Value/Pricing Disparity: Issues like Goudey and Kashin

[nolemmings]

I'm not sure the size has much to do with it, but the manner and extent of distribution certainly does. At least one-fourth of the Kashin set could be acquired in a single purchase, so the challenge of the chase and any notion of surprise was lacking to the kids of the day. Similarly, because you got 25 or more Kashins at a time, there was no real fun in trading, as your neighbor had the same group or if not, you could just go get that group. Finally, the pricing may have impacted collectibility also, as it was easier to scrounge up a few pennies to get at least something with Goudey, plus you got gum too.

Other reasons: Kashin availability was likely far less than Goudey, and production numbers were smaller, so the number of collectors exposed to them was less. Next, it might be that the color lithographs were more attractive to the youngsters than the B&W photos, although I am not sold on that personally--but then, that's probably owing to my preference for the actual photos. The Kashin stock was far less sturdy, meaning the cards were more apt to get torn and maybe less friendly for flipping. And I guess maybe the size might have mattered somewhat, since it would have been a little more cumbersome to tote a bunch of them around (unless you kept them in the box). Last but not least, the Kashin photos themselves could be a little muddy looking sometimes, and were not as crisp as Exhibits or R315s, for example, if one were inclined to go for the photos over the lithos.

Personally I like the Kashins, but I can see why others would prefer the colorful Goudey's.