For 3500, which Jackie would be your one/only?
 

I may be selling a few cards soon and may splurge on a great new Jackie Robinson card….

I’d welcome your input and ideas - if I have $3k to $3500 available, what would be YOUR best Jackie to add to your PC?

For me, it’s about great looking image of Jackie (ie, am not a huge fan of his ‘48 Leaf, even though I LOVE that set generally) and something of an iconic card at the same time.

And finally, my kids can easily sell someday to get back the $$ spent on it now.

Thx for your ideas and opinions!

Jeff

If you can find one for sale:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...8d631be36e.jpg

I completely agree about his leaf card. It’s one of the ugliest cards ever produced, IMO. For my money, his best looking card hands down is 52T.

1948 Swell Sport Thrills Jackie Robinson.

There is nothing more iconic than a card that is showing the debut of Jackie Robinson, especially since the card itself explains how Jackie broke the MLB color barrier "under intense and dramatic conditions..."

It is the card that captures the essence of the Jackie Robinsons better than any of his other cards.

This card is truly a 1948 issue too...earlier than the Leaf.

Your kids will enjoy its growth more than other cards if they ever want to sell it down the road. Truly a tough card to get with a low population.

1950 Bowman every day of the week and twice on Sunday...

https://www.net54baseball.com/attach...1&d=1670036792

The 1950 Bowman is nice but my vote would be the 53 Topps. It's the number 1 card in the set, features a great portrait of Jackie and YES that IS the Brooklyn Bridge in the background!

Yup, love this card.

Packs is right; a presentable example of the true RC would be my choice. 2nd place is the 1952 Topps. It is iconic and from the most important post-war set.

From an aesthetic standpoint, the 1956 Topps sure is nice. It is his last card. It is from the beautiful 1956 Topps set, which usually has very high demand. And you can afford to get into a higher end copy with sharp registration, color, centered and with nice corners. A splendid overall looking card. How many times have we heard, "buy the best you can afford"?

I always liked this card too but it certainly won't run you $3,500:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...4c1c29f085.jpg

I actually like the 1952 Berk Ross Jackie Robinson and I believe it has been under appreciated compared to others
Which to me means you can get a nice one for the $ and long term has a nice upside potential

My first choices would be a low grade yet presentable example of the Bond Bread facsimile portrait or 1952 Topps. My alternative would be one of the two oversized 1948 Old Gold cards. The Old Gold cards both have interesting write ups on the back that make them unique.

The 1949 Leaf Robinson RC is his best card, but I don't see you finding one for 3K. I would look at his other RC, the 1949 Bowman or the 1950 Bowman. 1952 Topps is probably out of your range too.

'52 Topps numerically graded in a PSA holder, without a doubt.

IMHO it's the greatest post-war set ever created, with the greatest post-war card ever created (#311), the rising tide from which will continue to float all boats (e.g. Jackie and Mays).

+1

Brian,

Serious question, is the '48 Sports Thrills Robinson card now a $3K-$3.5K, or even higher value, card? But I do agree, it is a great card with a great image and story of Jackie. For whatever reason, the '48 Sports Thrills set never seems to get the appreciation, and value, it deserves. I know another member just sold the Gehrig and the Ruth/Gehrig cards from that set here on the B/S/T for what I thought were low prices. And the fact that someone jumped right on them kind of supports that thinking.

And the '48 Sports Thrills set is a "true" card set. Other issues, like the Bond Bread set, are not always considered "true" cards in the opinions of some others.

I know this card is an outlier, but it is certainly near the top on my list as I love the pose. I sold my PSA Bond Portrait last summer at auction, so I have already had one. I can see how it would dominate though.

I thought I had something to share, but not in that price range. The Bread Issues are probably your best bet,


Attachment 553356

Bond Bread Jackie Robinson
 

Five years ago this card would have fit your budget; now, you might have to drop down two or three grades. There's several Bond Bread cards to choose from.

https://www.net54baseball.com/attach...1&d=1674158922
https://www.net54baseball.com/attach...1&d=1674158925

In my humble opinion, his true rookie card. May not be able to get this condition in that price range, but a great card nonetheless

I would go with one of these

Just for clarity the 1947 Bond Bread Portrait card is Jackie’s true rookie. That is definitive. It is the first card to feature him in a Dodgers uniform and in my opinion one of the most significant cards ever released.

There may be truth in your statement, but you can't ignore that it's a regional set. To me that adds just a bit of "yeah, but....."

In what way? It was released first. There’s no disputing that. The first card to feature a black player in a major league uniform was the portrait card released in 1947.

personally i'd want as early a copy as possible...a homogenized or a real bond bread. A leaf would be nice but too rich for my blood! I have the sports thrills in my collection in addition to a 53, 54 topps and a newer square corner bondlike thing.

I'd go early or topps...they're all beautiful!

DISCLAIMER...I DO NOT OWN THIS CARD!

And exactly why I said earlier that not everyone is going to consider a Bond Bread card as a "true" card.

Remember all the years Beckett showed Ruth's rookie card as being his '33 Goudey cards? There actually is a big difference between being a player's first ever issue, and their first, nationally recognized and distributed "true" card.

I've always kind of figured the main reason behind the '48 Sports Thrills set not being always so well like and appreciated is because it includes many retired, older players, and not just all current players, and the various historically significant times and events in the history of baseball that they were part of. So, in that respect at least, it is not like a typical Bowman, Topps, or Goudey set of baseball cards of then all (or mostly all) current players. In this case though, Swell lucked out and produced this set right after Robinson entered the majors with the Dodgers, and they made sure to include Jackie's debut as part of this set. Name another sports card set or issue that preceded the '48 Sports Thrills cards that mentions and documents Jackie's debut and historical achievement. To me, that adds some significance to this particular card as well.

Knowing the '49 Bowman is equally as much a "rookie" as Jackie's leaf I think it's extremely undervalued. I know he has other real rookies that are earlier but the masses will never accept them. However if the masses do realize there is an actual chance 1949 Bowman released before leaf or at minimum the same year in 1949 there is some great growth potential imo.

Wow. That's a nice Jackie run. Some of those would cost Jeff a bit more than $3500, though, I'm guessing.

Sent from my SM-S906U using Tapatalk

Based solely on eye appeal I'd buy the nicest looking/highest graded 1955 Topps Robinson I could find.

The Bond Bread portrait does those things and was released a full year earlier in 1947. It was available in every American city that had a baseball team at the time.

Love it

Great cards

jackie
 

Yea, the 52 T ...iconic set, killer high #, cant go wrong

Let's be honest: MLB was a regional sports league in 1947. No teams west of the Mississippi, no white teams south of St. Louis, one NL team in Birmingham, one in Kansas City. Wouldn't have made a lot of sense to promote MLB in places with no teams, pre-television. The Bond Bread cards were in every (white) MLB city, so I wouldn't exactly call them regionals.

The Swell card is one I deeply regret selling into the rising market. I think that one is the 'sleeper' Robinson card. The Leaf is the most overrated card of Robinson. It got all of its cachet when people thought it was a rookie card. Now that we know there were not only several issues that predate it but also some that are contemporary to it, including the Bowman, I do not see it in the same light. But what do I know; I like the most obscure cards I can get

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...son-Cagney.jpg

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...binson%201.jpghttps://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...binson%202.jpg
https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...kie%20RPPC.jpg

48 leaf

Then answer this question.

If they were so well known and widely distributed, why are they so unbelievably rare and seemingly hard to find today?

And if you can't logically, sensically, and factually answer that question, then maybe the answer is that they weren't as widely distributed and as readily available as you may think and claim. And that includes the possibility that these first Bond Bread cards may have been available for only a very limited time as well.

Everyone knew Robinson was the first ever Negro player in the majors, so this initial card of his would be historic, and everyone would have known it. And maybe if not as highly collected and desired among white people back then, definitely something black people would have grabbed and held onto, no? Sorry, that is a second question, but it goes right back to my first one and why there aren't more of these cards still around then if it was so historically important, and supposedly so readily available everywhere to everyone.

LOL

Adam, you just contradicted yourself by saying MLB was a regional sport, but putting these cards in every white MLB city itself was somehow not a regional distribution then. So, which is it, because you can't have it both ways? LOL

52T or 53T

Here's a nice article on the card and set from Beckett: https://www.beckett.com/news/1947-ja...on-bond-bread/

I had actually already seen and read that very article before posting my response and question to you, just to make sure I wasn't missing, forgetting, or otherwise unaware of some other circumstances or facts surrounding the set. Of course that card set is important, and exactly why it would be expected that if it had been widely issued, and not more of a regional or other extremely limited type of issue, that one would expect there would be a heck of a lot more of them out there and still around today. And my original reason for researching that particular article was to do a double check before making an earlier post and statement I had had made about how the '48 Sports Thrills card was the first sports card to my knowledge to actually refer to Jackie's historic MLB debut. Though the back of one of his Bond Bread cards does go into a history of Jackie's accomplishments, it still doesn't mention him being the first ever Black MLB player in history. And I'm also well aware and don't disagree at all with you that the Bond Bread items first came out in '47, the year before any other card issues with Robinson in them. That was never the question or issue, just that some people may not view it as a "true" card issue, and/or maybe more as a limited/regional type issue.

Still, that article doesn't answer my question at all, it actually just does the opposite, and was one of the main things I came across that actually prompted me to then ask you the question I did in the first place. Which you still haven't answered by the way!

Earlier in the week, a Jackie '47 Bond Bread sold for about $5,500 on Probstein. I know because I was the underbidder and got sniped. I am of the
opinion that is his true RC.

Bob,

I have provided research on this very forum which indicates the number of portrait BB cards distributed in 1947.That research has been used by all the major auction houses, and it appears Beckett as well. To call that card a limited release or a regional release is to ignore that research to fit a narrative.

The set of 13 is a true card set. Its distribution has been documented. Of the 13, the portrait was released first and constitutes his true RC. Following the Portrait and prior to the release of the Swell Sport Thrills set, 6 more Bond Bread cards were distributed, as was the Kneeling Old Gold card (Sept 47 release). None of those take away from the value or significance of the Swell Sport Thrills, which is a beautiful card that deserves its increase in price.

I can’t explain why more people didn’t save a baseball card. The article shows advertisements for the portrait card in newspapers and notes Robinson’s status as a national spokesman.

Given that you'd like to pick up something your kids could one day sell, and you want to avoid The 49 Leaf issue, I would probably pick up one of these (in order)

1. 1947 Bond Bread Portrait
2. 1952 Topps
3. 1953 Topps
4. 1949 Bowman

My personal favorite is the Bond Bread Holding Glove in Air that was released in late 1947, as I love the image, but the 4 listed will get you more bang for your buck imo in terms of future resale.

I'm a set collector and still have work to do on my 1949 Bowman set and the 52 Topps high numbers.

While I need the Jackie in both, I'd go for the 49 Bowman as my chance of ever finishing that 49 set is much greater since it only contains one other similarly priced card (Paige) while the 52 Topps would still have Matthews and a Mantle that I would never be able to afford to complete that set.

The OP added that he would want a card his kids could sell easily

Regional issue or not, or even first card or not, there's no way you can claim that it would be easier to sell a Bond Bread card than it would a 1952 Topps card

What's the difference? Put them both up for sale. Get slightly more money for the rookie card. Call it a day.

Great Shaun,

All I was ever asking was for some factual or other logical or detailed information as to the distribution and such for the '47 Robinson Bond Bread cards to then explain why it seems there are so few of them still available then. Also, I had merely said that some people believe the Bond Bread cards are more of a regional or limited issue, which some do, and is therefore an absolutely true statement. I also said that I agreed that the Bond Bread cards first came out in 1947, the year before any other of Robinson's ML cards issues did, which is also absolutely true, and makes the 1947 Bond Bread card Robinson's first ML card appearance. But there are still many people that do not consider food/bread or other such specialty/advertising issues as a "true" baseball card set, and therefore eligible to include a player's "true" rookie card. And for you to state otherwise, and say that without a doubt you are right, is really nothing more than simply your opinion, which you are entitled to. But so are the other people that don't necessarily agree with you that a '47 Bond Bread is Robinson's "true" rookie card, regardless of your research, AND THEY ARE ENTITLED TO THEIR OPINIONS, AND JUST AS RIGHT ABOUT THEM, AS MUCH AS YOU ARE TO YOURS!!!

I am all for learning and finding out new things in the hobby, and that is why I very often ask questions of others. I also often make very long and detailed posts myself, just like this one is turning out to be, trying to be thorough, and giving as much factual, logical and common sensical info and data as i can to put forth my own theories and thoughts, and still retain an open mind. But unfortunately, at least on this site, I've found only a very few people that even try to return the favor, without being ridiculous, demeaning, or simply pushing their "I'm right and you're wrong!" mantra over and over again. I always try to keep an open mind and am very willing to look at things from different viewpoints as well. And I absolutely don't mind telling people I was wrong about something if they can actually show me facts and evidence, along with other logical information and arguments, which can convince me their point or theory is actually the correct one, and not just another opinion. Sadly, I usually only get back a couple lines or so from people responding to me for something like this, and they never seem to bother answering any of my questions either, or they just blow me off with their TLDR crap, and/or continue throwing the previously mentioned "mantra" at me, over and over.

You state that you've done research showing the number of portrait cards distributed in '47, and it has been used by AHs and Beckett, and that you've provided that very research here on this forum. Great, then why didn't you just lead with that and at least provide a link to where this data and research is here on the forum, or just recreate and include the research here in this thread? Instead, you say it proves that people that believe this '47 Bond Bread issue was a limited or regional release are ignoring your research. Did it ever occur to you that no one is ignoring it at all, because maybe no one knows it even exists?

I've been a collector and in this hobby for decades. And I've seen many auctions and used to buy Beckett price guides/magazines myself back in the day. I've never seen or heard of this research of yours before now, and I'm going to go out on a limb and make a wild guess that a vast majority of those in the hobby haven't seen or heard of your research either. Otherwise, if it were that overpowering and convincing, why would there be many collectors out there that still don't seem to think of the '47 Bond Bread cards as Robinson's true rookie card? And that isn't pushing a narrative, that is just stating a fact!!!

So, I asked a previous poster to answer a question. And now I've got one question and one request for you.

1. What is this research data you are mentioning, can we actually see it?

2. Do some research and come back to share with everyone in this thread what you find is the definitive definition of what ALL baseball card collectors throughout the ENTIRE hobby have agreed to as the one and only complete and accurate definition of what is an MLB player's "true" rookie card. (And make sure it has been affirmatively agreed to by everyone in the hobby, and that you can actually prove that is true!)


P.S. As for how great the research you did for Beckett and others was, go back to Post #38, and the article that packs linked to in trying to debate some of my thoughts/thinking. I believe that is a Beckett article, right, same people you gave/showed your research to? You did such a fantastic job convincing everyone over there that you are right about the '47 Robinson Bond Bread card as being his "true" rookie card that they couldn't help but talk about it in articles they published about the set. Just read the very first line of that article saying how everyone was now convinced those '47 Bond Bread cards were his "true" rookie cards, oh........wait.....................hmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

This was my card lol

Great, were those advertisements over weeks, months, or even longer? Or is it possible it was just a one-time ad, in one particular newspaper, in one particular city? Was Homogenized Bond Bread sold in places other than major league cities that had MLB teams? Were these cards also available across entire states and all smaller cities and rural areas as well? That article you pointed to mentioned the portrait cards as possibly a type of promo card handed out at certain stores. Well if so, how many locations, how many cards, and for how long?

I put forth what would seem to be a very sensical and logical argument that even if white kids didn't care much for Robinson cards, you would think that in the predominantly black communities/areas they would have been like gold, wouldn't you? And I could see some black adults, not just black kids, possibly wanting and cherishing these cards of the first ever black MLB player as well. Now that makes some possible logical sense, doesn't it?

So why aren't there many, many more of these cards still out there? Could it possibly be that Bond Bread didn't get distributed as much in areas that had predominantly large black populations? Back then in 1947, American communities were nowhere near as integrated as they are today, and minorities tended to live together in somewhat tight-knit communities. So, could another possibility be that Bond Bread wasn't available as much in those black communities back then after all? Or maybe it was the other way around, and these were targeted sales aimed more at the black communities, and maybe therefore not as available in the white communities after all. Those ads in the article you posted clearly showed black people in them, and let's be totally honest and face reality, back in 1947 ads showing all black people in them would most likely not be used to advertise any sales in predominantly white communities. And either way, if so, it could definitely be a logical argument/reason there are maybe not as many of those cards still around today, and also a possible reason/proof that maybe these Bond Bread cards were possibly at least somewhat limited in their distribution after all. Anyone put it beyond the Bond Bread company to purposely limit Robinson cards to being inserted/available in their bread being sold mostly in black communities, or given away as promos at predominantly black stores, at least initially to see how well the rest of the country accepted/rejected Robinson? And if these cards were predominantly distributed in black communities, and not white communities, the much smaller black population would be a very logical reason that not many of these cards survived to today after all, as the black population made up only a small percentage of the overall U.S. population in 1947.

I'm not able to offer any definitive proof either way, merely putting forth some logical thinking and arguments as to possibles reasons these may not have been as widely distributed as some claim. All you've done is basically just tell me you don't know! No logic, no sense, no anything other than you can't come up with a possible reason these may not have been a regional or limited issue. Other than you found a Beckett article showing a single ad, and a single newspaper article in a predominantly black paper, denoting Robinson a national spokesman. And that is your sole proof and argument as to why you think this Bond Bread set was not possibly a regional or limited issue, and with no other logical arguments or possible explanations as to why so few of these Jackie cards still exist today then? Heck, in the article itself it even states that though Robinson was heading up a national campaign, it was only being advertised in predominantly black newspapers, in black communities that accounted for what, about 10%-15% of the total U.S. population back then. If that is the case, and that is where these '47 Robinson Bond Bread cards were at least initially targeted for distribution, how would that not possibly be a limited release?

That is a nice Jackie Christmas tree.

Brian

I followed the below thread in real time, and I got the sense that many others here did as well. As has been mentioned, Shaun’s Bond Bread research has been cited many times. I remember even seeing direct links to this thread in AH item descriptions. Big thanks to Shaun and all others who have done this type of legwork and shared their findings freely.

https://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=171169

All interesting stuff and the Bonds Bread Series of cards is great.

The pricing maybe tough to get a quality card in his price range.

And how people define what is a rookie card or not is a whole other conversation.

Ie TyCobb has probably ten’s of rookie cards and people call the post cards for him also his rookie card.
I have seen many times the 1933 Goudey cards called Rookie cards for Ruth and Gehrig

How about Mantle Rookie Card 1951 Bowman vs 1952 Topps. How can player have Rookie cards from 2 different years

End result $3500 is starting to get tough to get some of his cards that a few years ago could have gotten a nicer one.

Thanks for posting the thread Ian. I never saw or remember seeing it back then in 2013. But I have read through the entire thread now, and any links that were still viable. This thread doesn't say one damn thing different than I've been saying and mentioning all along, and in fact, goes to prove the point that this most certainly was a limited distribution set, at least initially in 1947. I would also argue that it technically proves this most definitely was a regional type of distribution as well.

Without doing any of this detailed research, in earlier posts I had already opined that Bond Bread may likely have been limited to distribution, at least initially, to just predominantly black communities. And things I had read, along with what was put forth in this old thread now, seem to concur and confirm the exact same thinking and conclusions.

So let's do some math, shall we. In doing some online lookup, I found where the U.S. population was estimated to be about 144.13 million as of July 1, 1947. Census numbers for 1940 and 1950 are appropriately lower and higher, respectively, so that figure seems to be in the ballpark, and I'll leave it at that. I couldn't quickly find a 1947 population estimate for just black Americans, but found 1940 and 1950 numbers of 12,865,518 and 15,042,286. respectively. So if I figure the difference in the black U.S. population between those two points as 2,176,768 (15,042,286 - 12,865,518),and assume ratable population growth throughout the decade, that means the black population should have grown by about 65% (6.5 yrs. (from 1/1/40-7/1/47) / 10 yrs. (from 1/1/40-1/1/50) through July 1, 1947, or up to 14,280,417 as of 7/1/47 ((2,176,768 X 65%) + 12,865,518). I'll round that black population estimate up to a more even 14.3 million then, and divide by the total US population figure of 144.13 million to arrive at an estimated black U.S. population of approximately 9.92% (14.3M / 144.13M), as of 7/1/47. Now in looking at regional maps from around today, more than half the black U.S. population still lives in the South, around 56%. Back around 1960 that percentage was more around 60%, and read that is was even greater in earlier years going back to 1947, but couldn't find specific maps and figures for back then, so I'll just use the probably too low, 60% figure Now since the definition of the South does include states such as West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Kentucky, and Washington DC, I'm going to make an assumption and knock that estimated Black Southern population estimate all the way back to just 50% as of 7/1/47, to account for black communities in places like Baltimore, that did apparently have these Bond Bread promotions in 1947 for Jackie cards. I feel that is more than fair.

So with that all said, and the total black population of the U.S. at only about 9.92% in 1947, of which 50% or so was in the South and likely not part of the initial Bond Bread distribution promotion (and I'm not even factoring in the blacks in the Western U.S. that likely weren't made part of these Bond bread promotions either initially in 1947), that means these initial '47 Bond Bread distributions were directed at approximately only around 4.96% (9.92% X 50%) of the total U.S. population at that time (and that is likely being generous that it was even that high). So, someone explain to me how in the F%$K limiting your distribution to a targeted audience of less than 5% of the total U.S. population is an any way, shape or form, somehow not a limited distribution!!!!!

And as for the regional issue argument. In looking up the population of New York City proper in 1940 and 1950, I found some estimates that it was around 7.45 million and 7.89 million, respectively. So again extrapolating based on ratable growth over 65% of the decade up to 7/1/47, that would put the NY City population at approximately 7.736 million as of July 1/1947 (((7.89M - 7.45M) X 65%) + 7.45M). Now using my earlier population figures, that means the NY City population alone would be about 5.367% (7.736M / 144.13M) of the total U.S. population as of 7/1/47. And in the immortal words of Arte Johnson from the old Laugh-In show, "Veeeerrryyyyyy Innteeerrrrressstinggggg!!!"

In that superb(?) research thread back in 2013 it was claimed that the original thinking was that the initial Bond Bread release may have been limited to just Brooklyn, and was therefore only a regional issue. But after it was later found out and determined to have actually gone to various black communities in other cities as well, it was immediately deemed as not possibly being a regional issue at all. Now here's the really interesting part. Had Bond Bread actually just left the initial '47 distribution of that Jackie card as a regional issue in just the New York City area, and not just limited it to black people and black communities around the city, it would have actually been available to a bigger percentage of the U.S. population (5.367% vs. 4.96%) than when they supposedly made the issue non-regional and non-limited. How the F$%K does that happen?!?!?!

And who the hell ever said the word "regional' only defined a contiguous area? The coastal region of the U.S. comprises all coastal areas of the U.S., not exclusively just the East coast, the West coast, the Gulf coast, etc. Now many people may decide to refer to a specific sub-region, such as the Gulf Coast, for more specific directions or descriptions, but that doesn't mean the U.S. coastal region is any less ALL the coastal areas of the U.S. Just exactly like all the black communities scattered around various U.S. cities combine to form a black urban U.S. region. I could probably find elementary and/or junior high school kids who would easily understand the math and logic, and be able to do it themselves, and easily agree with this proper thinking and logic in a heartbeat!!!!! Yet this crap has been out there for what, ten years now, and NO ONE has ever before pointed out the idiocy that these numbers clearly point to?!?!?!? It only took me about 10-15 minutes to really figure this out myself, after finally having the chance to read through that research thread. I was reserving doing any more work till I saw this research that people kept talking about and referring to, and was expecting some profound and really interesting data and evidence. Boy, did I get a load of crap.

I'm going to say this very clearly. These Bond Bread Robinson cards issued initially in 1947 most clearly and logically appear to have been limited in their initial distribution after all, and were initially only regionally distributed as well, based on information and facts that ALL YOU OTHERS in this and that earlier thread brought forth and presented. I merely took your info and then applied and added the math/number logic. Otherwise, your facts and information boys, not mine.

And feel free to go back and redo any of my calculations and numbers. As I said, I just did some quick online searches, and didn't always come up with exact, specific population numbers, but feel the ones I did use were at least pretty darn close. And I also made sure that whenever I was estimating something, I purposely tried to round the numbers to work against me. So I have what I think is a lot of cushion in the final figures I did come up with. Regardless, even if someone does go back and redo my calculations, the percentages are already so far skewed towards this issue being a limited
distribution, unless someone will actually have the gall to try and argue that only giving one or two people out of every ten a chance for something doesn't make that a limited distribution. But after seeing a lot of the crap that many on this site will try to argue is correct, lord only knows!

Maybe you should all start focusing more on the round-cornered, Bond Bread Robinson cards supposedly issued with the loaves of bread instead!

No, Bob. What I said was that Major League Baseball was a regional sport and the cards were released in every MLB city so if you define MLB as a national entity then the BB cards were national releases. As for the numbers, your reasoning is fallacious (not a ton of cards today does not negate the facts around the release). I suspect that BB supplanted the Jackie release with the 44 subject MLB issue that is found in large numbers. It too has a rookie. The portrait card was released first, as that superb research proved.

The only sense in which one of Jackie's 1947 cards should be disqualified from rookie card status is if you want to argue that his rookie year was actually 1945 and therefore, if your definition of rookie card requires it to have been issued during the player's rookie season, he doesn't actually have a rookie card. In any case, he did win Rookie of the Year in 1947, so you have that going for you if you're in the his-rookie-cards-are-the-1947-Bond-Bread-cards camp. But anyone who's trying to argue that something from 1949 is his rookie card is just factually incorrect. We're all entitled to our opinions, but we're not entitled to our facts. You could have 8 billion people firmly believing that Mickey Mantle had a rookie card issued in 1952, and their belief itself might be a notable fact, but they'd still be wrong.

Jackie Robinson played in the Majors in 1947, and he had baseball cards in 1947. There could be zero or a billion surviving copies of those cards today, but in neither case would it have any bearing on what his rookie cards were. Whether or not it is a baseball card at all is, as ever, a function of its physical characteristics. Distributing an object in a larger number of regions does not magically convert it into a baseball card. It could have been issued in 1 city or 3 countries or 5 continents or 7 planets. A 1956 Topps Hank Aaron is no more a baseball card than a 1947 Bond Bread Jackie Robinson is.

Whatever you prefer if you buy any of his cards you should win out. He’ll always be collected.

In that price range I would buy the nicest 53 Topps you could find. Great image of a great ball player for you and your family to enjoy.

For me it would be the 1953 Topps. First card in the set, great colors and love the bottom black box, head shot and great demand.

Mostly agree, except the rookie designation is reserved for MLB cards, not minors. Doesn't change the financial facts. A Zeenuts Joe DiMaggio is way more desirable than a 1936 Goudey or National Chicle.

I don't recall seeing a legit card of Robinson from the NL or Montreal days; closest I can think of is the 1946 Parade Sportive premium, which is super-desirable but debatable as to card status.

Correct, a card doesn't have to be universally cited as a Rookie Card to achieve great heights in value and desirability, which circles back to the card I proposed....

There is nothing more celebrated in MLB than Jackie Robinson's debut in MLB and the struggle it was for him to achieve...and there happens to be one baseball card made in 1948 that does just that better than any...

The 1948 Swell Sport Thrills Jackie Robinson.

We agree on that as well. Per MLB, his 1945 season is now considered to have been a Major League season.

The 48 Swell specifically commemorates his breaking the barrier. I'd go with that or a 47BB.

Uh, ok, I/we will. Also a rookie. Thanks to Ted Z for his research and sharing his first hand experiences collecting these ones in 1947.

I agree with Packs however. Jeff has a lot of good choices and most any Jackie will be a good buy in the long run. His legend will only grow over time.

https://www.net54baseball.com/showth...read+imposters

As the OP to this thread, thank you! So much great information and informed opinions…

While I appreciate the significance of the earliest cards, I’m not a huge fan of black and white only cards, especially those which are blank backs. To me, they look more like small photos than traditional baseball cards.

As I mentioned, while I love the 48/49 Leaf set, I’ve never found the Jackie image to be a nice image of him. I like the 1950 Bowman a lot but wish he was also in the 51 set because I prefer to have the players name on the card (yes, I am picky about my card choices!)

That leaves 52 to 55 Topps (I have his 56) - of those, LOVE the 52 card because of the importance of the set and the bold red background. But obviously to get a nice looking eye appeal, centered even at low grade would easily blow past my budget.

Ugh - what to do! (My son is pushing me to pick up a Hank Aaron RC instead and just keep the 56 Jackie as my one/only! Am actually considering that)

Welcome to “inside Jeff’s head when making a big card purchase!” I imagine I’m not the only overthinker here! Makes the hobby fun - when I finally pull the trigger, I have left no stone unturned!

Thx again for your help and opinions on this one - Net54 rarely disappoints!

Jeff

Bob, I am on mobile, so I don't have easy access to my research, but I believe there may have been another thread as well, in which I provide substantial evidence to the number distributed, citing research from multiple newspapers across the country.. which also provides evidence as to where the cards were distributed.

Your subtle digs are rather insulting tbh, particularly given that you hadn't taken the time initially to track down any of the posts / research. The research was done for the benefit of the collecting community to get a deeper understanding of Jackie's first endorsement deal. Period. I would have to research further, but I believe, when it was released, the BB portrait card was the widest distributed card since the start of the world war.

FWIW, Philadelphia Gum Company was in its infancy in 1948. I'd be interested in knowing how widely that set was distributed. From what I remember, 1948 marked the year that the U.S. was coming out of a paper shortage, which led to Bowman releasing its 1948 set. It appears as though the Swell Sport cards were given out by shop owners that sold Swell Gum.

Best of luck Jeff! Can't go wrong with a 52 Topps, or as your son recommends, the 54 Aaron!

I’m a fan of 48 leaf rookie but for 3500 you can get a really nice looking 49 Bowman. Great card.

So controversial to call it his rookie and to call it 48 but I like to live dangerously.

It is fact that the BobC's definition of a Rookie Card is accepted by most of the hobby. It's your opinion that this "official definition" should be rejected, for the (obvious) reasons you noted.

Many definitions require the card to be widely distributed so penny arcade cards might not qualify in the eyes of some. That includes PSA, which says his Leaf is his one and only true rookie. They are wrong, I am wrong, many are wrong though. It has been declared such here.

Emperor - clothes = 1949 Leaf is Jackie Robinson's rookie card.

I'd be interested in the print numbers of various sets featuring Jackie from '48-50.

Obviously, we know the impact that WWII had on baseball. There was also a documented paper shortage that impacted the printing of trading cards and just about everything else, including congressional speeches.

General Baking was one of the largest and best-selling bread companies during that time and saw Jackie as an advertising goldmine from the jump. As early as May 1947, they approached Jackie with a reported significant offer to get him onboard... an offer he initially rejected:

https://net54baseball.com/picture.ph...ictureid=35192

He later accepted a follow-up offer in June, and Bond Bread / General Baking immediately went to work, with the first advertisements featuring the Portrait image appearing in newspapers. Despite the documented paper shortage, they printed a significant number of the Portrait card. It wasn't until 1948 that other companies like Bowman Gum Company, Leaf International, and Philadelphia Gum Company began to mass-print trading cards, with Bowman and Leaf distributing cards in packs and Philadelphia Gum Co. (Swell) offering cards for free with the purchase of 2 pieces of gum.

The Portrait cards began to be distributed in July 1947, starting in Harlem and expanding to much of the nation. It was reported that 2,000,000 cards were printed and distributed by shop owners, bread delivery drivers, by mail, and in packages of 2 slices of bread. See the following from the Baltimore Afro-American.

https://net54baseball.com/picture.ph...ictureid=35191

The success of the Bond Bread campaign was noted by other major corporations, including Phillip Morris, Pepsi-Cola, and more... as noted in this 1948 newspaper from Norfolk, VA. These corporations recognized the benefit of advertising in press that targeted African-Americans / the black community.

https://net54baseball.com/picture.ph...ictureid=35190

From a July edition of the New York Amsterdam:

The campaign, which started in Harlem, was aimed at both white and black families.

https://net54baseball.com/picture.ph...ictureid=35193

Bond Bread
 

Not the cleanest but will likely go for a steal.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/12572039721...Bk9SR-SlkOK6YQ

Very interesting info, thanks for sharing.

No, PSA recognizes both the 1949 (mislabeled by PSA 1948) and the 1949 Bowman Jackie Robinson as his two rookie cards as has the hobby since at least the early 80s. While a few on here have been trying to convince people that regionals should be his rookie card instead of these two, my Leaf Jackie Robinson has gone up more than 20 times in value. You can call whatever you want a rookie card, but the hobby has spoken with its wallets that the Leaf RC is the card to have.

Through out the Topps era, there are many players who have cards earlier than their Topps rookie cards, with smaller print runs, that sell for a fraction of what their rookie cards sell for. That is because collectors want nationally released cards like Topps, Bowman and Leaf over regionals. Buy what you like and let others do the same.

PSA on 48 Leaf: This is the only true rookie card of baseball's first African-American representative and hero to all. You cannot say enough about the importance of this man or this card.

What PSA says has nothing to do with facts. Once it stakes out a position it does not alter it, not even in the face of indisputable facts. Look at the 1961 (well, 1963) Topps Die Games, or the 1932 US Caramels with the 1933 write-ups on the backs and don't get me started on all of the wrong labels on boxing slabs from PSA.

Nor does sales price equate to rookie. Look at the 1951 Bowman and 1952 Topps Mantles. No matter how you slice it, the 1952 Topps came after the 1951 Bowman, but you'd not know it from the prices.

The Leaf card is very, very expensive compared to the others and it came after some others, so for my money, one of the others is a better deal on a budget.

The (incorrect) fact presented to me was psa does not recognize 48 leaf as his true rookie. You can disagree with its conclusion but it’s a fact as to what it considers his rookie. “No matter how you slice it.”

Out of curiosity, what do you consider Ruth's RC to be?

The Leaf certainly is the more valuable card, though the increase in value has been across the board. FWIW, my Portrait card has increased more than 36 times in value when looking at the most recent sale in November.

I am not disputing the 'fact' that PSA made a statement that the 1949 Leaf (it was copyrighted in 1948 but issued in 1949) is his RC; for all I know that is what PSA said. But that doesn't mean the opinion of whoever wrote that piece for PSA that the 1949 is accurate, any more than the view of anyone that the 1947 Bond Bread is the RC makes it so.