Is there any possible way to know how many complete 1914 CJ Sets exist?

[sniffy5]

So few collectors try for this set for various reasons. The big cards are really cost-prohibitive, but nonetheless available. And in lesser grades as well for somewhat reasonable prices. All that being said, I just wonder how many sets folks might theorize could be out there. And, if the 1914 set is one of the toughest sets to complete (excluding sets that intentionally short print cards, and sets with impossible error cards!!)

[Bicem]

relatively easy to complete if you have the $$$.

[tiger8mush]

Originally Posted by Bicem

relatively easy to complete if you have the $$$.

I think many/most sets are "easy" to complete if you have the $$$. But relative to other sets, I'd guess this one is slightly more difficult. The 1914 Cracker Jacks are more rare and condition sensitive than their 1915 counterparts. 144 cards isn't ridiculous but its larger than most other Candy sets of the time. There are a lot of big name HOFers like Cobb, Wagner, W Johnson, and Matty (not to mention Jax) that any of those 5 cards are sometimes the centerpiece of a collection, so it minimizes the number of sets out there.

SGC only has one set completed on their registry, and PSA has 3. I'd guess somewhere around 20 sets are complete? Just a total guess, feel free to tear that apart!

Rob

[rainier2004]

I'd take the under on 20 sets. 3 were completely dismantled in the 4 years or so and another 3 were completed in 2012...I'm pretty sure Tom is aware of this. What's your guess Mr thread starter?

[btkpath]

I agree with Steve. I would probably put the number of complete sets out there as 10-12. I would be very surprised if there were as many as 20. As was mentioned, there are 3 complete sets on PSA and 1 on SGC. I know of at least three other complete sets that are combinations of the two registries. Given the rarity of many of the cards in the set, I have a hard time believing that there are more than 5 other raw or combination sets that are flying below the radar.

[sniffy5]

Believe me, you guys would be far more authoritative on this topic than me. I don't even know the Sgc pop reports for the cards. But I guess the only way to truly figure it out would be to figure out the lowest pop card overall, which is probably Cady - again I don't know the Sgc pop - and then theorize from there how many Cady's are sitting along side the other 143 cards. Is the total pop of Cady less than 20? There are 9 psa's...

[I Only Smoke 4 the Cards]

Very cool. I didn't see any photos of the cards in the links above. Does anybody have a copy of the photos?

[CW]

These were grabbed from the flash intro...

[E93]

If I remember right, the factory set walked into a show and Mastro brokered it.
JimB

[I Only Smoke 4 the Cards]

Thanks for sharing those pictures. Those cards almost look too good.

[sniffy5]

Yeah, those cards do almost look too good. As a 1914 collector, they almost look wrong. (Not so wrong.....I wish I had them!!). Buy it's almost surreal to see them so clean. But I think part of the "wrong" is that the cards cheated!! They are, presumably, the only 1914's that did not face the many obstacles all the other 1914's faced. I think therein lies the somewhat odd feeling any 1914 collector experiences when gazing at those cards. It's like they should not exist. They represent an unfair comparison to all other 1914's.

In a way any 1914 collector should be happy more of those pristine cards didn't turn up. I guess it could be conceivable that 50 of each card could have been discovered originating from someone from the company. Imagine 50 pristine Jackson's and Matty's, etc... Sounds awesome on the surface, but again, it would ruin things in a way also. All mystique would be gone. Like if 50 perfect Honus's and Plank's showed up. Just would feel kinda wrong...

[btkpath]

Well put Tom!

[tiger8mush]

Originally Posted by sniffy5

As a 1914 collector, they almost look wrong.

Agreed - part of being a 1914 CJ is blemishes. Its not just a trait, its a right-of-passage or something. A wrinkle, a tear, a stain, a clipped corner, a pinhole. Its the card's way of saying "I survived that box of caramel popcorn"! It wasn't tucked neatly away in its own compartment of a cigarette pack, it was in there with the candy, guaranteed!

[I Only Smoke 4 the Cards]

Originally Posted by tiger8mush

Agreed - part of being a 1914 CJ is blemishes. Its not just a trait, its a right-of-passage or something. A wrinkle, a tear, a stain, a clipped corner, a pinhole. Its the card's way of saying "I survived that box of caramel popcorn"! It wasn't tucked neatly away in its own compartment of a cigarette pack, it was in there with the candy, guaranteed!

I wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment. I think mint tobacco cards looks weird.

[ullmandds]

Originally Posted by sniffy5

Yeah, those cards do almost look too good. As a 1914 collector, they almost look wrong. (Not so wrong.....I wish I had them!!). Buy it's almost surreal to see them so clean. But I think part of the "wrong" is that the cards cheated!! They are, presumably, the only 1914's that did not face the many obstacles all the other 1914's faced. I think therein lies the somewhat odd feeling any 1914 collector experiences when gazing at those cards. It's like they should not exist. They represent an unfair comparison to all other 1914's.

In a way any 1914 collector should be happy more of those pristine cards didn't turn up. I guess it could be conceivable that 50 of each card could have been discovered originating from someone from the company. Imagine 50 pristine Jackson's and Matty's, etc... Sounds awesome on the surface, but again, it would ruin things in a way also. All mystique would be gone. Like if 50 perfect Honus's and Plank's showed up. Just would feel kinda wrong...

Can you say Black Swamp Find!!!!

[sniffy5]

Yeah, I don't know too too much about the Black Swamp Find, but that is an excellent point, as it steers the conversation from the hypothetical to a reality-based event. Would E98 collectors say that the Find sent shockwaves, negative or positive, into their worlds of collecting those cards? I have no way at all to gauge that at all.

[ajjohnsonsoxfan]

By the way there's no way there's more than 10 completed 1914 CJ sets in existence today...

[Gradedcardman]

Originally Posted by sniffy5

So few collectors try for this set for various reasons. The big cards are really cost-prohibitive, but nonetheless available. And in lesser grades as well for somewhat reasonable prices. All that being said, I just wonder how many sets folks might theorize could be out there. And, if the 1914 set is one of the toughest sets to complete (excluding sets that intentionally short print cards, and sets with impossible error cards!!)

No...just a SWAG