Thanks for the research Greg. Really a great job and great effort. It confirms what all of us 1914 CJ collectors already knew - that nearly every card in the set is scarcer that a T206 Wagner. Apples and oranges I know, but still, many cards are just plain hard to find. And if a collector wants certain cards in a 5 or 6, it may not matter how much money he or she is able to throw at the situation. The cards just are not around, and the ones that are out there are not available. I believe the 2nd highest Psa registered 1914 CJ set owner also owns the Pittsburgh Steelers. I'm pretty sure I'm not going to be able to tempt him into selling any of his cards with any amount I'd be able to offer.
As far as patterns of scarcity with this set, I have observed that #'s 73 and up were lesser produced. Also, stars from #'s 1-72 are more available because people hung on to the stars ( a whopping 107 Cobbs apparently survived). Extraordinarily minuscule in comparison to how many were printed in a nationally distributed set, as far as we know. When I was completing the set I thought maybe Del Pratt's great grandnephew or something must be hoarding all of his cards, same with Cady, Caldwell, Becker, Frank Owens, Frank Smith, etc... The so-called commons....but the probable fact is that these cards were just thrown out. And as many others before me have remarked, it's amazing that any 1914's even survived their trips in the popcorn boxes to be pulled out in 1914. ,let alone still be here 100 years later. Anyone who has held a 1914 can tell you that the cards are barely there. Like brittle, red, 100 year old tracing paper.
I think sets have peaks and valleys. The 1914's are at a peak, but plateau might be more appropriate than valley for these. They are too cool, too famous, and too valuable at this point especially, to nosedive.
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