Posted By:
Craig WHi Phil,
About 6 months ago I was inspired by the T206 subsets T-Rex Ted has put together and I decided to pursue an all Polar Bear subset. I'm currently at 220 of what I believe to be 251 (see list below). I would say that overall, for low to mid-grade, they are only slightly more difficult to obtain than run-of-the-mill Piedmont or Sweet Cap backs.
High grade, like the Cravath that Jamie posted, are extraordinary because PB's were packaged in loose tobacco (so they are often stained or have specks of tobacco on them). Of course, Demmitt StL and O'hara StL can only be found with Polar Bear backs and will run $1000 ea for a Poor grade!
Out of the 251, the only one that I have not seen listed (ebay, BST, dealer sites, auction sites, etc) is McGraw Portrait with Cap. Some that I have only seen listed once or twice include Dorner, Fiene, Howell Portrait, Nicholls.
Here are the 251 (if anyone has any additions, please, please let us know!)
Ed AbbaticchioBlue SleevesPittsburgh
Fred AbbottPortraitToledo
Doc AdkinsPortraitBaltimore
Red AmesHands above HeadNY Giants
John AndersonFieldingProvidence
Frank ArellanesFollow ThruBoston Red Sox
Herman ArmbrusterPortraitSt Paul
Jake AtzPortraitChi White Sox
Home Run BakerFollow ThruPhil A's
Neal BallReady to ThrowCleveland
Jap BarbeauBattingStL Cardinals
Cy BargerPortraitRochester
Jack BarryPortraitPhil A's
Shad BarryPortraitMilwaukee
Emil BatchPortraitRochester
Fred BeckFieldingBoston Doves
Jake BeckleyPortraitKansas City
George BellFollow ThruBrooklyn
Chief BenderNo TreesPhil A's
Bill BergenCatchingBrooklyn
Heinie BergerReady to ThrowCleveland
Bob BescherPortraitCincinnati
Bob BescherHands UpCincinnati
Lena BlackburneFieldingProvidence
Jack BlissFollow ThruStL Cardinals
Bill BradleyBattingCleveland
Dave BrainPortraitBuffalo
Roy BrashearPortraitKansas City
Roger BresnahanBattingStL Cardinals
Al BridwellCapNY Giants
Mordecai BrownChicago on ShirtChi Cubs
Al BurchFieldingBrooklyn
Fred BurchellReady to ThrowBuffalo
Jimmy BurkePortraitIndianapolis
Donnie BushStandingDetroit
Howie CamnitzThrowing (Arms Up)Pittsburgh
Howie CamnitzThrowing (Arm Down)Pittsburgh
Charley CarrPortraitIndianapolis
Bill CarriganReady to ThrowBoston Red Sox
Doc CaseyPortraitMontreal
Frank ChanceYellow PortraitChi Cubs
Frank ChanceBattingChi Cubs
Bill ChappelleReady to ThrowRochester
Hal ChaseBlue PortraitNY Highlanders
Hal ChaseDark CapNY Highlanders
Hal ChaseHolding TrophyNY Highlanders
Bill ClancyFieldingBuffalo
Josh ClarkFollow ThruColumbus
Bill ClymerStandingColumbus
Ty CobbRed PortraitDetroit
Ty CobbBat off ShoulderDetroit
Jimmy CollinsPortraitMinneapolis
Bunk CongaltonPortraitColumbus
Wid ConroyBattingWashington
Doc CrandallCapNY Giants
Gavvy CravathBattingMinneapolis
Sam CrawfordBattingDetroit
Paul DavidsonPortraitIndianapolis
Harry DavisDavis on FrontPhil A's
Frank DelehantyPortraitLouisville
Ray DemmittStandingStL Browns
Rube DessauPortraitBaltimore
Josh DevoreBattingNY Giants
Mike DonlinBattingNY Giants
Mickey DoolanBattingPhil Phillies
Gus DornerPortraitKansas City
Patsy DoughertyFielding (Arm Up)Chi White Sox
Tom DowneyFieldingCincinnati
Tom DowneyBattingCincinnati
Joe DoyleHands over HeadNY Highlanders
Larry DoyleBattingNY Giants
Larry DoylePortraitNY Giants
Hugh DuffyBattingChi White Sox
Jimmy DygertPortraitPhil A's
Ted EasterlyPortraitCleveland
Dick EganPortraitCincinnati
Kid ElberfeldFieldingWashington
Clyde EngleBattingNY Highlanders
Steve EvansBattingStL Cardinals
Johnny EversChicago on ShirtChi Cubs
Cecil FergusonReady to ThrowBoston Doves
Lou FienePortraitChi White Sox
Steamer FlanaganPortraitBuffalo
Russ FordFollow ThruNY Highlanders
Jerry FreemanBattingToledo
John FrillFollow ThruNY Highlanders
Art FrommeThrowingCincinnati
Chick GandilBattingChi White Sox
John GanzelFieldingRochester
Harry GasperFollow ThruCincinnati
Rube GeyerFollow ThruStL Cardinals
Peaches GrahamFieldingBoston Doves
Bill GrahamFollow ThruStL Cardinals
Dolly GrayFollow ThruWashington
Clark GriffithBattingCincinnati
Moose GrimshawPortraitToronto
Bob GroomFollow ThruWashington
Bill HallmanPortraitKansas City
Jack HaydenPortraitIndianapolis
Buck HerzogSweaterBoston Doves
Harry HinchmanPortraitToledo
Dick HoblitzellFieldingCincinnati
Izzy HoffmanPortraitProvidence
Solly HofmanBattingChi Cubs
Del HowardThrowingChi Cubs
Harry HowellPortraitStL Browns
Harry HowellStandingStL Browns
Rudy HulswittBattingStL Cardinals
John HummelBattingBrooklyn
Jimmy JacksonPortraitBaltimore
Hughie JenningsOne Hand ShowingDetroit
Hughie JenningsBoth Hands ShowingDetroit
Walter JohnsonPitchingWashington
Davy JonesPortraitDetroit
Tim JordanBattingBrooklyn
Addie JossPitchingCleveland
Joe KelleyBattingToronto
Rube KisingerThrowingBuffalo
Red KleinowCatchingNY Highlanders
Red KleinowCatchingBoston Red Sox
Jack KnightPortraitNY Highlanders
Jack KnightBattingNY Highlanders
Ed KonetchyGlove LowStL Cardinals
Harry KrausePortraitPhil A's
Harry KrausePitchingPhil A's
Rube KrohReady to ThrowChi Cubs
Otto KrugerPortraitColumbus
Nap LajoieBattingCleveland
Joe LakeNo BallStL Browns
Joe LakeBallStL Browns
Frank LaPorteFieldingNY Highlanders
Arlie LathamPortraitNY Giants
Bill LattimoreFollow ThruToledo
Jimmy LavenderReady to ThrowProvidence
Tommy LeachFieldingPittsburgh
Lefty LeifieldBattingPittsburgh
Paddy LivingstoneFieldingPhil A's
Harry LordBattingBoston Red Sox
Nick MaddoxFollow ThruPittsburgh
Sherry MageeBattingPhil Phillies
Billy MaloneyFollow ThruRochester
Rube ManningPitchingNY Highlanders
Rube MarquardFollow ThruNY Giants
Christy MathewsonDark CapNY Giants
Al MatternPortraitBoston Doves
Dan McGannPortraitMilwaukee
Iron Man McGinnityFollow ThruNewark
Stoney McGlynnPortraitMilwaukee
John McGrawPortrait with CapNY Giants
John McGrawGlove at HipNY Giants
Harry McIntyreFollow ThruBrooklyn & Chi
Larry McLeanCatchingCincinnati
George McQuillanBattingPhil Phillies
Fred MerkleThrowingNY Giants
George MerrittPortraitJersey City
Chief MeyersPortraitNY Giants
Clyde MilanBattingWashington
Dots MillerBattingPittsburgh
Bill MilliganPortraitJersey City
Dan MoellerPortraitJersey City
Pat MoranSeatedChi Cubs
George MoriartyFieldingDetroit
George MullenPortraitDetroit
George MullinBattingDetroit
Danny MurphyBattingPhil A's
Red MurrayBattingNY Giants
Red MurrayPortraitNY Giants
Billy NattressPortraitBuffalo
Tom NeedhamCatchingChi Cubs
Simon NichollsBattingPhil A's
Rebel OakesFieldingCincinnati
Peter O'BrienStandingSt Paul
Bill O'HaraBattingStL Cardinals
Rube OldringBattingPhil A's
Charles O'LearyFieldingDetroit
William O'NeilPortraitMinneapolis
Orval OverallHands Face LevelChi Cubs
Orval OverallHands at WaistChi Cubs
Billy PayneFollow ThruChi White Sox
Barney PeltyVerticalStL Browns
George PerringPortraitCleveland
Francis 'Jeff' PfefferBattingChi Cubs
Jake PfeisterSittingChi Cubs
Jake PfeisterThrowingChi Cubs
Eddie PhelpsFieldingStL Cardinals
Deacon PhillippeFollow ThruPittsburgh
Ollie PickeringPortraitMinneapolis
Billy PurtellFeildingChi White Sox
Ambrose PuttmanFollow ThruLouisville
Lee QuillenPortraitMinneapolis
Jack QuinnFollow ThruNY Highlanders
Newt RandallPortraitMilwaukee
Bugs RaymondFollow ThruNY Giants
Ed ReulbachNo GloveChi Cubs
Bob RhoadesRight Arm ExtendedCleveland
Charlie RhodesPortraitStL Cardinals
Lou RitterFieldingKansas City
Nap RuckerPitchingBrooklyn
Dick RudolphPortraitToronto
Germany SchaeferFollow ThruWashington
George SchirmBattingBuffalo
Larry SchlaflyPortraitNewark
Admiral SchleiPortraitNY Giants
Admiral SchleiBattingNY Giants
Ossee SchreckPortraitColumbus
Wildfire SchulteBack ViewChi Cubs
Jim ScottFollow ThruChi White Sox
Cy SeymourPitchingNY Giants
Cy SeymourPortraitNY Giants
Spike ShannonFieldingKansas City
Bud SharpePortraitNewark
Hunky ShawPortraitProvidence
Jimmy SheckardPitchingChi Cubs
Jimmy SlagleFieldingBaltimore
Frank SmithWhite CapChi White Sox
Frank SmithWhite CapChi & Bos
Happy SmithFollow ThruBrooklyn
Heinie SmithFollow ThruBuffalo
Fred SnodgrassBattingNY Giants
Fred SnodgrassCatchingNY Giants
Tris SpeakerBattingBoston Red Sox
Jake StahlGlove ShowingBoston Red Sox
Oscar StanageFieldingDetroit
Harry SteinfeldtBattingChi Cubs
George StovallBattingCleveland
Sam StrangStandingBaltimore
Gabby StreetCatchingWashington
Jeff SweeneyFieldingNY Highlanders
Jesse TannehillReady to ThrowWashington
Lee TannehillFollow ThruChi White Sox
Dummy TaylorReady to ThrowBuffalo
Jake ThielmanPortraitLouisville
Joe TinkerBat off ShoulderChi Cubs
Joe TinkerBat on ShoulderChi Cubs
John TitusStandingPhil Phillies
Bob UnglaubPortraitWashington
Heinie WagnerBat on Rt ShoulderBoston Red Sox
Jack WarhopBattingNY Highlanders
Zack WheatBattingBrooklyn
Doc WhiteThrowingChi White Sox
Jack WhiteFollow ThruBuffalo
Kaiser WilhelmBattingBrooklyn
Ed WillettBattingDetroit
Ed WillettsReady to ThrowDetroit
Vic WillisBattingStL Cardinals
Vic WillisThrowingStL Cardinals
Hooks WiltsePitchingNY Giants
Hooks WiltsePortrait with CapNY Giants
Lucky WrightPortraitToledo
Cy YoungGloveCleveland
Irv YoungStandingMinneapolis