Quote:
Originally Posted by Archive
Posted By: Ryan ChristoffHere's a scan of the Armando Marsans card. It measures 1 1/4" by 1 7/8". The stock is photographic, but this is an example of one without the backing as is normally the case. In fact, every single one in the scan Andy posted above is without the backing.
These are incredibly rare, back or no back, but those with backs carry a huge premium as there are only about 4 or 5 known with them. The backing is on a brownish cardboard stock, a bit thicker than a normal baseball card, but not a firm backing like an Old Judge. There is a border on the front of the backing that outlines the photographic card. The photographic card (like the Marsans for example) would be pasted directly onto the backing. On the reverse is text about Punch Cigarros.
There are many similarities to Old Judges and most Punch cards that exist remind me of "skinned" Old Judge cards.
They were issued to commemorate the visits to Cuba of the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Athletics for a series of games against Cuban professional teams in 1910. Marsans is seen here as a member of the Almendares team. On July 4th of the following year he and Rafael Almeida would become the first Cubans to play in the Major Leagues (technically, Esteban Bellan was the 1st when he debuted in 1871 with the Troy Haymakers of the National Association). As with so many Cuban cards, they spelled the name incorrectly. It reads "Marzans" instead of "Marsans".
I've done fairly extensive research into the 1910 Cuban visits of the Tigers and Athletics and have come up with what I believe is a fairly accurate checklist of cards that SHOULD be in the set. Whether or not they were actually produced or still exist is another matter. I'm planning to add a page to my website about this issue in the near future.
By the way my guesses to questions I posed earlier are as follows:
Number of 1910 Punch Ty Cobb cards that currently exist: 1
Number of 1910 Punch Ty Cobb cards that have the backing: 0
Those are only educated guesses. It's possible a couple more are out there, though. Believe me, I'm looking for them. But haven't come close to finding any yet.
-Ryan
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Hi Ryan:
This afternoon I wrote you an email, letting you know who had put up for sale two baseball cards "PUNCH 1910" on Ebay, here are the links. You are an expert on the cards, so any comments, I will be well received. In his page you have my email if you want to respond there, best regards.
Cecilia.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ORIGINAL-AUT...item41978fb2aa
http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-AUTHENT...item3f4e2ced55