Oldest black baseball player card?

[h2oya311]

Originally Posted by aljurgela

Here are a couple of NL examples

Always a show-stopper! These are what I would consider the first "mainstream" cards of NL players - from the 1909 Cabanas and 1910 Punch sets.

[BeanTown]

What price range would those two show stopper cards get in an auction? I love punch cards and would love to get one with the original backing seen above. Thanks for sharing

[aljurgela]

Not sure if I had posted this one before... as I got it back from SGC this year....

On value, I am not sure... I know only that it has sold twice and it is my most expense card (the Punch Mendez with back). Both private sales were comfortably north of $100k. The Punch Mendez without the back sold for like $30k or so a few years ago - there are only a couple of copies known. Not sure what the premium would be with the one with the back... I think that there are estimates of 3x-10x the ones without the backing.....

At the end of the day, it is only worth what someone is willing to pay, I guess. For me, the Punch Mendez with back is the most important negro league card extant.... but I won't take issue if you call me biased (but I do have most of the other negro league cards as well)! The Pete Hill Cabanas is the only legit contender to the most important negro league card. Of course, if there was a Pop Lloyd Punch with the back, it would take the title from either of these two!

[aljurgela]

It is generally accepted that there are only 4 Punch cards known with the the back... the Mendez, the Padron (both posted here) and a Viola and a Gonzalez... at least this is what I think to be true. SGC has graded 75 total punch cards and I believe that only two of the ones that have backs have been graded. Only the Mendez has a numerical grade. Best, Al

[Jason19th]

While not exactly on topic - here is the only t206 of a player who played in the negro leagues. Viola was a Cuban who played on the minors with Jacksonville and the with Long Branch in 1915when they were in the Negro leagues

[Leon]

Originally Posted by aljurgela

It is generally accepted that there are only 4 Punch cards known with the the back... the Mendez, the Padron (both posted here) and a Viola and a Gonzalez... at least this is what I think to be true. SGC has graded 75 total punch cards and I believe that only two of the ones that have backs have been graded. Only the Mendez has a numerical grade. Best, Al

Great info Al, nice cards too!!

[Tim Kindler]

Al,
Thanks for posting the pics of the PUNCH cards. I don't think I have ever seen one before. You learn something new everyday! Beautiful Little Cards!

[sreader3]

For reference, here's an N172 Treadway (Denver team variation).

[Baseball Rarities]

Originally Posted by aljurgela

It is generally accepted that there are only 4 Punch cards known with the the back... the Mendez, the Padron (both posted here) and a Viola and a Gonzalez... at least this is what I think to be true. SGC has graded 75 total punch cards and I believe that only two of the ones that have backs have been graded. Only the Mendez has a numerical grade. Best, Al

Al - could you post a picture of one of the backs? Why are cards with backs so difficult to find? Were they meant to be removed?