Monback, monback, monback, whoa!

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Posted By: Gilbert Maines

Sometimes it is time to stop, particularly if you have been moving backwards for a while.
I submit for your consideration the joy of back collecting. A taste which I have yet to acquire.
Please allow me to cite an example:
We have the American Caramel Co. E121 cards which consist of the Series of 80, produced in 1921;
And the series of 120 produced the following year. There is one main back variation in this set.
In the series of 80, the last line ends in either in the word “the” or the word “eighty” (I do not know which is rarer).

But that is just the tip of the iceberg.
Because the pool of photos which this set was drawn from, apparently was available to other manufacturers.

This apparent availability results in a variety of backs (and blank backs, I presume), as shown below.

E-Unc. Witmor Candy
D350-3 Standard Biscuit
D381-2 Clark’s Bread
E-Unc. Lou Gertenrich Candy
E-Unc. Henry A. Johnson Confectioner
W 575-1 B&W Strip Cards
D-Unc. Gasslers American Maid Bread
D-Unc. Haffners Big Tayto Loaf Bread

I wonder if future collectors will decide that this area of specialization is not for most hobbiests, and will relegate the pursuit of such fascination to the truly unusual niche collector.

But really, before those no fun furure people show up, maybe we can enjoy our cards for a little while. I was thinking: why not combine all of these under the e121 umbrella, much like those t206s are currently collected.

It would be different tho. Cy Young would be gone, Matty too. But the Big Train and Cobb would still be here, Speaker too. And we would get George Sisler, Pete Alexander, Hornsby and Ruth. And way more.

The t206 set of the 20s.
Neva happin