The Sovereign 460, Other Rare Back Combinations with the More Common Tobacco Brands?

[Harford20]

The recent discussion regarding the Sovereign 460 back rarity, and the fact that the Sovereign 460 “super-prints” are Very Scarce, got me thinking back to Ted Z.'s FANTASTIC info generated on the Cobb Red Portrait backs. I have “reprinted” Ted Z.’s work here for reference (although I have reordered the T206 groups based on #’s submitted rather than alphabetical as Ted Z had them).

Red Cobb....UPDATED survey....9/25/09
..2....TY COBB back
..1....1910 COUPON (Type 1)
..3....T213-2
..3....T213-3
..1....T214
..0....T215

T206 red Cobb....UPDATED survey....9/25/09
Scarcest group......
..0....BROAD LEAF 350
..0....UZIT
..0....HINDU (red)
..1....BROAD LEAF 460
..2....DRUM
..3....EPDG
..4....SOVEREIGN 460
..5....LENOX (black)
..7....CAROLINA BRIGHTS
..7....CYCLE 460
..15...PIEDMONT 460 Factory 42

Next toughest group......
..1....CYCLE 350
..4....SWEET CAPORAL 460 Factory 25
..4....SWEET CAPORAL 350 Factory 25
..6....SWEET CAPORAL 460 Factory 42
..8....SWEET CAPORAL 460 Factory 42 (ovpt)
..9....SOVEREIGN 350
..10....AMERICAN BEAUTY 350 (frame)
..11....TOLSTOI

The easier ones......
..19....SWEET CAPORAL 460 Factory 30
..22....OLD MILL
..31....PIEDMONT 460 Factory 25

The most available ones......
..41....POLAR BEAR
..61....PIEDMONT 350 Factory 25
..70....SWEET CAPORAL 350 Factory 30

Based on this data, it again confirms what Ted Z stated about the rarity of the “super-print” Sovereign 460 group. Since there is no Red Cobb front-Sovereign 150 back combo, the rarity again that back cannot be interpreted with this data.

The importance of this data for the “super-prints” is it likely represents approximately 5-10% of the total number of Red Cobb’s that survive today (extrapolating a bit from Scot Reader’s estimates). This may actually turn out to be a "better scarcity" back model/list than we have previously used. As discussed previously, there is some “selection bias” noted in some of the T206 groups (i.e. the serious collectors on this site strive to find the Piedmont 460 Fact 42, so they are likely over-represented here), but there may be other back variations (at least for the “super-prints”) that are not usually felt to be rare, but are DARN NEAR impossible to find—the Cycle 350 and the Sweet Caporal 350 & 460/Fact 25 fit this. The rarity of the Sovereign 460 back may be very understated in the back rarity listing.

Now my question for the experience collectors of “super-prints” are, would these Red Cobb data translate to other “super-prints”? Would the Matty Dark Cap or the Chance Yellow theoretically follow the same back patterns?

Can one extrapolate the "super-print" data, such as this Red Cobb data, to represent non-"super-print" card back rarity? (or is comparing "super-prints" to non-"super-prints" comparing apples to oranges?)

Dave

[tedzan]

Regarding your......." Now my question for the experience collectors of “super-prints” are, would these Red Cobb data translate
to other “super-prints”? Would the Matty Dark Cap or the Chance Yellow theoretically follow the same back patterns? "

Yes, and No !

Theoretically yes.....since we have evidence that these 6 subjects were printed together (across a row). However, the number
of Red Cobb's with SOVEREIGN 460 backs (so far) are only 4. My data in tracking the 6 super-prints with SOVEREIGN 460 backs
over many years indicates the following......

Chance...........5
Chase (bl).......7
Chase (dc)......8
Cobb..............4
Evers.............5
Matty.............6




TED Z