Personal Pre-War Set and Collector Survey
 

Seem to remember something like this being asked here on the forum maybe 10-15 years ago about pre-war collector's interests, and what they had collected. Thought it could be interesting to update and see where some of those pre-war collectors are today, and allow those that have more recently been bitten by the pre-war bug or since joined the Net54 family to now sound off. This is especially for those that are more into set collecting than just the HOFers and major stars, or certain teams or players. Seems like most interest of late is directed at the record prices being paid for individual cards of major stars/HOFers being picked up in their highest graded conditions possible, and their seemingly ever increasing values. Most pre-war set collectors can't always go all out for those higher graded HOFer/star cards and items if they want a good chance to also be able to actually complete sets they are working on. And not just limiting this to cards alone, so those with pre-war sets of pins, buttons, cabinets, silks, postcards, pennants, and so on, feel free to chime in as well. So here are the 5 pre-war survey questions:

1. How long have you been collecting pre-war cards?

2. What is the approximate largest number of pre-war cards/items you've
ever owned at any one time?

3. Approximately how many pre-war cards/items do you currently still own?

4. What is/are the most significant card(s)/item(s) you currently own?
(Not what you may have owned at one time.)

5. What complete sets or near complete sets (say 75% or more) do you
currently own? (Again, not counting sets you used to own, and only
counting the baseball cards in multi-subject sets in determining the
percentage complete. And not including as sets any issue with only 1 or
2 listed baseball cards/items in it.)

I guess I'll start it off.

1. Almost 30 years.

2. 10,000+

3. 10,000+ (Don't really sell anything.)

4. Complete set of 1911 S74-2 colored silk proofs of the 4 different players for which proofs are known to exist; unpunched Detroit team sheet of the 1921-30 Major League Die-Cuts (includes Cobb); 1910-11 Helmar backed Cobb S74-1 white silk; 1916 Ferguson Bakery/BF2 felt pennant of Joe Jackson; 1910-11 Turkey Red backed Tony Smith-Rustlers S74-1 white silk.

5. Complete/Near-Complete Sets
1880's Merchant's Gargling Oil Series (H804-7)
1886-89 Old Judge - Basic Set of Different Players (N172) - About 52% (273 Different Players)
1887 W.S. Kimball Champions - Baseball Players (N184)
1888 Allen & Ginter World's Champions (N28) - 60% (Missing 4)
1905-09 Gold Embossed Postcards (PC792)
1907 Dietsche Detroit Tigers Postcards Series 1 (PC765-1) - 81% (Missing 3)
1909 Boston Herald Sunday News Supplements - 75% (Missing 6)
1909 Philadelphia Caramel (E95)
1909 "Set of 25" (E102)
1909-13 Sporting News Supplements (M101-2) - 99% (Missing 1)
1909-12 Sweet Caporal Domino Discs (PX7)- About 70% (Missing 39)
1910 Standard Caramel (E93) - 83% (Missing 5)
1910 Philadelphia Caramel (E96) - 87% (Missing 4)
1910 Williams Caramels (E103)- About 54% (Missing 14)
1910-11 White Version Silks-Backed (S74-1) - 96% (Missing 3)
1910-11 White Version Silks-Unbacked (S74-1) - 95% (Missing 4)
1911 Colored Version Silks (S74-2)
1911 Gold Borders (T205) - Missing 4 (2 Players - 2 Variations)
1911 Mecca Double Folders (T201) - About 75% (Missing 14)
1913 Fatima Team Cards (T200) - Missing 3
1913 Tom Barker Game (WG3) - Missing 3???
1913 National Game (WG5) - Missing 3
1914 Polo Grounds Game (WG4)
1916 Felix Mendelsohn/Ferguson Bakery Felt Pennants (BF2) - About 72% (Missing 27)
1920s W-UNC Playing Strip Cards - 75% (Missing 1)
1921 Oxford Confectionery (E253) - Missing 1
1921 Strip Cards (W551)
1923 German Baseball Transfers - About 75% (Missing 3)
1926 Strip Cards (W512) - 60% (Missing 4 Players - Not Including 6 Variations)
1927 Rinkydink Stamps
1927 Strip Cards (W560) - Missing 1 (Now questioned as being a 1929 or 1930 issue)
1928 Strip Cards (W565) - 75% (Missing 1)
1928 Yeungling's Ice Cream (F50) - Missing 2
1933 Eclipse Import (R337)
1933 Rittenhouse Candy (E285) - Missing 2 (Lloyd Warner & Paul Waner disputed existence so really only missing 0)
1934 Butterfinger (R310) - Missing 2
1934 Diamond Matchbooks-Silver Border - About 84% (Missing 32) (Wes Ferrell existence disputed so really only missing 31)
1934 Ward's Sporties Pins - Missing 2
1934-36 Batter-Up (R318)
1934-36 Diamond Stars (R327) - Missing 7
1935 Goudey 4-In-1 (R321)
1935 Schutter-Johnson (R332) - About 60% (Missing 20)
1935-36 Diamond Matchbooks - About 54% (Missing 70)
1936 Diamond Matchbooks-Team On Back
1936 Diamond Matchbooks-Chicago Cubs
1936 Goudey Wide Pen Premiums - Type 1
1936 Goudey (R322)
1936 National Chicle Fine Pens (R313) - Missing 2
1936 National Chicle Rabbit Maranville "How To" Pamphlets
1936 (R312) - About 80% (Missing 10)
1936 S&S Game
1937 Dixie Lids - Baseball Players
1937 Dixie Lid Premiums - Baseball Players
1937 Goudey Wide Pen Premiums - Type 4 - About 55% (Missing 16)
1937 Goudey Thum Movies - Missing 1
1937 O-Pee-Chee - Missing 3
1938 Dixie Lids - Baseball Players
1938 Dixie Lids Premiums - Baseball Players
1938 Goudey Heads Up "Big Heads" (R323) - Missing 5
1938 Goudey Big League Baseball Movies - Missing 3
1938 Our National Game Pins W/Backing
1939 Goudey Premiums (R303-B)
1941 Double Play (R330)
1941 Play Ball (R336) - About 75% (Missing 21)

damn Bob!!!

been collecting since 1975...strictly vintage since the early nineties.

ive never owned more than a few hundred pre WWII cards at a time.

i currently own approximately 130 pre WWII cards.

MY most significant cards from a financial standpoint would be my ruths and cobbs. I consider my dots miller run to be significant as a depiction of the world outside of T206.

I currently own no complete pre WWII sets. I have owned e90-2,e94,e93,e95.

LOL, thanks. Always picked up things when I thought it was a decent price, but didn't focus on just stars/HOFers, and clearly look at mostly lower graded items that are affordable. I've always done the polar opposite of what the "smart" collectors always seem to say, and have collected quantity over quality. Figured this type of survey question would be good for similar minded collectors as well. I'm sure there are many others like me out there.

Oh, and the #4 question regarding significant items you own isn't strictly a "most valuable card "question. Many things can be significant, but not necessarily as expensive as other items due to such rarity or lack of general knowledge regarding a particular item. For instance, I've seen your Dots Miller card run with the weird looking oversize glove on it, and it is super impressive. I also know from completing my own E102 set that that Miller card from the E102 set is almost impossible to find, and thus a somewhat significant card. Not as familiar with every set you have one of those Miller cards for, but I'll bet that E102 Miller was a little tougher to get than many of the others.

Great to hear about your collection and what you have. (And thank goodness I only listed sets I have 75% or more of, and only talking pre-war, or I'd probably still be typing. LOL)

Nice idea for a post Bob.

1. Had some pre-war as a kid, CJs & Goudeys. Got back in about 18 months ago. My focus is type collecting and a couple of E sets, but my collection spans 100 years of baseball 1885-1985.

2 & 3. Currently have 200 +/- pre-war cards.

4.. most significant to me would be parts of my West Coast type collection, T217 Mono, E224 Texas Tommy's, N321, E-100. Also enjoy my 1921 Exhibits Ruth and CJ14 Cobb, I never get tired of looking at those cards.

5. Currently working on an original circulation E98 Master Set 112/120 and a hi-grade E94 set 18/30.

I really enjoy pre-war collecting but also enjoy building post-war HOF groups from the 50's-70's.

-

I probably started collecting pre-war about 18 years ago. In 2009, I sold off a number of sets I had to help pay for an addition to our house, and about 5 years later, I started putting the sets back together. I probably have about 1300-1400 pre-war cards including the following sets:

1909 T201 set
1911 T3 Turkey Red set
1933 Rittenhouse set
1933 Delong set
1934-36 Diamond Stars master set
1935 Goudey master set
1939-1946 Salutation Exhibit set
1939 Play Ball set
1940 Play Ball set
1941 Play Ball set
1941 Double Play set

I'm currently working on 1927 Exhibits, T202s and T205s, but not up to 75% for any of them yet.

I'm not sure what I would consider the most significant pre-war card that I own from the sets I have, but the T3 Cobb and the 1927 Exhibit Ruth are 2 of my favorite cards in my collection.

Thanks Phil. Looks like you have some great items and collecting interests as well. Your mention of a West coast type collection sounds really intriguing, and very expensive. LOL. I actually also type collect on top of the many sets I'm working on as well, and have a lot of oddball stuff I've acquired over the years. In regards to West coast items, are you at all familiar with the circa 1936 Sports Stamps that were printed in various newspapers across the country back then? They included pictures and short stories and bios of baseball players, as well as individuals from multiple other sports (even race car drivers), that were to be cut out of the papers so they could be saved and collected. The old Krause/SCD catalogs would list some of the newspapers these Sports Stamps used to be printed in, but one they never did list were 1936 Sports Stamps from the Los Angeles Examiner. Was wondering if you ever came across any of these in youe type collecting pursuits? I believe for baseball players they listed guys in the Pacific Coast League. Would seem to be something you'd be interested in. Just an FYI.

Thanks for kind words Bob, I seem to recollect the Sport Stamps being mentioned here in a post but I haven't done a done a deep dive into that type yet, I'm always interested in West Coast issues so thanks for the tip.

Bob...the 102 was my first...thus starting the run!!!

Nice thread
 

I’m looking forward to reading this thread, I hope it generates a lot of response!

It’s a little too much for me to type out with my thumbs on my phone tonight, but I’m going to craft a reply when I get on a keyboard.
I love the prewar cards. I’m fortunate to have quite a few.
I have almost all the mainstream postwar too, but they are far less exciting.

Great stuff so far. Wow!

I started collecting in 1967. Got my first prewar card in 1974 from Card Collectors Co.

I have complete sets of
t205
t206
1933 Goudey
1941 Play Ball

I have Pirate team sets of
t200
t201
t202
t207
1934 Goudey
1935 Goudey
1936 Goudey
Delong
Batter Up
Diamond Stars
1939 Play Ball
1940 Play Ball

Very nice Jay! You have some great sets and a fanastic collection. I hear you about working on sets that aren't even close to 75% yet. For example, I've been working on an N172 Old Judge set and just trying to get at least one card of every player that was ever included in the set. The OJ set is slightly bigger than even the 520 card T206 set, with I believe the last Krause/SCD catalog from 2017 listing 525 different players in it, and there could be another player or two discovered since then that I'm not even aware of. Anyway, I've currently got OJ cards for 50% of the players in the set, but there are many known cards in the set that are so rare and/or expensive that I know the set is impossible for me to ever finish. So I'm planning to just keep going and see how many different player cards I can eventually acquire, without worrying about the card grade or condition too much. Figure I'm halfway now and starting to close in on 300 different player cards, and if I can eventually get to 400 different player cards, I'll be pretty satisfied.

So what do you do in the case of collecting a set where you know up front there is a card(s) that is so rare or expensive that you'll probably never be able to complete the set? For example, you mentioned working on a T205 set. So what do you do about the Hoblitzell "no stats" variation, which is almost impossible to find, let alone afford? Do you just get one of the more common Hoblitzell variations and consider Hoblitzell off your want list and the set complete without all four of the variations, or do you get all the other 3 more common Hoblitzell variations and just disregard the "no stats" variation in completing the set? Kind of like what some T206 collectors do in considering their sets complete at 520 cards and just ignoring the"big four". Interested to hear how you look at things like that.

I may actually have some Los Angeles Examiner Sports Stamps, if I can find where I put them. If so, I'll try to scan and attach an image for you to see what I'm talking about.

My collection isn't anything to wow anyone but I'll still play along anyway.

1. I got my first prewar card about 23 years ago.

2. 220 - 225 range

3. Same 220 - 225 (I don't sell much and when I do it's usually to buy something new so the number stays pretty consistent.)

4. My T215 Red Cross Purtell, Jersey City Skeeters card from my JC team collection, my W-Unc cards of Chance, Baker and Tinker (Pics below), and my Mathewson's.

5. I have 80% of the E98 set right now, then I also collect the W516s with the Becker/Prize backs of which 10 different fronts are currently thought to exist with this back and I currently have 7 of the 10 (also pictured below) Other than that I have some other sets that are not 75% complete that are still works in progress.

Cool thread, jump in and post on this one guys. Let's hear from some members that don't post all that often too.

Andy



.

You got real lucky then. That is about the toughest E102 card there is to find.

1. I've been a collector for 30 years, but first dipped a toe in vintage ~5 years ago

2. I haven't owned more than 5 pre-war at any one time.

3. I currently own 3 pre-war cards

4. Depending on the day of the week, one of the t206 Green portrait Cobb, E95 Wagner, or the M101-2 Cobb/Wagner

5. Not quite pre-war, but close enough that the board will still appreciate it, I have a complete set of 1950 Bowman

I knew how tough this card was...this is why I got it in the first place. I figured since I had one of the toughest I'd go for the run.

I do like to complete sets so I usually only collect sets that I think I can complete. It's probably one of the reasons I haven't ever collected T206s. Since the T205 set can be considered complete at 208 as a basic set without the different variations, I can probably convince myself that I completed it if I eventually get all but a few of the high priced variations, but to be honest it will probably still bug me a little if I don't have them all.

I am a type collector at heart and always will be. I dabbled in a mid grade T205 set but lost interest and went back to more type cards :)
The 1936 Sport Stamps were carried in several newspapers. Here are some from my last collection. I no longer own them.

https://luckeycards.com/stamps.jpg

-I’ve been at pre-war cards for about 35 years (oof, I feel old typing that)
-I’m at about 2700 cards and don’t sell much although I have some T205 dupes that I will be posting soon.
-I think my favorites are my Newsboy Mike Tiernan and T206 Drums
-complete or near complete sets: Batter-Up (-1); C46; Diamond Stars; E-90-1 (-9); E95 (-3); 1933-36 Goudey (-12 in all, incl. a 35 master set); 1939-41 Play Ball (-2); T201; T205 master set (-6); T206; Tattoo Orbit; W519. I’m also working on a few other sets like E96, certain N172’s and T222 but those are more theoretical at this point. Focus has never been my strongest trait.

Bob, that's quite an impressive list of sets. Here's my breakdown:

1) about 12 years. Like most I started with T206 but got bored so switched to focus on caramels instead.
2) probably around 200
3) again probably around 200
4) Most significant item I have is probably my E92 red croft group due to their rarity. Currently have 9 of the 18 that I know exist.
5) I don't have any complete sets, but close on a few: E93 (missing cobb), E92 Nadja (about 75% complete), E92 red croft (missing 3 that I know exist), and W554 (missing 3). I'm also very slowly working on diamond stars, E253, PC796/novelty cutlery, and T222.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...2c439f91_b.jpg

I don't know Andy, seems to me you have quite a bit of the "wow" factor in your collection. Those pictured items you scanned are super. Hopefully you can one day complete some of those sets.

That is a great collection!!!!

Jay, that makes perfect sense, set your collecting goals as you like, and don't worry about what anyone else does or thinks.

One of the big advantages of my working on so many sets at once is that whenever I look online, at an auction catalog, or attend a show, I literally always seem to be able to come across something that is reasonably priced and in presentable shape that is either needed for a set I'm working on, or is a type card of some set I don't already have an example of. I truly embrace the feeling that the thrill is in the hunt, and not as much so in the kill, to use a metaphor. My downfall is I use the Krause/SCD catalog as my checklist template from the one year they also sold the catalog as a CD (2009 I think). Makes it nice to just highlight items on the pdf file to check off what you have. And you can add notes and comments as you like, and print off any pages for reference or to take with you. The problem is you now have the entire freakin' catalog as a digital checklist so you start checking off everything in it that you already have, and it encourages you to keep collecting and checking more and more things off. Definitely gives you something to keep busy at. LOL

Very nice Skelly, we need to get you into more pre-war vintage though. LOL

Thanks Leon, you saved me the trouble of digging out my LA Examiner copies to scan and post. However, I probably should still look for them to at least post an image of the Joe DiMaggio Sports Stamp I have that mentions him having played in the PCL. Also includes the youngest image I've ever seen of Joe D, he looks like he's a young teen.

This kind of relates to a different thread I recently saw on Net54 in one of the other forums about pricing and values of articles and stories out of the newspapers. Was surprised no one mentioned the Sports Stamps or Rinkydink Stamps sets in it. You would think these newspaper originated collectibles would have more interest and value. Like cards, they are still paper/cardboard based, were massed produced and distributed, but are much rarer in that their distribution was limited to one single day and newspaper is exceedingly more fragile and subject to the ravages of time and the elements more so than cards ever are. It is almost a miracle that any survived till today, unless glued into a scrapbook or otherwise compromised in some manner. Finding these newspaper cut-out collectibles in really nice, pristine condition is exceedingly rare. Definitely an undervalued and underappreciated pre-war collectible.

Great stuff Judson, you sound a lot like me.

Collecting prewar for around 30 years and have maybe 300 slabbed prewar cards

Have T205 Cubs front/ reverse collection 149 out of 151 possible cards
T207 Cubs front reverse with all factory's possible
e121-80 and E121-120 Giante/ Yankees collection
Some Koester Bread to match
T210 -1 Jacksonville set missing DeFraites
Elmer Miller items including his 1919 contract
Assortment of press photos of Elmer Miller
s74 Cubs silks with different types

Fun collection in general

Very nice Richard, and those red Croft's are fantastic. I especially like that your set includes a Dots Miller card with the way oversized glove. That is the exact Miller image that Pete Ullman previously mentioned he has a Miller card run of. That oversized glove image is so weird, it is super cool. Some of those oversized glove cards of Miller are exceedingly rare. And good luck in completing your E93 set and getting the Cobb. Right now Cobb cards are ridiculously high priced, making it tough and extremely expensive to complete any set where you still need a card of him. I got lucky and came across a crappy, but reasonably priced, E93 Cobb a while back that got me started on my own Standard Caramel set. Lot of truth to the advice for set collectors to always try and go after the big cards in a set first.

Here is my run and for you DJ some early pandemic pick ups!

Ken, that is an awesome collection, and am especially impressed with your back/front combo portion of it. Those back/front runs are really hard to complete and seem to always include a combination or two (or even more) that are virtually impossible to find, or so darn expensive you could never afford them. Big reason why I never really got involved or interested in collecting back/front combo runs, or card runs of individual players. However, I do have one particular player back/front combo run I've thought about completing. And the fact that you mentioned you collect S74 silks let's me know you may better understand and appreciate this. There are 4 different tobacco brands that the ad-backed S74-1 white version silks were sold with; Old Mill, Turkey Red, Red Sun, and Helmar. And of the 4 brands, only the Turkey Red silk backings came in two different versions. One with a simple border or frame around the printed information/ad on the attached paper backing, and the other without any frame/border, just like the backs on the silks for the other 3 tobacco brands which also had no borders/frames. So there is potentially a total of 5 different backs for any one individual player in the set. I'd love to put together a back run of all 5 different backs for one player in the S74-1 white version set, but am not even sure it is possible. Red Sun backed silks are exceedingly rare. I doubt if there are any players in the S74-1 set that even approach having a double digit number of Red Sun backed silks that still exist, if they even have any that exist at all. But then the Helmar backed silks are even worse. Forget about not having a double digit number of Helmar backed silks for any one player in the set. How about not having a double digit number of Helmar backed silks known to exist............period. And add to that the need to also then find an oddball framed Turkey Red back version which also doesn't appear for every player in the set and......well, you get the idea. It likely is impossible to put such a back run together. Will keep an eye out though. Got to stay positive in collecting, right?

1. I've been collecting cards since 1982 but started pre-war collecting at the end of 2010.

2. I own around 2000 pre-war sports cards. I also own around 6000 pre-war non sports cards. I don't really sell many pre war items, so my answer for number 2 and 3 are the same.

3. I own around 2000 pre-war sports cards. I also own around 6000 pre-war non sports cards. I don't really sell many pre war items, so my answer for number 2 and 3 are the same.

4. The most significant cards are probably my T206 Blue Old Mill, my group of T206 No Prints, and the large amount of different T206 front/back combo's.

5. I don't have any pre war sports card sets complete but my T206 set is at 514 different card fronts. For pre war non sports cards, I have a minimum of 6 complete T59 Flag 200 card sets, and probably around 20 complete and near complete (missing less than 5 cards) sets of random Chinese cards with the Pirate Cigarettes brand back. Also a near complete T113 Types Of Nations, T79 Military, T42 & T43 Birds, and T58 Fish. There's probably a few other sets but I'm mainly focused on T206, T59, and Chinese Pirate brand cards.

Ronnie, that is geat, and getting to 514 T206 subjects is no mean feat. And nothing wrong with non-sports sets as well. Sounds like you have some really interesting sets you are working on.

Thanks Bob, You have an incredible list yourself. I'd probably be at 522/524 of the T206's but when I started collecting them, I wanted all the front/back combinations. So I have many front duplicates but they all have different backs. So technically I have multiple T206 sets and all the cards are different between them. My second set is at 399/524, my third set is at 277/524, and my fourth set is at 163/524 and so on. My largest run for one card front (Hal Chase Blue Portrait) is 17 different backs. My biggest T206 regret is not getting an Eddie Plank early on, and not getting started sooner. I was side tracked for over 25 years with over produced cards that everyone owned.

I have about 60 pre-war. 29 are in one set: Cincinnati Reds w-711.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...294fa090f7.jpg

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Cool thread.

I only collect pre-war, with 99.5% of my 750+/- cards originating from 1903-1921 and the overwhelming majority of them being t206s

I have a complete, 524 card, t206 set, along with a number of rare front/back HOFers.

I have a complete e104-2 Pirates set and a complete 1906 Lincoln Publishing PC set. I am about 80% complete in a D304 set, including no team variations. I am kicking around the idea of a 1914 CJ set. But I am not really a set guy.

Aside from t206s, I really collect just players - Wagner, Cobb, Ruth, Jackson, and Plank. And I love the real rare stuff, especially with HOFers.

Ronnie,

That is super impressive. I know the T206 set is big on Net54, so you fit right in. Good luck on getting where you want to end up, and scoring a Plank!

Hey Tim,

A Reds W-711 partial set, wow!!! Now there's a set you really never see or hear about. I know literally nothing about that set, and don't remember it ever being listed in the old SCD catalogs either. Would love to hear some info/background about the set, and what it was that prompted you to start collecting it.

For not being a set guy you seem to have a few very impressive ones, WOW! And I really like the somewhat esoteric choices with the Lincoln Publishing PC and D304 sets. And as for any any signficant cards.....with a complete 524 card T206 set, it kind of goes without saying. Damn nice! And good luck if you do decide to go after a 1914 CJ set. i have a couple CJ commons buried somewhere, but understand the '14 set is way tougher to complete than a '15 set. Good luck.

1. I've been collecting cards since 1984 but started pre-war collecting at the end of 2010.

2. I have owned around 40 pre-war sports cards.

3. I currently own around 30.

4. My most significant cards are my National Game "runner sliding" Cobb, and my Churchman Ruth.

5. The only set I have collected and completed is the R313-A Gold Medal Food cards.

Hi Tim,

I was wondering about the W711s too. Are you doing the type 1 or type 2 set? I'm working on the Type 1 set but am far from completion at this point. I find it to be a wonderful set with great images and the red color accents are perfect.

Thanks for responding George. Like that you have completed a Gold Medal set, another one of those obscure, but wonderful, sets that rarely get talked about on the forum. Now we just have to get you started on another set!!!

1. How long have you been collecting pre-war cards?

Since about 2001, when I was 10.

2. What is the approximate largest number of pre-war cards/items you've
ever owned at any one time?

378 baseball cards according to my spreadsheet. I have sold a few duplicates recently, traded some over the years, but cards leave my collection at a very small rate, and come in at a higher one. Most cards I buy will never leave, unless I get a duplicate of it in a lot.

3. Approximately how many pre-war cards/items do you currently still own?

378 baseball cards, ~3,000 from other sports, about ~11,000 total pre-war cards sport/non-sport. Mostly centered in the 1909-1912 ATC/ALC sets.

4. What is/are the most significant card(s)/item(s) you currently own?
(Not what you may have owned at one time.)

I am not interested in the money game, so my most significant cards are my sentimental favorites. My T205 Livingston that started my collection, the T3 Schlei that was my first cabinet, the E94 Joe Lake that was my first caramel. Other cards I would consider significant are cards that found new variations or I learned something from in boxing and non-sport sets, though they would not be significant to most.

5. What complete sets or near complete sets (say 75% or more) do you
currently own?

In baseball, none. My baseball pre-war are mostly opportunistic pickups, a card I like at a good deal. I will pursue a complete set when I have a majority bought on bargain, but usually not until then. I have complete or near complete master sets of many boxing and non-sport issues, as set collecting is my preferred way. "Overpaying" to finish a bird or boxer issue is a lot more palatable than Cobb's and Wagner's when my personal enjoyment of all 3 subjects are about the same.

First, I'm a Reds fan. I collect as much memorabilia as I do cards. I'm a history teacher, and I got into pre-war about 9 years ago, and I started learning about the 1939-40 Cincinnati Reds. I always wanted my display to feel like a museum. I saw the set and fell in love. It's beautiful. I always thought the set was team issued, but Chris Gamble shared an advertisement about a year ago that the set was produced and distributed by the local dairy company. A new card would arrive with the milk! The lesser known players are the hardest to find and command prices similar to or higher than the stars. The Jim Weaver pictured below is the only one I've ever seen, and I paid as much for it as I did the others. Regardless, I have only once seen a Johnny Vander Meer portrait; I have seen Johnny's action shot a couple times. The portrait was autographed, and a member of this site owns it. I collect both series, but I only have two 1939 cards. The only way I can tell them apart is by reading the description on the back. The description was updated to mention accomplishments from 1938. Finally, I'm about to sell my partial set. I bought a T206 red Cobb, and my set, among other things, is going to help me pay for it.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...bc2db8a8bb.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...1b4fde2527.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...2966b38faa.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...bed5aaf33a.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...0ba236405a.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...1eb3d7c727.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...bb04d350e7.jpg

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1. Started collecting in late 80s, but not pre-war cards until 2018.

2. About 65.

3. 26

4. My most significant would be my 1914 CJ WaJo and my T206 Cobbs.

5. I am not currently collecting any pre-war sets. Thought about a few, but decided not for multiple reasons. Mainly collect Cobb and WaJo cards.

1. How long have you been collecting pre-war cards?
About 1972,I bought a few T206s, got some 33 Goudeys a few years later. Stopped around 1980 and picked up again in the early 90s

2. What is the approximate largest number of pre-war cards/items you've
ever owned at any one time? ~1300

3. Approximately how many pre-war cards/items do you currently still own?
~1300

4. What is/are the most significant card(s)/item(s) you currently own?
(Not what you may have owned at one time.)
1921 Exhibits Babe Ruth, which is in a 1 cent Exhibit machine



5. What complete sets or near complete sets (say 75% or more) do you
currently own? (Again, not counting sets you used to own, and only
counting the baseball cards in multi-subject sets in determining the
percentage complete. And not including as sets any issue with only 1 or
2 listed baseball cards/items in it.)

1921-22 E121 about 90%
1923 W515-2 75%
1931 W517 complete
1933 Goudey missing Lajoie
1934 Goudey complete
1934-36 Diamond Stars missing two (low numbers only)
1936 National Chicle “Fine Pens” missing four
1939 Play Ball missing one
1940 Play Ball missing two
1941 Play Ball
1941 Double Play

I love the 1921 exhibits! Great Ruth card and display!

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1. How long have you been collecting pre-war cards?
Since late 1977 or early 78. I'n not sure exactly when I bought my first prewar card.

2. What is the approximate largest number of pre-war cards/items you've
ever owned at any one time?

I'm not sure, maybe 3-400 ish?

3. Approximately how many pre-war cards/items do you currently still own?

Pretty much the same, I seldom sell any.

4. What is/are the most significant card(s)/item(s) you currently own?
(Not what you may have owned at one time.)

It's hard to say. I have a handful or T206 with more difficult backs, and a few oddities. It's hard to choose one, as there are a few maybes, but significant for different reasons.

5. What complete sets or near complete sets (say 75% or more) do you
currently own? (Again, not counting sets you used to own, and only
counting the baseball cards in multi-subject sets in determining the
percentage complete. And not including as sets any issue with only 1 or
2 listed baseball cards/items in it.)

None. I don't think I'm even close to 75% in any of them.
One of the hazards of being a not focused collector and more an opportunistic generalist.

1. How long have you been collecting pre-war cards?
I think I bought my first one, a 1933 Goudey common, around 1980.

2. What is the approximate largest number of pre-war cards/items you've
ever owned at any one time?

I would guess around 500.

3. Approximately how many pre-war cards/items do you currently still own?

Same as above, I very rarely part with any cards.

4. What is/are the most significant card(s)/item(s) you currently own?
(Not what you may have owned at one time.)

Probably my 1933G Ruth and 1933 and 1934G Gehrig, along with two T206 Cobbs, Wajo portrait, and 14CJ Wajo. But others could be up there, too.

5. What complete sets or near complete sets (say 75% or more) do you
currently own? (Again, not counting sets you used to own, and only
counting the baseball cards in multi-subject sets in determining the
percentage complete. And not including as sets any issue with only 1 or
2 listed baseball cards/items in it.)

I'm a type collector with an eye towards stars and HOFers, so I really don't concentrate on building sets, but I do have:
W551
1933 Delong
1935 Goudey
and postwar, 1948 Bowman
complete.

Super collection and great cards from such a tough set. Sorry to hear you may be parting with a portion of the collection to fund the purchase of another card, but it is of a T206 Cobb so can understand. And I now see those were listed in the old SCD catalogs under a caption of "Cincinnati Reds Team Issue" for the years 1938, 1939, and 1940. Your mention that these were actually prepared and distributed by a local Cincinnati dairy, and therefore maybe not a team issue at all, just shows how little we may actually know about a lot of the sets and items that we collect. It also shows that even when we have great resources for such information, like the SCD catalogs, you still can't always assume they are always 100% accurate and up to date. It is actually somewhat saddening that the catalog was discontinued as it was a great repository of knowledge all in one place, and the perfect source to find out about new discoveries and changes to what we collect. Thanks to the diligence and efforts of people like the late Bob Lemke, who used to be editor of the catalog, who would research and investigate new found information and details and then make the appropriate and warranted updates to the catalog each year. There really isn't anyone or any group that I'm aware of that is still keeping track of such changes, and updating and making it all available to the public, at least not at the volume and level of information that was in the SCD catalogs. Even revered and often quoted reference sources like Lew Lipset's card encyclopedia, or the Goodwin - Old Judge book by Jay, Joe, and Richard, have omissions and errors in them that weren't discovered or proven till after their publications. An udate to the descriptions of these W711 sets in the SCD catalogs would have been a great way to disseminate this info to the collecting public. Sadly, that isn't happening anymore.

G1911,

Great cards and collection, and totally agree with your position on what are "significant" cards. In an earlier post I already mentioned I don't necessarily equate significance with value (though very often significant cards do seem to cost a little more). Cards can be significant to someone for personal, historical, rarity, emotional, and any other number of reasons, aside from the very obvious monetary ones. Your explanation as to those particular items that are significant to you is a great part of this survey in helping to explain who and what we are as collectors. I think your choices are fantastic and spot on in responding to that particular question.