborate that.
I've got a Gehringer graded SGC 80, and this uncut panel of cards 1-12. I think only the first 24 cards were issued in paper stock.

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Posted By: Judge Dred (Fred)

Griff,

Those things are probably worth about about a buck or two. In panel form they're probably worth three to four bucks a piece. I'll do me, I mean you, a favor and give you five bucks a piece for them.

That's a neat sheet.

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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

Dred, I'd like 'em, too, but could only come up with 2 dollars. If you get it for $5, would you scissors one out for me for the $2 ?? That way you'd only have $3 in all the rest of them.



Thanks, Frank.

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Posted By: dennis

VCBC # 8 (1996) in article on 41 playballs also mentions that there are 2 sheets of the first 24 cards printed on paper stk. and they assume they are salesman samples.

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Posted By: Griffins

Dennis- Interesting, I'll have to dig up the issue.
If that is the case (and I have no reason to dispute it) wonder why there is no sales info on the back, just the regular card backs? In '39 (or perhaps '38) they stamped "Free Sample Card" on the reverse.
This would also mean that any individual cards on paper stock were probably cut after they left the factory. PSA's pop report shows an entry of 1 of each card #'d 1-24 (plus an extra #8 Ott) being graded, as "Paper- Hand Cut". The SGC Gehringer I have shows no such hand cut designation. Is anyone able to access the SGC pop report, and does it classify any as hand cut?