Posted By:
barrysloateJim- as long as you are asking, here is the main reason why I think the Cobb back may not be part of the T206 set:
Every one of the other 15 advertising backs was printed in series. Each has anywhere from 520 known cards, such as Piedmont, to perhaps 120-150 cards, such as Drum. In each case a promotion would have been successful in getting a smoker to keep buying packs, as there was always the prospect of finding new players one didn't have.
The Ty Cobb brand consists of a single player and pose. That means after you bought your first pack you were finished with your set. I can't imagine what kind of promotion that would be. Therefore, I don't even believe it was found in a pack of cigarettes. I think it was more a point of purchase item, given to the consumer, by the tobacconist, who bought Ty Cobb tobacco.
Ever go into a bookstore, for example, buy some books, and then have the cashier hand you a bookmark with the store name and address on it? That would insure that if you used the bookmark you wouldn't forget the name of the store. That's my opinion of how this card was distributed. It's a conjecture, I know that, but the fact that only a single pose was issued suggests this is unlike any of the known T206 brands.