[ullmandds]

Originally Posted by Tyruscobb

This is a valid point. The Churchman is a foreign issue, but so is the Shonen which you promoted earlier in this thread.

There are several reasons the Churchman is superior. First, the Shonen card isn’t even a true baseball “card.” It is a postcard. There is a difference between a baseball tobacco card and a baseball postcard. The Churchman is a T-206 type/size card with a front and back. The Shonen was created to write on and to mail to friends/family, etc.

Secondly, as a postcard, the Shonen card is larger. So, if you buy a graded one, you will receive a larger, cumbersome slab. Again, the Churchman is T-206 size and comes in a regular slab.

Third, the Shonen’s color and picture is not as sharp as the Churchman. The Churchman has crisp colors and the image is sharper. Finally, the Shonen is in Japanese, whereas the British Churchman is in English.

The main knock on the Churchman is it doesn’t say Babe Ruth anywhere on the card. There, however, is no argument that the image is not Babe Ruth. The swing, uniform etc. scream Ruth. This has kept its value down.

To each his own, but I’d rather own the Churchman.

I can certainly appreciate your points! And yes...the shonen is obviously japanese(not american) as well! Fact is any non american issue has lagged american issues traditionally. While this may change...I think they will always lag to some degree in value/desirability.