Set Complete! "The Little Wonder Picture Series" (W515-2)

[T206Collector]

A few years ago, I stumbled across a dealer at a show selling a stack of beater strip cards from the 1920s for $100. I bought them because I noticed there was a Ruth in the group. With a couple of other kinds included was about half of the 60-card W515-2 set from 1923. I figured that given my condition expectations I would just put the other half together in a few weeks and complete the set. Boy was I wrong!

This has been tremendously challenging. Nobody sells these things. And when they do come up for sale, it's usually their "easier" and smaller W515-1 counterpart. I prefer the larger "The Little Wonder Picture Series" cards. It's taken me a few years to acquire the rest.

This is really an amazing set, with so many cool HOFers, including two Ruths, Cobb, Johnson, Hornsby, Wheat, Alexander, McGraw, and others. Finally, with a little help from a board member who pointed me to Mark Macrae's catalog, I was just able to add "Bullet" Joe Bush to finish off my set.

It's been an amazing journey. What a strange diversion from T206 cards. Now what they heck do I do with this thing?!

[Econteachert205]

It's a beautiful set. I'd keep it and slowly upgrade.

[ethicsprof]

congrats, Paul.
I never realized that Clarence Walker looked so much like John Malkovich.
all the best,
barry

[Shoebox]

Congratulations on completing the set!

[freakhappy]

Congrats on completing the set, Paul! Very colorful!

It was mentioned earlier to keep and upgrade these guys, but from the sounds of it, that might take forever to accomplish since they never seem to come up for sale. I'd say enjoy them as much as you can now and as for tomorrow...who knows what that will bring

[the 'stache]

It really does have an outstanding checklist, doesn't it?

[h2oya311]

Congrats on completing the set!!! I was tempted to do something similar when I had a few outstanding looking W515-1s, but figured I already have three collecting focuses (foci), so why layer on a fourth. But they are pretty cool, I must say !

Just enjoy them for a while...even if the fun of the chase is now over...I swear that's why we all do this...the thrill of the chase. It's hard to appreciate what you've got, sometimes. Just keep them for a while and remember how hard it was to piece it together . As a few have already mentioned, an occasional upgrade would be a good way to keep the spark going.

Congrats again!

[obcbobd]

Congratulations!

I bought the Babe for $5 in about 1976, and just recently said I might as well go for the set. I'm about 1/2 done. These cards do not come up for sale that often. Good news is that when they do they are often cheap. But it will take a while.

[wolfdogg]

Nice. I finished that set several years ago after doing pretty much what you did. Bought a collection of strip cards. In it was what I thought was just a complete set of W515. Then in an issue of SCD, in bob lemkes column " Standard Catalog" Update", he mentioned some strange W515s surfacing with writing on top and a little larger in size. I checked my set and behold!....I had 56 of the 60 larger and with the letters at top. I contacted lemke and told him what I had. Sent photos and size comparisons. He mentioned it a few issues later in his column. The pictures you see in the Standard Catalog for W515-2 and The Little Wonder Picture Series are cards from my set.....which has been since been sold......

[ZenPop]

My advice would be to give this set to me and then start over. Always remember: It's the journey!

...on a more serious note: CONGRATS! These are awesome! It's an amazing set and colorful set! I don't know how you feel about it, but they would look great framed just the way you have them laid out.

Cheers!

[T206Collector]

Thanks for all of the comments and kudos. One of the interesting thing about laying them out like this is you can see that they were perhaps issued in three series of 20.

The first block of 20 are awash in bright yellow colors; the next 20 have backgrounds and some color variations; and the final 20 are more solid and bright colors, like oranges and such.

Anyway, it is a colorful and fun set to put together and have. But, I really do agree that I am more a set builder, who enjoys the chase, than a set owner. No urge to sell or trade at this time, as I do want to cherish the journey a while. Perhaps I'll upgrade here or there, but I have so many other collecting pursuits I'm in right now that I doubt I'd put a penny further into W515-2 that could be allocated to something I'm still chasing.

Anyway, hope this inspires the set collectors out there ...ENJOY THE HUNT!

[Leon]

I don't bump too many old threads but figured I would chime in a bit and also inquire on this one. I thought I had a W515-2 already and this strip would be an upgrade from a single card. Come to find out, I didn't have a -2 at all, but do have a few of the -1 strips of 10 cards. Does anyone know if these -2s came in strips of 5, like this shown, or did they come in strips of 10, like the -1s? my guess is they were strips of 5,but not too sure. And as noted they sure are a bit bigger than their -1 predecessors too..

[T206Collector]

I would've guessed 5, but the hash lines on my Baker and Wheat above suggest otherwise. Not sure.