[nolemmings]

Question for those who collect 1930's Diamond Stars and National Chicle premiums, which I generally do not.

When conducting some preliminary research, I saw that Old Cardboard has pictures of eight different wrappers for the Diamond Stars set(s) issued by National Chicle. These have basically two different color schemes, yellow-red and blue-reddish, but all 8 advertise one type of premium or another available at the store in exchange for 15 wrappers. Has anyone seen and can show a Diamond Stars wrapper that does not advertise these premiums? I am curious as to the actual dates they were issued.

As I understand it, 1936 Diamond Stars are the most difficult to find of the three-year set, and these “high numbers” command greater prices. Yet all known wrappers for Diamond Stars supposedly advertise premiums that are attributed to 1936--R311x2, R312 and R313 Wide Pens (although one may have been issued in conjunction with National Chicle’s Batter-Up set). Are none of these premiums more properly associated with 1934 or 1935? Why are there no Diamond Stars wrappers, at least on OC's website, that do not mention premiums if in fact for two years there were none? If anything, it’s logical to assume that 1936 wrappers should be even tougher to find, since they were supposedly being traded in fifteen at a time for the various premiums. It is also odd that National Chicle would generate eight different wrappers for a set containing only a couple dozen cards, although I suppose test and geographic marketing may have been behind at least some of that.

Explanations and theories would be appreciated.