Ever get surprised?

[sbfinley]

I've only been collecting pre-war for a little over a year now and the majority of my purchases have been t206s, t207s, Goudeys, and Playballs. About a month ago I decided to start a type collection to broaden my horizons and I just received a lot of several different year Zeenuts from a member and from the scans I always assumed that they were around the size of an exhibit card. Leon's quarter was never present so I didn't have a reference. I even went through the trouble of visiting a local hobby shop to grab some exhibit sized top-loaders. I was presently surprised when they arrived today and were they size they are. Strangely, I like Zeenuts even more now that I possess some.

So my question, and it might be a dumb one, is if anyone else has a story or instance where they were surprised about the size, texture, color, or anything about a card type when you finally purchased of saw one in person?

[Jay Wolt]

Most of my surprises involve card condition.
Some arrive better then anticipated while some arrive in worse shape then
I thought.

[Harford20]

Although it was not a pre-war card, when I finally located and purchased a 1946 Propagandas Montiel Ted Williams card, I was shocked at the card stock. I realize that cardboard may have been scarce in Cuba during this period, but the card is just a piece of paper stock with the picture front and writing on back--not a card at all.

I now realize why these cards are so hard to come by--surprised that any have survived.

Dave H

[Matt]

The first time I held a T222 in hand was surprising - I didn't realize how much large then regular T cards they were. The size plus the glossy thin photo paper gave me a whole new appreciation for the difficulty of finding them in decent condition.

[drc]

Growing up looking at famous paintings in encyclopedias, I would later be surprised at how much bigger or smaller the painting was in person. Looking at the little pics, you can a non-conscious idea of size which regularly is way off. The most surprising is when a famous painting is little bitty.

Receiving new card issues in the mail, it's not uncommon to be surprised. Sometimes they're better than expected, sometimes worse. I was surprised at the high quality of the c.1967 Dexter Press premiums when I got a bunch in the mail. On the other hand, I didn't think the Baseball Magazine Premiums were much. Didn't hate them, just wasn't greatly impressed by the brown muddy images. I remember way back when when I received one of the strip card issues and my first reaction was it was a Xerox copy. Soon realized it was genuine, but cheap looking.

When you have low or no expectations (ala Dexter Press), you can be pleasantly surprised.

[birdman42]

I had the opposite reaction from Steve; I figured the HRKs and Zeenuts would be about the size of other cards of the period, so I was surprised at how big they are. (early Zeenuts, that is)

Also, Butter Creams are lots smaller than I thought they would be.

Bill

[FrankWakefield]

Before I'd encountered catalogs that listed size I recall buying a Butter Finger Premium, R310, from Mr. Lipset. It was my first one, at the time I was gathering an example of each type I encountered... I sent money in for a Butter Finger of Ben Chapman. For some reason I was expecting something that would have fit in with a candy bar. I was surprised at its size.

I have one Propagandas Montiel Los Reyes del Deporte, and I was shocked at how thin it was. I was expecting a card, but the paper thickness is closer to cigarette paper. I recall my thoughts when I held my first 1914 Cracker Jack, they're realistically on paper, not card stock. I wondered how any of them at all survived the years, as thin as they were...

[Mrc32]

In the collecting era we live in, where so many purchases you make are over the internet, most people are either surprised or disappointed when the cards arrive.

Happens all the time, which is a good thing.

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by sbfinley

I've only been collecting pre-war for a little over a year now and the majority of my purchases have been t206s, t207s, Goudeys, and Playballs. About a month ago I decided to start a type collection to broaden my horizons and I just received a lot of several different year Zeenuts from a member and from the scans I always assumed that they were around the size of an exhibit card. Leon's quarter was never present so I didn't have a reference. I even went through the trouble of visiting a local hobby shop to grab some exhibit sized top-loaders. I was presently surprised when they arrived today and were they size they are. Strangely, I like Zeenuts even more now that I possess some.

So my question, and it might be a dumb one, is if anyone else has a story or instance where they were surprised about the size, texture, color, or anything about a card type when you finally purchased of saw one in person?

That same thing happened to me when I purchased my first Zeenut (from Mark Macrae)...I always thought they were about the size of modern Topps cards and was really surprised at how small it was.

[Al C.risafulli]

Definitely.

The first time I bought a T201, it was a Chance/Evers that was raw. I couldn't believe how flimsy they were, and thought for sure that I had been duped into buying a fake.

The same thing happened the first time I bought a Cracker Jack - the stock was so thin, I couldn't believe it was an authentic card.

-Al

[paul]

I was very surprised when I purchased my first and only Cuban Cabanas card to find out that it is on real card stock. I thought it would be paper thin like most Cuban cards. I was also very surprised when I recently purchased my first and only Hage's Dairy card to find that it's about the size of a Play Ball. I thought it would be the size of a 1949 Bowman.

[sbfinley]

90% of what I buy is normally in SGC slabs. Now I kinda want to crack them, especially the Cuban issues, to see for myself. I won't do it of course, but it would be fun.

[Anthony S.]

1930 Baguer's Chocolates (sic?) from Cuba. I think the Standard Catalog gives you the dimensions, but nothing prepares you for squinting at one in person. I added a dime from Luckey Town for perspective.

[deadballera]

You beat me to it on the Bauguer Chocolates...

I was hoping that was a card that when you soak in water, that they would expand to something more of a normal size baseball card.


Colgan Squares are pretty small too

T3's pretty big upon seeing one in person.