You would think this would be an easy card to get right
 

I wouldn't?

its a Type 2 with the blue lettering not a 1 or 3

Which 'Type 3' do you mean?

Sorry thinking about the coupon sets 1910-14-19

The label is wrong. It is not a T215 type one. Red Cross with blue lettering is type 2 for T215.

T213 type 1 and T215 type 1 have brown captions like T206.

Given all that, the write-up also says he was with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

I liked "the card is in vintage condition and has been graded by PSA as a 3 VG".

And here I spent decades thinking VG meant Very Good!

So what am I missing here - I have one in an SGC 50 that i've got $155 invested in?????

Surely the Red Cross back on a VG 3 cant add an additional $6700 to the card???

Of course it can.

T215s are very difficult backs. There are three types:

Type 1, which have black lettering on front like T206s and were issued in 1910
Type 2, which have blue lettering on front and were issued after 1912
Pirates -- these have a pirate back, they are super scarce and were issued in the south pacific to British soldiers.

All three types of T215s are very rare. Like a Drum or Uzit back, this scarcity substantially increases the value of these backs.

Personally, I feel the T215-1 (type 1) should be considered a T206 (I miss you Ted and enter Leon with opposition), given when they were issued and the front lettering, so I feel those backs should be more valuable than the type 2. Nevertheless, T215s are super rare and very valuable.

Pretty sure the name and team lettering on the front of a T206 and Type 1 T215 is brown not black.

So what does the "TYPE 3" look like then?

Ah - Nevermind

Type 3 is the "Pirate" Backs - Yes??????

Yes, here is a pic

Well
 

Beautiful card, Ryan!!

I didn't think those had been categorized as anything other than T215 Red Cross 'Pirate Back', or just 1912 'Pirate Cigarettes'. Though it makes sense that they could be T215-3, neither Lipset, Old Cardboard, nor VCP has them categorized as such... I'd check the standard catalog or ACC, but don't have either. Does any source you know categorize the Pirate backs as T215-3?

Thanks - just want to include a new (to me) source for such minutia for further reference.
--
Mike

I looked in an old Standard Catalog of Vintage Cards and these are listed as 1912 Pirate Cigarettes (T215). "This set can be considered a British version of the T215 Red Cross Type 1 set. Distributed by Pirate brand cigarettes of Bristol and London, England, The fronts of the cards are identical to the Red Cross cards, but the green backs carry advertising for Pirate Cigarettes. It is believed that the Pirate cards were printed for distribution to U.S. servicemen in the South Seas. There is reason to believe the "standard" tobacco card length of 2-5/8" (width 1-7/16") may not be universally applicable to the Pirate cards, possibly because of packaging considerations."

I dont think the Pirate backs are referred to as Type 3's. I always thought they were just called T215 Pirates and there are T215-1 and T215-2.

Coupons, on the other hand, have a type 1, type 2, and type 3.

T206s have series, which I guess are like their own version of Types (whereas factories and/or overprints would be variations).

T215's
 

I did know the Doyle was a type 2 when I purchased the pair, but will probably
just leave it in the holder. I Didn't know there was a thread about it until I just seen it now.

https://photos.imageevent.com/mordec...T215Doyle1.jpghttps://photos.imageevent.com/mordec...T215Doyle2.jpg

https://photos.imageevent.com/mordec...215Hofman1.jpghttps://photos.imageevent.com/mordec...215Hofman3.jpg

Yeap, always my thoughts too. And alas, no Ted to argue with over which ones aren't :) t206s. . He was a lot of fun and great for the hobby. He is missed.
.