May pickups.

[rainier2004]

Originally Posted by T206Collector

How about a fancy description of this life-altering card? (What is it? I don't collect 19th C.)

And this is a big deal to me. This card has been #1 on my want list for nearly a decade. I actually have lists, goals and all that outlined on my computer and it was always at the top, black in color as I didn’t have one. I believe this is where our hobby started, I believe this card was issued in 1869 and I believe I will never sell it. It is nowhere near the most valuable card I own but it is the center of my collection and joins my w601 Detroit, 14 Matty and 796 Cobb/Wagner and my favorite cards.

There are 26 of these graded, most look pretty rough and I couldn’t afford a nice one so this was perfect…it also came in 5 spots below my max bid making the whole thing better. It’s advertised as the rarer CdV smaller version which is untrue as the larger trade card has fewer examples, especially those in black ink opposed to red. I found 20 different examples and their images online and these are the numbers:

7 of the larger, trade card variation and all 7 have the p/s ad back.
1 of the larger cards is black ink
6 of the larger cards is in red ink

13 of the smaller, cdv variation with 5 different variations of these
4 w/ the Chadwick’s back like mine
2 w/ a p/s back similar to the chadwicks using text and not pictures
4 w/o any advertising and shows the lineup on the back; 2 of these have text on the front along a side panel while the other two have the text along the bottom panel
1 w/ Red Stockings etc. on the back and no ads
2 where I couldn’t see the back

I wonder what the September 13, 1869 date written on both sides is for though. A quick internet search shows the team was traveling from the end of the season on the eastern side of the country (NY specifically) to the start of the their California tour and first game in Missouri. on the 15th of that month.

But this is in no way a Peck & Snyder card, it has nothing to do with the sporting goods store. This card advertises Chadwick’s reference book produced in 1869. There are several theories out there but this is the first BB card IMO. This concludes a HUGE Spring for me, biggest acquisition period I have ever had including the Betz, a CJ Cobb, a pile of 796s plus some other goodies totaling 19 cards.