40 year quest finally completed

[Bestdj777]

That's an awesome looking set. Congrats!

[DBesse27]

Those are very attractive cards. Why are they called "flag backs"? And I've always wondered what "Menko" means. Is that just their word for trading cards?

[darkhorse9]

Originally Posted by DBesse27

Those are very attractive cards. Why are they called "flag backs"? And I've always wondered what "Menko" means. Is that just their word for trading cards?

The backs of the cards feature a flag with the team logo. Many of the sets from that period look very similar on the front so the English separation comes from a back design feature (Flag back, Bat on Right etc.)

Oddly most every set from that era also features a game of Rock-paper-Scissors on the back. Where American kids could use some sets to play a baseball game, Japanese kids liked playing rock-paper-scissors

[Jeff Alcorn]

Hi Mark,

Those are some great cards that you have. I have been collecting Japanese cards since 1979, and really enjoy the challenge and the research involved.

I don't know if you are aware, but the 2 cards directly in the middle of the 2nd row in your scan are from another set that was issued in 1964. They should have a different back entirely consisting of a rock/paper/scissors mark, then a navy blue box with a baseball term written in it, and then a large number on the bottom.

You have cards from 2 different series in your scan, including some great players. Jim Marshall is 4th from the left in the bottom row, 400 game winner Masaichi Kaneda is 3rd from the right on the top, and Katsuya Nomura- 2nd all time to Oh in HRs is in the middle 2nd from the right. Of the 2 1964 cards, Kent Hadley is the one on the right, Toru Mori is the one on the left. Mori is also in the 1963 set, his card being 2 over to the left from his 1964 card.

Let me know if you would like any further information about the cards/players involved, I love talking about Japanese cards.

Jeff

[darkhorse9]

Originally Posted by Jeff Alcorn

Hi Mark,

Those are some great cards that you have. I have been collecting Japanese cards since 1979, and really enjoy the challenge and the research involved.

I don't know if you are aware, but the 2 cards directly in the middle of the 2nd row in your scan are from another set that was issued in 1964. They should have a different back entirely consisting of a rock/paper/scissors mark, then a navy blue box with a baseball term written in it, and then a large number on the bottom.

Jeff

That picture is actually from a group of cards I picked up that included the final cards I needed for the set. The group also helped finish the set with brown ink backs. I had several Flag Backs with green ink that always bugged me.

No idea what I will do with my duplicate cards and the other series cards. Probably put them on BST and see if anyone wants them.

[MikeGarcia]

Originally Posted by Jeff Alcorn

Hi Mark,

Those are some great cards that you have. I have been collecting Japanese cards since 1979, and really enjoy the challenge and the research involved.

I don't know if you are aware, but the 2 cards directly in the middle of the 2nd row in your scan are from another set that was issued in 1964. They should have a different back entirely consisting of a rock/paper/scissors mark, then a navy blue box with a baseball term written in it, and then a large number on the bottom.

You have cards from 2 different series in your scan, including some great players. Jim Marshall is 4th from the left in the bottom row, 400 game winner Masaichi Kaneda is 3rd from the right on the top, and Katsuya Nomura- 2nd all time to Oh in HRs is in the middle 2nd from the right. Of the 2 1964 cards, Kent Hadley is the one on the right, Toru Mori is the one on the left. Mori is also in the 1963 set, his card being 2 over to the left from his 1964 card.

Let me know if you would like any further information about the cards/players involved, I love talking about Japanese cards.

Jeff

..

..These is the Yamanashi Prefecture Engineers Team Card from 19???

..Eleven of them are wearing spectacles...huge percentage...if this is slightly post-war , that might reflect the deprivations of a wartime diet on growing children......if this is , as I suspect , slightly pre-war ( note the one very military-type uniform ) I wonder if there was such a thing as "team-issued" glasses to enhance players' performance ? Culture of the time leads me to think they might be part of the 'equipment' as much as spikes and gloves...

.. any other ideas......neat card though, sturdy stock and slightly bigger than a postcard and a blank back...

..

[MikeGarcia]

[MCoxon]

This is an amazingly cool-looking set. Any idea how rare they are? I'm guessing if you've spent 40 years and been searching throughout, pretty rare.

Do others on the board know - are there Japanese card collectors in the same way the US/Canada has such a large group of card collectors?