This question has plagued me for some time as to why the AB Green is just a bit more valuable,not really noticeable, compared to the AB blacks and BL's? I think they are in a league of their own when compared to the AB blacks and BL's. Most of the AB Black backs have a BL counterpart. My theory has been for a while if the card has an AB back it will have a Cycle, BL, Drum, and Pied 42. After some time of searching I have found, sure I could have asked though, that the AB black is the only card that falls into this category. The AB Green will only have a Cycle or Pied 42 back if that(only speaking of scarcer backs and not Pied 25, PB, SC, and so on). So with the AB green backs thats the end of the road for that player. There is NO BL olive or black, NO Drum, And certainly NO Hindu's. After looking at Josh's data he provided us it is clear that the BL combined # is pretty close to the AB Black #. Even though there is more AB Greens than Blacks I think once you take into consideration that all the Black backed players have been printed possibly one more time with the possibility of a second printing with Drum that the AB Greens are quite a bit scarcer and should be valued significantly higher than the Black backs.

Below I have added Josh's data for help. I am interested in hearing what you all think about this and what you would say value wise and scarcity level. I would love to show a few scans I have of old cards but I can't upload to the board still. So show some of those Beauties!!!!!!!!


(Thanks Josh for the info you have given us)

Advertiser Color Fact. Code # of cards seen %Total
Piedmont Blue 25 4167 18.9
Polar Bear Blue 3524 16.0
Sweet Cap. Red 3071 14.0
Sweet Cap. Black 25 2125 9.7
Sweet Cap. Black 42 2053 9.3
Hassan Green 649 1761 8.0
Honest Long Cut Black 1739 7.9
Sovereign Green 1580 7.2
Cycle Black 718 3.3
Hassan Green 30 496 2.3
Piedmont Blue 42 205 .93
American Beauty Green 189 .86
American Beauty Black 163 .74
Broadleaf Black 80 .36
Broadleaf Green 71 .32
Hindu Brown 44 .20
Drum Brown 27 .12

Total: 22013

BTW I think that the Hindus may have more than the Drums but should be valued much higher due to the fact that they are SP in comparison to the rest of the set and back combo's.