Goudey Patent Cards

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Posted By: James Feagin

Hello everyone,

A private collector is offering my some 1933 Goudey patent registration cards which have been slabbed by PSA. These are commons players and I really would like to learn more about them. Are these cards unique (i.e. none other out there), what was their purpose and is there any value associated with them? If so, what is the ballpark for common players?

Thanks,

James

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Posted By: dstudeba

Hi James,

Check out the 2006 edition of REA's catalog as there was a large number of them sold, and a bunch of information on them.

- Dan

PS. I guess no one like Briggs Meats cards so tell Josh to just send them all to me.

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

James, speak to King; he has a bunch of them. I think they're very cool cards.

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Posted By: Pennsylvania Ted

Back in the 1980's quite a few of these cards were in circulation. Here is the only one
I have left in my collection.

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Posted By: Mark T

He was born in the same town where i grew up, small world...

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Posted By: rich klein

Of the card that Ted Z posted

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Posted By: davidcycleback

I assume they were sent into the Patent Office to get the cards trade mark on the design. The Patent Office also gives trade marks and is officially called the US Patent and Trade Mark Office. The Patent Office would have required an example of the product or design art to be sent in to be inspected, registered and filed. They used to require a model of an invention be sent in before the inventor could get the patent, though they no longer do this. The Patent Office would require one example of the product or design, and I assume Goudey sent in only one of each card.

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Posted By: Frank Evanov

They are cool "one of one" items. Here mine:





Frank

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Posted By: Paul S

Rich,

Is it the fact that even as far back as '33 the Yankees were grabbing every single pitcher who was breathing?

Actually the only thing I notice is that he's not wearing a Yankee cap.

Paul S

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Posted By: davidcycleback

The Pepper Martin card was probably sent to the US Library of Congress, not the Patent Office. The Library of Congress registered copyrights to books. Similar to the old Patent Office, the LOC would have required a physical copy of the 'book' be sent in before it was registered.

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Posted By: Mark

Wouldn't the LOC maintain records today of what granted copyright protection to back in the 1930s? If so, has anyone thought of checking with the LOC to see if they were sent a Babe Ruth card with a calendar back in 1930?

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Posted By: James Feagin

Hello,

The cards I'm being offered don't show the player, but rather the registration card. I need a ballpark figure for some insight though. Do commons go for $20, $50, $100, more, less? Any insight is appreciated.

James

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Posted By: davidcycleback

The LOC and Patent Office have the records all the way back, and the arey accessible to the public. A normal part of trying to get a patent, for example, is searching the records to see if your discovery was discovered before.

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Posted By: Mike Masinick

All public records (models) were sold to the public back a few decades ago. The patent office no longer holds any models except for a few specific and important inventions in their museum. It is possible to look at the prosecution history of old cases (paperwork), but it's certainly not as simple as walking up to the PTO and asking to see the records. They are all stored in an underground vault in West Virginia (or so I've heard) and must be specially ordered. I was unable to view the records of a 1795 patent that I wanted to view a few years ago because they were "unavailable" (IE: Lost)... too bad, it was a cool patent too.

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Posted By: Mark

To spell out my idea, Steve Verkman (or any other interested party) might investigate to see if there is a copyright/patent record from 1930 for a Goudey Babe Ruth card. If there is such a record, particularly if it provides an adequate description of the card (e.g., Ruth batting surrounded by stars on front, calendar on reverse), that might help authenticate it since it would prove Goudey did print such a card in 1930. It stands to reason that if Goudey sought copyright/patent protection for its 1933 cards, it may have sought the same protection for a card it issued three years earlier.

I suspect there are services located in DC or WV that would retrieve the copyright/patent records for you for a fee, so I doubt one would really have to travel to WV to tour the underground vault. Since the card would be worth much more than 18k if authenticated, perhaps it’d be worth it. You're welcome, Steve.

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Posted By: Frank Evanov

James, I paid $400 for the card and the accompanying patent. I don't see much appeal in the patent without the accompanying card.

Frank

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Posted By: dennis

i think rich is talking about jablonowski changing his name to Pete Appleton in 1933.

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Posted By: JK

I agree with frank - what's the appeal without the card itself?

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Posted By: Rich Klein

He changed his name to Pete Appleton during his career

Rich