R-309 or R340? I need help with a Ruth and Tilden
 

these are 5 1/2 by 9"......both obvious Goudey....but the Tilden?

R340 Sport Kings (6) Goudey Extra Large

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there is no known Tilden ones tho....and this is the size of the R-309's

Maybe you have the only known Tilden example?



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When REA sold the Ruth they said there is an eight subject checklist, consisting of Dempsey, Ruth, Sarazen, Tilden, Londos, Grange, Weissmuller, and Morenz. But only the Ruth had been found. REA added that the R340 Sport Kings Premium card measures approximately 5-3/4 x 9-3/16 inches and is framed by a thin green border (compared to the borderless 5-1/2 x 8-13/16 inches dimensions of R309-1 cards). Ruth's name is also printed in a green nameplate as opposed to gold on the R309-1. So the Tilden and Ruth you have are not R340s. They have to be R309s. But Tilden?

amazing! nice ruth...selling???

yes...i want to sell...but i have to find out exactly what i have....

I found a blog about the offer of the R340's. On the side panels of the 1933 Sport Kings wrapper they encourage 1930s youngsters to send away for one of eight “Photographic Prints” that measure 9″ x 5 1/2.” The offer on the Sport Kings wrapper tells youngsters to save 50 wrappers and mail them to Goudey’s offices in Boston. The wrapper lists the options as Jack Dempsey (#1), Babe Ruth (#2), Gene Sarazen (#3), Bill Tilden (#4), Jim Londos (#5), Red Grange (#6), Johnny Weismuller (#7) and Howie Morenz (#8).

Found this on "Pre-War Cards" website.

Like the R309-1 set, these photos included black and white images of athletes. The photos are produced on cardboard and include a cardboard easel on the back to allow it to stand up. The easels for the two series are slightly different. Ones in the R309-1 set have a rounded top while the R340 series has a flat top.

The Tilden is an R340 Goudey Sport Kings Premium. Yours is the first Tilden that I have heard of. There is also a known Weissmuller along with one that pictures Jack Demosey along with two other boxers. I do not have an image of the Dempsey in front of me, but it is owned by a board member, so hopefully he will chime in.

Great find.

These can't be R340s. Here is the R340 offered by REA. Notice the green trim and Ruth's name is also printed in a green nameplate as opposed to gold.

The Tilden is definitely an R340.

I think that REA misidentified the Ruth with the green border. That appears to be some sort of proof card.

The Ruth is a standard R-309, right?

Maybe you're right. The size listed on the Sport Kings wrapper coincides with the size he lists for the Ruth and Tilden (9" x 5 1/2").

Not sure how to tell the difference.

The rounded easel top?

The standard 1933 Goudey wrapper had the offer for the R309s.

I believe that the Weissmuller and Dempsey R340s have rounded easel tops.

I think that all of the confusion is coming from the REA write up on their Ruth. I believe that the REA Ruth was a proof of some sort. I do not know how they determined it to be an R340.

Here is another R309 Premium that was part of the Halper collection.

Is that the second known green border?

Here is a black and white image of the Weissmuller from when it resides in the phenomenal collection of the late Gerry Glasser.

I will try and get a better image of it to post.

That’s what I thought.

Yes, AFAIK. This one is printed in thin oversized stock. I assume that they both came from John Fawcett’s great Goudey find from the 1960s.

thankyou all for your input on these cards.I found them in a box of my father's childhood items . He was born in 1923 and i have personally had them since 1990 along with his 33 and 34 Goudeys, batters up, indian chewing gum, diamond stars..i am thinking i need to send them to be graded? PSA? Becketts?.....i am not a collector, but have a collection...lol.... been doing alot of researching and found this forum and joined it. I truly appreciate all your knowledge and insight...

Here are better pics of the Weissmuller.

pics are awesome of Weismueller...noticed the rounded top to the easel and no green border....should i send to PSA?

Much of the information above is not accurate. The most up-to-date answers are here:

https://www.sportscollectorsdaily.co...ings-premiums/

The Tilden is a unicorn. Fantastic find. Here's Dempsey:

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...y%20boxers.jpg

The Ruth is a proof; the dimensions are wrong for the shipping envelope, which came with my card.

SGC does a nice job slabbing these; I used to own a Ruth in an SGC slab.

R340
 

Great information in that article.

Given the matching size, does that make them the only known Tilden AND the only know Ruth R340s?

the ruth and tilden were found together..leads me to think Dad got them at the same time as a kid

The Ruth is the same as the Goudey premium, so it is impossible to say whether it is an SK. The Tilden, Dempsey and Weissmuller are the only known examples of those, as far as my research has gotten.