Need help to identfy this Ty Cobb card

[Archive]

Posted By: John

I just came across a group of old cards that i had no idea what they were i figured out that half of them are w575's.But there are 20 to 30 cards that i can't find.They measure appox 2-7/16 by 3-1/2.They have blank backs and some of them have a FM copyright on the front.Thanks for any help anyone can give me,John



[edited to show image]

[Archive]

Posted By: brian p

I swear I have seen these before, but I can't seem to place them. Anyone?



Brian

[Archive]

Posted By: JC

I'm thinking Max Stein post cards...

[Archive]

Posted By: fkw

1919 M101-6 reprints

The authentic M101-6 Sporting News cards are 4.5" by 6.5" with a narower border (see page 375 2004 SCD). Your 2.5" by 3.5" card is modern card size like many reprints or fantasy issues from the 1970's-2000's. But....I have yet to see a reprint M101-6 that I can remember. Frank

[Archive]

Posted By: hankron

A few years ago I got a particular blank backed W card (forget the number, W-5XXX). It was so cheap looking I at first wondered if I had bought a Xerox. After looking at it more closely, I saw that it was genuine but(t) ugly.

For these types of black and white picture cards, especially when the collector has not owned one before (like me and that W-5XXX) or it's an unknown item, the collector can take a handheld microscope and examine the picture printing. These types of early cards were usually photoengravings, which is not difficult to identify and differentiate between a modern reprint or fantasy item. The key is that photoengraving was commercially discontinued a good number of years back.

It also shows that a collector can often make reasonable judgements about age, even if he has not handled the item before or is even familiar with the genre (Hollywood picture premiums, foreign cards, etc).

[Archive]

Posted By: hankron

For collectors and sellers of early baseball cards who are concerned about authenticity issues (reprints, original, identification of new items), I would recommend the following:

1) Learn how to identify early color lithography. (The printing on a T206 or a Allen & Ginter is nothing like modern card printing)

2) Learn how to identify photoengraving. Tons of old cards were made with this printing (M116, Sporting News...), and this printing isn't used commercially any more.

3) Learn how to identify the modern half-tone lithography printing (multi-color dot pattern as appears on a 1988 Fleer or 2001 Time magazine cover). Quick way to identify many modern reprints, as an eary baseball card would not have this type of printing pattern.

4) Get a blacklight and learn how to use it. If you spread out a pile of questionable early cards, photos and prints on the floor of a pitch black room and shined your black light, you could pick out out many reprints before you turned the room light back on! Tell me that isn't cool.

5) Access the hobby's knowledge and gain experience: ala follow auctions, read books, buy a Standard Catalog, ask questions of others. In example, you don't have to be a print historian to know that Froy Joy Babe Ruths didn't come in blue or multi-color. You don't have to be a paper fiber expert to know to avoid AAA and PRO.

6) Use your brain. Think about things, use common sense. Read the seller's description and see if it is credible.

Also note, that if you've learned how to do #1-4, you've also learned how to examine early tobacco labels, premiums and similar items.

[Archive]

Posted By: Tom Boblitt

M101-6........the copyright symbol and typeface look just like it. I agree with Frank that it's a reprint. I have a friend who collects them. From vague memory, they're about 4x5 or something like that on medium cardstock. Definitely not thick borders like this one...........