What is Feller's True American Rookie?

[Cozumeleno]

Hi Ben -

The issue is that some R314s have been misclassified. Really, some are V352s, which are in the American Card Catalog. That classification, for whatever reason, has disappeared these days. Instead of calling some R314s and some V352s, everything is now lumped under the R314 header.

We call everything R314 these days and there are five classifications of those per the Standard Catalog. (R314-1, R314-2, R314-3, R314-4, and R314-5). R314-5 is the all Canadian subset. That one is without question supposed to be V352. R314-4 is a bit murkier. That's the one with the Feller. However, I believe those are V352s as well for several reasons.

First, they are believed to be printed in 1937 with R314-5 (R314-1, R314-2, and R314-3 are all believed to be 1936. Second, R314-4 has the creamy borders just like the Canadian R314-5. Third, in the American Card Catalog, Burdick says that V352 includes 'additional Canadian players'. That infers to me that the set also includes some American players. There are no American players in R314-5 so that leaves us with R314-4.

At a minimum, R314-5s are V352s, and personally, I believe that R314-4s are V352s as well.

Originally Posted by The Nasty Nati

Bob Feller has three rookies. The 1937 R314C "Creamy" Wide Pens, 1937 V300 OPC, and 1937 W463-7 "4-on-1" Exhibits.

The R314 Wide Pens and V300 OPC were made in Canada, but what about the 1937 W463-7? Is that considered his first true American rookie or do we have to resort to the 1938 Goudey?

Finally, what do people consider his most highly coveted rookie? The 1937 OPC?