Posted By:
Gilbert Maines
In a recent Lipsett auction, I noted that a group of differently colored Hartnett Exhibit cards brought an attractive price. There were a dozen or so cards in that group, and I thought to myself that the group sold for a value greater than its break factor would suggest. It is always heartening to me to encounter incidences where a premium is associated with a completed set. And while a compilation of exhibit cards depicting the same player, in different colors, is not what is typically termed a set; it can be considered as such.
In reading Adam Warshaw's article on this set, I note that a dozen or more differently colored cards are associated with plenty of players. Complimenting this, for twelve of the standard w-517 set cards, identical poses are available. That is, the w-517s poses match the exhibits exactly, adding the multiple color variations of that set into the mix. So, the overall variations become perhaps a couple of dozen or more different color representations of the same card in two sizes (the exhibits are bigger than the w-517s).
As shown on pg. 32 of this OC issue, there is also the possibility of adding the w-517 minis into this mix. This will yield a greater variety in colors for an individual (identical) pose - in now three different sizes. Although the article does not specify which players can be included in such a representation, I believe that current awareness indicates that these players are: Cochrane (umm maybe), Gehrig, Grove, Miller, O'Doul, Vance and Waner.
This could be a very interesting presentation, but the minis are a bit hard to come by, as are some color varieties for all sets. Be sure to check out the Exhibit color variances (which are not complete) on pg. 33 of this magazine. The w-517s colors are typically more earth tone, while the minis go in both directions.
All the same image, three different sizes, many, many colors. Could make for an eye opener with your tea.