1930 Whitmans Candy Tris Speaker

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Posted By: Brandon Brown

A local dealer has one for sale that is graded mint 9 (although by a company Ive never heard of). It is a die cut card with a Ruth puzzle on the back. If anyone is interested I can get it for $50 and ship it for cost. It just doesnt fit the scope of my collection, thats why I dont buy it. I hope that doesnt break the rules but just figured Id let you guys know its out there. Thanks!

Brandon

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Posted By: fkw

The only Whitman "cards" Ive seen are not cards, they are photos cut out of magazines and graded by "AAA" or "NASA" or one of the pseudo grading companies.

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Posted By: Ken Wirt

These things are all over ebay, as I was duped into buying a few when I first started collecting. I have always wondered, however, why these are so unappreciated by collectors? We've had numerous discussions on this board as to what constitutes a "card." Since these pictures (I believe there are 10 of them), make up a jigsaw puzzle, with a pic of Babe Ruth on the back, doesn't that indicate that they were meant to be cut out as individual pieces? Seems that would give them a bit more credibility in terms of being an actual stand-alone item, as opposed to something which clearly was cut out from a publication not intended to be mutilated. Be interested in other's opinions on cut-outs which were intended to be cut-out.

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Posted By: davidcycleback

I believe the 1930 Whitmans is a reference book, unrelated to candy. There was a Whitmans brand candy, but I believe it is of no relation to these cutouts.

If you cut out the little composite pictures on a book page and the other side has a big picture, say of Babe Ruth, you've made a puzzle. You can cut apart most anything flat and make a puzzle, from Topps singles to telephone book covers.

The same company grades Reach Cutouts, which are pictures cut from the pages of a Reach Baseball Guide. They also grade Spalding Cutouts, which were cut from a Spalding Baseball Guide. If you look at old Reach, Spalding or Lajoie annual guides, they are heavily illustrated with pictures of baseball players. The books have value, sometimes worth more than $100 or even $200, but a picture cut from page 145 has no honest value. The irony is the collector could have often purchased the entire book for the price he paid the picture scissors cut from one of the pages-- but he was duped into believing he was buying a trading card.

A key for the beginner is to 1) Find out who are the legitimate graders, not assuming all graders are alike, and 2) Buy a copy of the Standard Catalog of Baseball Cards by Krause Publications (Don Fluckinger Editor). This book the size of the San Francisco phone book lists and checklists 99.9 percent of known baseball cards, and if an eBay card is not listed in there don't buy it-- or at least ask around first. There is no 1930 Whitmans Puzzle Back Die-Cuts issue listed, nor 1928 Reach cutouts with partial article backs.

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Posted By: Ken Wirt

So David, you believe that these pictures were never intended to be cut out? If they weren't, then obviously they would have very little value.

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Posted By: davidcycleback

How much would you pay for a picture of an elephant cut out from the 1972 World Book Encyclopedia on my book shelf? That's about how much you should pay for one of these cutouts. And I won't even claim my World Book elephant trading card is part of an elephantitus puzzle back set. "Collect the 10 card set and the backs form an entire article about the history and treatment of elephantitus in 19th century Europe, edited by Jacob L. Williams, MD, Professor of Infectious Diseases at Johns Hopkins Medical School! Fun for collectors of all ages!"

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Posted By: Brandon Brown

I didnt really think they were anything special, thats one reason I didnt buy it. I really appreciate the info on these as you stated, they arent in any books Ive seen, so I wasnt sure if they held any value. Thats another reason I am glad I joined the board, there always seems to be someone who has at least some knowledge of every card out there! Thanks guys!

Brandon

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Posted By: davidcycleback

The cutouts are presented and marketed to deceive, so if you thought one might be a baseball card you weren't the only one. Numerous new baseball card collectors have inquired about these items and I'm sure they will continue to in the future.

I notice no one has inquired about purchasing one of elephantitus cards. Perhaps I should have mentioned the Elephant Man stuffed toy premium.