New Blog Post. BOND BREAD JACKIE ROBINSON!!!!

Originally Posted by Stonepony

Put me in the camp which does not consider the Bond Bread card ( portrait/auto facsimile) Robinson's rookie card. To reply to a statement above- I paraphrase- "Don't I consider a distribution in 18 major cities a nationwide distribution?". Absolutely not!!. Bond Bread distributed in 18 states and it's likely the early portrait card was released in a very small regional area ( Harlem, Brooklyn...) and it was only the subsequent cards over the next 2 years that were released in " major markets" ( well....18 cities)
If my dad couldn't walk down to his father's drugstore in Emporia, KS and get the card... or at least get one in Kansas City then it's not nationwide. Could he get a 48 Leaf or Bowman- yep and he did. Thats not to single out Kansas. There were
30 other states that Bond Bread did not distribute in ( Alaska and Hawaii were not states yet). Heck did they even have a factory west of the Mississippi??
To me the Bond Bread Robinson is a glorified/ expanded Regional issue. As a regional card collector- I'd better step up and get me one sometime.
Let me be clear- I'm not suggesting the Bond Bread card won't pass by the Leaf or Bowman issues in value or popularity. I have no idea of course. From MY perspective the Robinson Rookies are those absolutely beautiful, colored 1948 ( 1949) leaf and Bowman cards.

So you simply choose to ignore the research that debunks that myth. If memory serves me Kansas City was one of the markets it was distributed in, but either way it's been fairly well documented that BB's were distributed in, at minimum, 13 metropolitan cities across the country. Not sure how that qualifies as a regional issue, or even a glorified regional issue, but I'm not a regional collector.

[Stonepony]

No I'm not debunking any myths. I'm just going by what pieces of the puzzle I've seen or read. No, I don't consider 13 metropolitan cities a nationwide distribution. Actually, I consider that small. My family and extended family is from KC ( as am I) and know one has heard of Bond Bread. That's neither here nor there, and my view is just an opinion which may be an incompletely educated one. My calling the set a " glorified regional" set was obviously a little over the top... which was my intent. I'm always ready to learn all I can in this hobby. Could you
tell me what myth I cited? Do you know the regions the portrait card was distributed? I thought it was only a very small distribution ( Brooklyn, Harlem and other NY areas)?

Originally Posted by Stonepony

No I'm not debunking any myths. I'm just going by what pieces of the puzzle I've seen or read. No, I don't consider 13 metropolitan cities a nationwide distribution. Actually, I consider that small. My family and extended family is from KC ( as am I) and know one has heard of Bond Bread. That's neither here nor there, and my view is just an opinion which may be an incompletely educated one. My calling the set a " glorified regional" set was obviously a little over the top... which was my intent. I'm always ready to learn all I can in this hobby. Could you
tell me what myth I cited? Do you know the regions the portrait card was distributed? I thought it was only a very small distribution ( Brooklyn, Harlem and other NY areas)?

Dave, I would suggest reading this thread.

http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=171169

[Stonepony]

Originally Posted by Gobucsmagic74

Dave, I would suggest reading this thread.

http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=171169

I remember that thread and reread it. The photos are no longer posted.
Although I applaud the research and photo dating... the thread doesn't bring me any closer to knowing where the cards were distributed... and for that matter exactly when. The window is certainly proven and precedes the 1948 leaf and Bowman issues almost certainly. The portrait card is described as a " promo card" by the researchers. There's a lot of " we believe", " may have been",
" we speculate " language in there. I'll never consider a promo card a true rookie card and for me the area of distribution is way to small. I'm standing by my opinion.. but great stuff!!! i just love the 49 Bowman too much to budge

[robertsmithnocure]

Originally Posted by Stonepony

The window is certainly proven and precedes the 1948 leaf and Bowman issues almost certainly.

Hasn’t it been accepted that the Leaf card was made in 1949?

[Baseball Rarities]

It is probably not a fair comparison, but it was not that long ago that Ruth's 1933 Goudey cards were worth more than his M101-5/4 cards.

[Stonepony]

Originally Posted by robertsmithnocure

Hasn’t it been accepted that the Leaf card was made in 1949?

Correct

[Exhibitman]

So who wants to trade my JR bread card for a JR Leaf?

[CharleyBrown]

Dave,

I respect your opinion, but you are wrong on the distribution of the promo card being limited to Harlem and Brooklyn NYC.

The portrait has already passed the 49 Bowman in terms of price.

Newly surfaced photos now indicate that the 6 cards distributed in early 1948 all feature images from the game before opening day. Will update my original thread when possible. I do not want to out an auction for those bidding.

[CharleyBrown]

I also have first and second hand accounts from those who obtained the cards or family members. The we believes were early in my research. I used that term because I wanted to make sure I had confirmation before stating definitively. I am much further along in my research, and can say that this set's distribution spans far wider than NYC. I say that with 100% certainty.

Regarding the Leaf issue, I do believe that it is an iconic set, and I am proud to own both the Leaf card, as well as the entire BB set.

[Stonepony]

Hey Shaun,
I'm not challenging that the Bond set predates the Leaf and Bowman. Nor am I challenging it's popularity, status or value. It's a great card. However from my perspective, I don't consider an issue that was limited to less that 15 large Metroplitan areas a candidate for his true rookie card. Earliest card, ok.
Everyone else may disagree
I would like to see the evidence that the portrait was widely distributed. That's interesting.
PS- is everyone ready to get on board with the 54 Johnston cookies Aaron unseating the Topps issue as his true rookie?

[CharleyBrown]

Originally Posted by Stonepony

Hey Shaun,
I'm not challenging that the Bond set predates the Leaf and Bowman. Nor am I challenging it's popularity, status or value. It's a great card. However from my perspective, I don't consider an issue that was limited to less that 15 large Metroplitan areas a candidate for his true rookie card. Earliest card, ok.
Everyone else may disagree
I would like to see the evidence that the portrait was widely distributed. That's interesting.
PS- is everyone ready to get on board with the 54 Johnston cookies Aaron unseating the Topps issue as his true rookie?

Understandable, and you are entitled to your own beliefs. I respect that. I can't answer the Aaron question, as I do not know enough about the set.

Originally Posted by Stonepony

Hey Shaun,
I'm not challenging that the Bond set predates the Leaf and Bowman. Nor am I challenging it's popularity, status or value. It's a great card. However from my perspective, I don't consider an issue that was limited to less that 15 large Metroplitan areas a candidate for his true rookie card. Earliest card, ok.
Everyone else may disagree
I would like to see the evidence that the portrait was widely distributed. That's interesting.
PS- is everyone ready to get on board with the 54 Johnston cookies Aaron unseating the Topps issue as his true rookie?

No, because the Johnston Cookies is a straight-up, undeniable, regional issue and his Topps RC was produced the same year...rather than a year and a half later. Not sure why you'd use the term un-seat either? They're both 1954 issues.

[nsaddict]

Hmmm.... sounds like this could be an interesting poll question?

[Vintageclout]

Originally Posted by Gobucsmagic74

So you simply choose to ignore the research that debunks that myth. If memory serves me Kansas City was one of the markets it was distributed in, but either way it's been fairly well documented that BB's were distributed in, at minimum, 13 metropolitan cities across the country. Not sure how that qualifies as a regional issue, or even a glorified regional issue, but I'm not a regional collector.

+1000! Where is it written that a baseball card cannot be considered a player’s true Rookie issue if it was NOT distributed in every US city? That’s utterly absurd! As Dan & Shaun have accurately stated, the 1947 Bond Bread Jackie Portrait card was released in June ‘47 in roughly 13+ MAJOR CITIES. Promo card or not, it’s a BASEBALL CARD widely distributed in 1947. It is Jackie Robinson’s true Rookie card. The “cherry picking” to suggest otherwise borders on insanity.

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by Vintageclout

+1000! Where is it written that a baseball card cannot be considered a player’s true Rookie issue if it was NOT distributed in every US city? That’s utterly absurd! As Dan & Shaun have accurately stated, the 1947 Bond Bread Jackie Portrait card was released in June ‘47 in roughly 13+ MAJOR CITIES. Promo card or not, it’s a BASEBALL CARD widely distributed in 1947. It is Jackie Robinson’s true Rookie card. The “cherry picking” to suggest otherwise borders on insanity.

Completely agree. Why should we define what is a RC based on some arbitrary concept of geographic distribution? Baseball wasn't available nationally; there were no MLB teams west of St. Louis. Should we consider the PCL a major league because it played where MLB was 1,000 miles away?

Nevermind

[Stonepony]

Originally Posted by Vintageclout

+1000! Where is it written that a baseball card cannot be considered a player’s true Rookie issue if it was NOT distributed in every US city? That’s utterly absurd! As Dan & Shaun have accurately stated, the 1947 Bond Bread Jackie Portrait card was released in June ‘47 in roughly 13+ MAJOR CITIES. Promo card or not, it’s a BASEBALL CARD widely distributed in 1947. It is Jackie Robinson’s true Rookie card. The “cherry picking” to suggest otherwise borders on insanity.

It's an opinion which I've clearly stated may be my own, alone. Thanks for the harsh statements.

Originally Posted by Vintageclout

+1000! Where is it written that a baseball card cannot be considered a player’s true Rookie issue if it was NOT distributed in every US city? That’s utterly absurd! As Dan & Shaun have accurately stated, the 1947 Bond Bread Jackie Portrait card was released in June ‘47 in roughly 13+ MAJOR CITIES. Promo card or not, it’s a BASEBALL CARD widely distributed in 1947. It is Jackie Robinson’s true Rookie card. The “cherry picking” to suggest otherwise borders on insanity.

I can only guess people are trying to protect their investments (1948/49 Leaf and 49 Bowman) which is understandable but funny to me because, as has already been mentioned, those cards (particularly the 1949 Leaf) are iconic and aren't going to lose their value either way. Conversely, imagine what would happen if the PSA registry recognized the 1947 Bond Bread Jackie Portrait as his true RC? Its already exploded regardless, almost completely due to the research provided on this board

[guy3050]

I love all My Jackie's

IMG_0782 by Guy Bourque, on Flickr

[Exhibitman]

Ditto:







(Well what did you expect...mainstream cards?)

[guy3050]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Ditto:







(Well what did you expect...mainstream cards?)

Those are great , I'm slowly working in his none mainstream cards

[EYECOLLECTVINTAGE]

so basically the verdict of this thread is my log kicked ass? jk