Postcard question
 

While I don't know a lot about postcards, I like to pick up an old Shibe Park postcard every now and then. While looking thru some listings on the 'bay, I noticed these two postcards have the same fronts but different backs. Is this common? Are they both legit? Is one more rare than the other? Thanks!
Rob
:)


http://www.ebay.com/itm/1913-EXTERIO...item3cd118d73e

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage1910-...item3a80a6fa03

While I don't know the answer as to which one is more rare, I can say with a degree of certainty that they are both legit. Also, it is not uncommon to see the same postcard distributed by different manufacturers. In some cases they were licensing the same artwork. In other cases, a distribution company had two different arms and distributed the same card through both. I have two cards where the front image is the same but a German company stamp is on the back and another copy with an American company. I researched the companies and found out that the German company owned the American one.

Sorry for the ramble.

I collect postcards of Lincoln, Nebraska and have for years...I can tell you that it is not uncommon at all for postcards to have different reverses..I have some postcards with the same front that have up to 5 different backs.....sometimes it's a result of the same manufacturer printing them in different years, and sometimes it's a different manufacturer who bought the rights to the artwork/photo or bought out a printing company.

And sometimes it's hard keeping up with the front variations.

<a href="http://s22.photobucket.com/user/nudan92/media/Nebraska%20Indians%20Baseball%20Team/nebindpcvariations.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/nudan92/Nebraska%20Indians%20Baseball%20Team/nebindpcvariations.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo nebindpcvariations.jpg"/></a>

Ditto to what Jason and Dan said. I know that with League Park and Cleveland Stadium postcards, you can find the same basic picture on what are technically four, five or more different postcards.

Here are examples of a League Park PC that's essentially the same shot:

http://www.freewebs.com/indianfever/lp11.jpg

http://www.freewebs.com/indianfever/lp21.jpg

http://www.freewebs.com/indianfever/lp28.jpg

If you look through some of these, you'll see more examples (check out the second and third rows on Page 2):

http://www.freewebs.com/indianfever/...pcsgallery.htm

As for one variation having more value, I suppose some are tougher than others, but my guess is you'd have to be pretty hard core to know which ones.

Shibe Postcard Backs
 

Rob,

There are at least 7 different backs for this card. Both on ebay are authentic. No difference in scarcity or value. Good luck with your collection. Jim

Jim, what reference that is you're showing a scan from? Looks interesting.

Baseball Stadium Checklist
 

Hi Lance....The reference is the Baseball Stadium Postcard Checklist and Price Guide, collaborative effort between myself and 10 other Stadium Postcard collectors, it was privately published by Tom Crabtree in 1997. It took us a couple of years to put together, using our collections and snail mailing lists back and forth to each other. It's never been maintained but does checklist over 6700 cards including variations. Neither Tom or I have any copies left, once and awhile one will show up on eBay. Thanks. Jim

Hey Jim, that resource is incredible. Thanks for all of your, Tom's, and the other collectors' efforts in putting it together.

+1 on the thanks, and agreed on the apparent incredible nature of the book.

If anyone knows where I can pick up a copy at a more reasonable price than the $135 one currently on Amazon, let me know. Otherwise I'll just be watching eBay.

(and the first one who offers me theirs for $134 will get a swift kick in the shins :D )

Jim,

I love that book and reference it often.

Thanks for all of the replies! Neat variations on the Nebraska and Cleveland postcards! That reference book looks mighty handy - Lance, you will have some friendly competition if one shows up on ebay :)

Postcard Checklist
 

Guys...Thank you for the kind words of appreciation. Jim