Boston Store Cards

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Posted By: James Gallo

Ok so I need some help with this issue. PSA has it listed as 1916, SGC has it as 1917 who is right.

Also I need to know more about the cards, there are very few graded from either company. I have about 1/4 of the set and need to know about rare commons, very tough cards aside from thr Ruth, Jackson and other Black Sox and any variations that make be fun to look for.

Any help would rock and if anyone has any to sell or trade drop me an email.

thanks

James G

Looking for 1915 Cracker Jacks and 1909-11 American Caramel E90-1.

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Posted By: Dave S

I played around with them years ago, believe they're actually considered 1917. Think one of the toughest will be Claude Williams...were 2 cards, one was actually NOT him, that was the easier. One had white socks on, the other dark. Can't remember which was which without checking a guide. Great set, good luck..

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Posted By: Todd Schultz

are from 1917, and are slightly more common than the same Collins-McCarthy set from the same year, IMO. Hugh High and Claude Williams had their cards mixed up and then corrected. Hugh is wearing black socks, Claude is wearing white. Senators Joe Judge and Ray Morgan also had their cards mixed up and corrected--the left-handed Judge should have his bat on left shoulder--the opposite for Morgan. The error versions are about 50% tougher to find.

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Posted By: James Gallo

There has to be more information out there then this.
I know it was a regional issue, with several similar sets, but how often do the bigger stars aside from Jackson and Ruth show up.

I think I have all three of the mentioned error cards, what are they worth in G-VG shape?

It's a small set but am I looking at forever to complete it, as it seems like they don't come up often. Mind you I am not looking for high grade cards but G-Ex range.

I saw a write up in an older issue of old cardboard as well as the listing in the standard catalog, but I can't find any other information on this set.

James G

Looking for 1915 Cracker Jacks and 1909-11 American Caramel E90-1.

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Posted By: Dave S

Jim--I really think you have a tough road to hoe, if memory serves me right think you're looking at a few over 200 cards. Was over 5 years ago that I played with them, I blazed thru about 30ish cards, then as you said, just had a hard time finding any. The old rule of supply and demand; don't think there are a lot of Boston (which was actually in Chicago) set collectors out there. I threw in the towel on 'em when I ran into a guy in Cleveland that had a Ruth..and wouldn't take less than $5,000. And like I said, that was over 5 years ago..

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Posted By: Cat

There is a board member who had all but Smokey Joe Wood if I remember correctly.

There was a small portion of a collection ....something like 15 cards, in SGC 40 to SGC 80 condition, that sold in Sotheby's a year and a half ago for $30K. Half were HOFers but no Ruth, Jackson, Johnson, Cobb or Hornsby.

If even you are flush with cash, Hornsby is REAL hard.

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Posted By: boxingbaseballgolf33

Until someone changes the year and comes out with some new information they will still be considered a variation subset to the Collins-McCarthy set similar to many of the pre-war sets including candy issues and sporting news. I had them a few years back and maybe things have changed, but some of the guides included the Boston Store cards as harder to find than the Collins-McCarthy cards may have been the SCD or something, but was an older version. They are advertising clothes - so there must be something out there about the company in magazines or guides. These are popular, and maybe hard to make the set - good luck

Jimmy

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Posted By: Max Weder

If I recall correctly, someone mentioned the Boston Stores were in the Chicago area.

Max

(who has a Heilmann Boston Store card lost and lurking somewhere in his house, presumably behind a bookcase)

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Posted By: Richard

Boston Store was a chain with one of its flagship stores in Chicago:

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Posted By: Richard

I have found that Boston Store backed e135s sell for slightly more than Collins McCarthy, although Collins are very slightly tougher to find. I think this is due to the Boston Store back being a little more "glamourous". Then there is a huge jump in scarcity to the next two backs which are SB and Weil.

Rankings from easiest to toughest:

Boston Store
Collins Mccarthy

(big gap)

Standard Biscuit
Weil
Blank (if you consider it a back)

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Posted By: leon

Great ad piece.....how big is it? I love that kind of stuff....

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Posted By: Richard Wong

Leon - I don't remember exactly, but the catalog is about standard magazine size - around 9x11". It is around 125-150 pages of double sided print thick advertising all sorts of stuff from the store. Unfortunately nothing related to the e135 type offering which is what I was hoping for

I am assuming that they simply gave the cards away at the children's department with purchase rather than offering them as a set in the catalog.

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Posted By: Anonymous

The prices paid for the group at Sotheby's was jaw dropping. Most advanced collectors approach the set irrespective of backs. A mid grade common just traded on eBay for over $200. A mixed back set is achievable, but will take a while and the star cards will be pricey (Jackson, Ruth, Cobb, Wagner). It is a great set and one of my favorites.

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Posted By: Cat

Richard:

I bid on that Boston Store lot in Sotheby's and thought I would pay Waayyyy to much and win it. I think I dropped out at $14K. [insert Don Adams from Get Smart voice] Missed it by that much!!!

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Posted By: Richard

Cat - I think I was with you every step of the way on that one

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Posted By: Dylan

There is a Frank Baker listed on ebay with a BIN right now if your need of it. These are tough, dont see them often

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Posted By: Brian H (misunderestimated)

I believe that Boston stores still exists -- I think I shopped at one in Milwaukee in 2004.

I used to have several of them that I bought 10+ years ago at a coin shop here in Chicago that was breaking up a set. It is one of the only sets with as many as 7 of the 8 Black Sox (McMullen isn't included in that or any other major league set unless you count that one-of-a-kind set of the White Sox team)

I think JC was the one who had virtually the entire set and was looking for one or two to complete it.

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Posted By: Jim Clarke

Yup.. Good memory here guys and girls. I just need the #194 card in Wood to complete the set in mid grade. Lyman did an article on these in one of their first issues of OldCardBoard. All I can say is that they are rare and seems like going up daily on pricing. James you should have an e-mail from me earlier today.. Very cool 200 card set with only a couple of variations. Can't tell you all my secrets though... LOL


JC

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Posted By: Phil Garry

My advice would be to hold off on collecting the Boston Stores until a large, partial set lot (maybe 150 out of 200+) comes up in one of the major auctions and go after that if you have the $$ to do that. Then build on the remainder of your set one a a time. Otherwise, I believe it is almost an impossible task.