1948 Exhibits -- why no PSA?
 

Does anyone know why PSA won't grade these? Or the hockey or Olympics ones?

I think because many of the same exhibits may have been printed over multiple years and it’s difficult to discern


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That was my working theory, but it doesn't seem to have stopped SGC?

I agree with Carl. Here is what I have in my set notes:

The 1948 – 1952 Football Exhibit (catalog designation W468) set consists of 59 unnumbered player cards and a checklist that were produced over a five year period. It is believed that they were released in 32 card groups, primarily in the years 1948, 1950, and 1951. Some cards were printed in multiple years while others were not. The 1951 cards were all reprinted in sepia and distributed in 1952 as well. The year a card was originally printed can be determined by the height of the “Made in USA” text at the bottom of the card. The text on 1948 cards is 5/8”. The text on 1950 cards is 7/16”. The text on 1951 and 1952 cards is 1/2”. ESCO continued printing and selling these cards at least into the mid 50's, making it difficult to pinpoint the year that any particular card was printed.

jeff

Only cards manufactured by ESCO (Exhibit Supply Co.) can be called "exhibits." Now the hockey ones we see floating around online were not made by ESCO - nobody really knows who made them! The only thing we do know is that they were made somewhere in Canada. They copied the baseball ones ESCO made as well. And finally, I am not even sure if they bought a licence from ESCO.

Yeah I have seen Howe and Richard and Beliveau. Good to know.

They are still pretty popular though, and I think that's because most collectors believe they were manufactured by ESCO. I remember I sold my NM Gordie Howe for around $300 USD, and I thought I asked for a little too much for it, but then PWCC sold a VG-EX example for $921 USD - I couldn't believe it!

I emailed PSA on this (specifically football exhibits) and they said "We only grade baseball exhibits – there have been counterfeiting issues with the other sport exhibits."

Sooo........

"We're the experts. Unless being an expert is hard, then we're not. "

Similar to their stance on Star basketball. Although given their guaranty I guess I understand the cost-benefit analysis.

I have been trying for years to change their minds. Maybe the Exhibit book I hope to publish in 2018 will help.

Technically speaking, PSA's position is nonsensical. Anyone who knows Exhibits knows that the stock is very distinctive and was used across all the card sets, and that the only way to counterfeit a halftone print like an Exhibit card convincingly is to use the original art or the original plates. Anything else made from a card is an obvious re-screen (2nd generation halftone print made from a photo of a halftone print). Takes all of about ten seconds to weed out a counterfeit. That is why the Canadian arcade cards are clearly not ESCO products. They could not have vended through the machines without fouling and are re-screens. They are, however, vintage and quite desirable.

I can also second Jeff's observations re the duration of the FB card run. This is from a 1955 catalog:

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...atalog%202.jpg

And when the book is ready, I shall be a buyer. Exhibits are absolutely fascinating!

I believe there was at least one other company that many an exhibit baseball card set, circa 1920s. I believe it includes Babe Ruth.

There are a number of arcade cards and pseudo-arcade cards. I will cover those too.

At least with cards of movie stars and singers from the 50s and 60s, one often sees what appears to be the same card referred to as both an exhibit and an arcade card. Is there a difference? I usually just adopt the terminology used by the seller in my records, but wouldn't mind being more accurate.

Arcade cards refer generically to cards sold in arcades. Exhibit cards should refer to products of the Exhibit Supply Company, a subset of arcade card. Like tissue and Kleenex or photocopy and Xerox.

Thank you.