This research was started, based on previous data listed here on Net54 and many other places. Thanks to Larry for his initial threads that prompted this.
I have been trying to obtain information on this series for the past few years. There are very few publications on these R423 cards. I will admit that my experience with these cards is limited as I did not start collecting them until about 3 years ago. To the Net54 league, please throw out info on any errors or add data that may help clarify my research.
1) I have confirmed the existence of 15 different strips of players. I have also found that the strips tend to fall into those found “common(ly)”, “rare(ly)” and “very rare(ly)”—note these are MY OPINION on rarity based on research. Below is what I have collected to date.
a. Common Strips (6-confirmed in Orange, and several in Green backs)
i. Dean, Mack, Cobb (sig), Stanky, L Waner, Ruth, Greenberg, Kinder, Lemon, Heintzelman, Philley, Joost, Porterfield
ii. Westrom, Jones, Williams, Yost , Moore, Branca, Pennock, Gordon, Musial, Hornsby, Grove, Newhouser, O’Doul
iii. Feller, J DiMaggio, Simmons, Mathewson, Sisler, Frisch, P.Waner, Speaker, Mize, Dickey, Medwick, Cobb (no sig) , D. DiMaggio
iv. Schoendienst, Carrasquel, Staley, Cooper, Doby, Kiner, Newhouser, Hearn, Konstanty, Rosen, A.Zarilla, H.Thompson, Elliott
v. Stengel, Pafko, Trucks, Rice, Vance, Snider, Ashburn, Pollet ,Cavaretta, Heilman, Priddy, Reese, Parnell
vi. Johnson, Henrich, Gehrig, Shoun, Baumoltz, Dropo, Zoldack, Newcombe, Zernial, Stephens, Coleman, Slaughter, Woodling
b. Rare Strips (4-Confirmed in Orange)
i. Lockman, Slaughter, Zarilla, Jorgenson, Medwick, Dickey, Sisler, Feller, Woodling, Mapes, Speaker, P.Waner, J DiMaggio
ii. Crosetti, Frisch, Mathewson, Simmons, D.DiMaggio, Zernial, Crosetti, Dickson, Brecheen, O’Doul, Musial, Newhouser, Grove
iii. Jorgenson, Mapes, Lockman, Berra, Marshall, Dark, Blackwell, Kell, Campanella, Reynolds, Lopat, Raschi, Durocher
iv. Fain, Houtemann, Pesky, Hudson, Alexander, Thompson, Gordon, Sauer, Westrom + Gomez, Jansen + 2 unknown (this is a partial torn strip with only 11 of 13 documented)
c. Very Rare Strips (5, many only partial strips documented)
i. Wyrostek, Jones, Yost, Williams, Michaels, Branca, McCullough, Gordon, Pennock, Moore, Grove, Newhouser, Hornsby (confirmed in Orange and Navy backs)
ii. Raschi, Durocher, Feller, D.DiMaggio, Simmons, Mathewson, J.DiMaggio, Sisler, Frisch, P.Waner, Medwick, Speaker, Mize (confirmed only in Purple back, but suspect that Orange, and other colors, exist)
iii. Rice, Polley, Trucks, Pafko, Snider, Vance, Heilman, Ashburn, Cavaretta, Priddy, Reese, Easter, Parnell (confirmed only in Navy Blue back, but suspect that Orange, and other colors, exist)—THANKS FRED
iv. Baumholtz, Dropo, Shoun, Gehrig, Henrich, W.Johnson, Hubbell, Rizzuto, J.Robinson, Ott + 3 unknowns (this is a partial torn strip with only 10 of 13 documented—confirmed only in Green back, but suspect that Orange, and other colors, exist)—THANKS PETER M.
v. Westrom, Wyrostek (Green back pair together that do not correspond to any Orange/other color back known--? how this fits in with Orange backs)
d. As noted, there are multiple duplicates of some players (i.e. 3x J. DiMaggio, 3x Grove, 3x Feller, 2x Williams), but others like Jackie Robinson are noted only in a single strip.
e. I am only assuming 15 strips (but also confirmed in the past by Larry), as I have yet to collect the full 119 (?120) card set. Clearly 15 strips X 13 cards = 195 cards, so that makes approx 75 cards duplicates.
2) I have confirmed the colors of Orange, Purple, Green and Navy Blue strips, but cannot confirm the Red color. I have seen “shades” of the Orange back that are darker, but cannot convince myself that Red exists.
I would like to confirm all 15 strips, complete with all names, in all 4 (or 5) colors. Any further info can be passed to me here, PM, or by email at
DHarford@satx.rr.com
Also, to my knowledge, I have never seen any reprints of this series.
Dave