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Posted By: Jay Miller

Hal--So you've established that there were four digit phone numbers in 1900. A four digit phone number only allows 10,000 permutations so that was probably too small for a 400,000 person city, although I have no idea what percentage of the households had phones. So now you have the card bracketed as being issued between the late 1890s and some point before the 1920s. Since these cigars may have been continuously issued how can you assume that the card is from the very beginning of this period? Also, you never answered the question as to why you call this a card and not a trade card if you cannot tie it to being issued with a tobacco product. Do you have any thoughts on this?
This is a great topic with some really interesting research. You are to be congratulated on the work you have done thus far.