1948/49 Leaf Satchel Paige

[tedzan]

Originally Posted by Griffins

1. We've seen an uncut sheet of the common series, this isn't on it. It's considerably scarcer than any of the 49 in the common series.
2. Probably just an oversight. All evidence points to this set being issued in '49, the short print series later than the common series. But it still most probably predates the high number '49 Bowman, his only other card before '53 Topps.
3. More likely he was looking down or blinking. Leaf isn't known for their production value on this set.

Anthony is precisely correct. The 1949 LEAF Paige is his first card depicting him with a Major League uniform. The 1949 BOWMAN card of "Satch" was issued in the Fall of 1949.
I can personally vouch for this, as I clearly recall the 1949 BOWMAN Hi #s were available when school had started. We were opening the BOWMAN red-white-blue 5-cent packs
with the Hi# cards in September-October.


TED Z

T206 Reference
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[samosa4u]

Thanks for your posts, Ted. It looks like those guys running Leaf Gum Co. were a bunch of sneaky b*stards! Look at the first series uncut sheet: 31, 106, 11, 136, 59, etc. The numbers are all over the place!

It's also crazy that all the cards from the second series are short-prints. And to make things even more confusing, there are some cards from this second series, like the Paige, which are even more difficult to find! What does that make the Paige then, by the way? A SP or a SSP (super short print?) Yes, I just thought of that one right now, but it sounds pretty cool, right?

I was really thinking of the Bowmans, but now I am not sure if I want to do that. The Leafs are going to be more challenging, but at the same time fun. And there are different color variations as well, and I find this part interesting too. It's definitely going to be a tough decision! Send out that article of yours whenever you can, Ted, and I gotta' make sure I research all of this properly so I don't end up with any regrets!

[tedzan]

Originally Posted by samosa4u

Thanks for your posts, Ted. It looks like those guys running Leaf Gum Co. were a bunch of sneaky.....

It's also crazy that all the cards from the second series are short-prints. And to make things even more confusing, there are some cards from this second series, like the Paige, which are even more difficult to find!s pretty cool, right?

1st....LEAF was not the first Gum Co. to skip-number their cards. GOUDEY, in 1933, played the same game by not printing 22 Lo # cards in their set until the last 2 sheets.

2nd....The 2nd Series (49 cards) was issued sometime in the Summer of 1949. This series of cards were not only Short-Printed, but were also regionally "short-distributed".
That is to say these cards were only issued in the Boston area, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois (and perhaps St Louis).

In 1989, Alan Rosen acquired four boxes (24-count) of LEAF unopened waxpacks. This find was an original collection from Michigan. All 576 cards were 2nd Series subjects.
Forty eight of these subjects averaged about 12 cards each, representing a fairly good random distribution. However there were only 3 cards of Satchell Paige in this group
of 576 cards.



TED Z

T206 Reference
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[steve B]

The low numbers are lots of fun, there's at least 3 distinct press runs if not 5-6.
And usually the differences aren't exactly small.

[leaflover]

I am truly a "Leaflover"

[tedzan]

Originally Posted by leaflover

I am truly a "Leaflover"

Hey Mike

I really love to see your 1949 "beauties"....you probably have the best looking set in the hobby.

On display here are 5 members of the Hall of Fame (Cleveland has the most HOFers in this set)

MVP in 1948…..awarded Dec 1948






TED Z

T206 Reference
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[ksfarmboy]

Ted are all of those from your childhood collection?

[samosa4u]

Originally Posted by tedzan

In 1989, Alan Rosen acquired 4 wax-pack boxes (24-count) each.
The cards in this find were all 2nd Series totaling 576. Forty-eight subjects averaged 12 cards each, representing a pretty good random distribution. However there were only
3 cards of Satchell Paige in this group of 576 cards.

I was talking to a big US card dealer over the phone last night and he thinks that these packs were searched. He doesn't think the Paige card is rarer than any of the other cards in the second SP series. He told me whenever he purchased a collection of 49' Leafs from someone, the Paige card was always in there.

[tedzan]

Originally Posted by brian1961

No, Ted, nothing of the sort. Quite the contrary. I interpreted the article as Dick Reuss introduced the Leaf Bob Feller to the hobby, through his discovery of the card in his friend's collection where said friend resided in Michigan.

---Brian Powell

Sorry, Brian.....I think I mis-interpreted what you said in post #18.


TED Z

T206 Reference
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[tedzan]

Originally Posted by samosa4u

I was talking to a big US card dealer over the phone last night and he thinks that these packs were searched. He doesn't think the Paige card is rarer than any of the other cards in the second SP series. He told me whenever he purchased a collection of 49' Leafs from someone, the Paige card was always in there.

I don't know who you were talking with, and where does he get his information from ?

In 1989, when Alan Rosen discovered this 1949 LEAF find, I got a chance to see these cards. And, there were only three Paige cards in this collection of 576 cards.
While the other 48 subjects ranged from 10 - 13 cards each.

Incidentally, I met Alan Rosen in 1981 (we were set-up at adjacent tables at a New Jersey BB card show), and we were close friends all the years since.


TED Z

T206 Reference
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[samosa4u]

I can't post his name on an open forum without his permission. I will say this: for the past thirty years he has been buying up collections across the country (and selling them for big bucks!) So he must know what he's talking about.

Anyhow, price-wise this Paige card is almost on the same level as the 52' Topps Mantle. It's absolutely insane.

It's a good thing that the Jackie Robinson card is in the first series. It's more affordable and more people can enjoy it.