QUESTION ABOUT 1928 W502'S

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Posted By: CHRIS

I HAVE A #57 STANLEY COVELESKIE THAT HAS A BLANK BACK. AT FIRST I WASN'T SURE<br />IT WAS A W502 BECAUSE I HAVE ONLY SEEN CARDS WITH ONE BAGGER AND HOLD WHAT YOU HAVE. OLD CARDBOARD SAYS THAT THEY ARE THOUGHT TO BE PART OF A GAME. ANY IDEAS AS TO WHAT THE BLANK BACK CARDS WERE USED FOR?

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Posted By: Paul

I have a Joe Sewell with a blank back as well. It may just be a printing error. The manufacturer forgot to print the back. Also, these same cards were issued with backs for several different ice cream companies. It is possible that your card was intended to have an ice cream company back, but again the back wasn't printed. It's also possible that some of these cards were deliberately printed with blank backs by yet another distributor who inserted the cards in who knows what.

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Posted By: CHRIS

PAUL, THANKS. THERE ARE A FEW SETS THAT USED THE SAME PICTURE OF A PLAYER AND WOULD PRINT THEIR AD ON THE BACK. IT MAKES SENSE THAT THE CARDS WERE PRINTED AND COULD HAVE A CANDY OR CLOTHING OR GAME USE. I'M SURE IT COST QUITE A BIT OF MONEY FOR A STORE OR CANDY COMPANY TO DO A RUN ALL THEIR OWN. GOING OFF SUBJECT A BIT I HAVE A GENE TUNNEY CARD THAT THE PICTURE IS USED OVER AND OVER IN MULTIPLE CARD SETS.

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Posted By: Rhys

I have had some of those blank backed cards before. If memory serves me right there are two types. One is a touch glossier and whiter than any of the ice cream issues, and even the W502 cards with writing on the back. While they are somewhat acarce, they are not associated with any of the food issues of the time period and are considered W cards. There is also another set with no writing on the back which is identical to the W502 cards and they are listed in the Standard Catalog as W-Unc cards. Either way, they are scarcer than W502 cards, but have nothing to do with the food issues. This is my opinion from having owned several cards from each set.

Rhys

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Posted By: wesley

W502s are closely related to several ice cream and caramel sets (York Caramel, Tharps, Harrington, Sweetman, Yuengling) Each one of those sets have the same checklist of sixty players (and for the most part use the same photographs). Aside from the E210 York Caramel, which is from 1927, each of those sets are listed as 1928 issues.

The W502 in particular was meant for some kind of baseball game. There are actually different backs (one bagger representing a single, two bagger representing a double, etc). My guess is when someone collects four baggers or a run, they can be redeemed for a prize. W502s have been designated as W cards, but they are not really cut from strips. The blank back variation of the W502s are from the same series only missing the final part of the printing process.

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Posted By: CHRIS

THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WEALTH OF INFORMATION. I HAVE A THARP'S ICE CREAM OF ED ROMMEL(55)THAT STILL HAS SOME CHOCOLATE ON IT. DO GRADING COMPANIES DEDUCT FOR THIS? I WAS TOLD IT CAME IN AN ESKIMO PIE. THE CARD LOOKS A LOT LIKE THE W502 SET. THANKS AGAIN.