Jimmie Foxx Rookie?

[Exhibitman]

Not really. What the photo would do is pin down the earliest possible date. Like the Jim Thorpe in Native American headdress. A copy of the photo that was used to make that card was discovered with the original news caption intact and therefore dated the card to no earlier than the date of the photo.

As for work flow, my research indicates that the company released cards continually; they advertised new issues released on average every 60 days. They also undoubtedly replaced cards on sheets over the course of an issue. This is best determined from the 1920s boxing sets because they have bio/stats and copyright dates on the backs, and some of them actually have stats that post-date the copyright dates (e.g., a 1928 card with 1929 bouts reported). There are also odd set counts relative to sheet size, which means there were replacements.

I don't think we are ever going to get clarity on this unless there is a lucky find of company archival material or uncut sheets. That is how I proved that the Salutations were issued long after the supposed 1947 cut-off: I had a Ted Williams on the same sheet as a Rocky Colavito Detroit card (he was traded to Detroit after the 1959 season).

[bcbgcbrcb]

Thanks for the additional info, Adam.

So, in the final synopsis here, the Foxx postcard-back exhibit COULD have been first issued in 1928 as the uniform style pictured in the photo used dates it to that season, along with the matching uniform style of the photo used for the Lefty Grove postcard-back exhibit. We know that it was NOT issued in 1925-27 and, of course, COULD have also been first produced anytime after, from 1929-31.

Since all of the other options for the Foxx rookie card were issued in 1929 or later, and in the absence of uncut sheets or further company documentation from the Exhibit Supply Co., the earliest possible card of Foxx would be the postcard-back exhibit. Should proof ever turn up that the Foxx postcard-back card was not produced until 1929 or later, then Foxx will have five or six rookie card options, including that one, the Kashin (R316), Leader Novelty, W560 (I don't believe that this card issue could have been laid out, printed and also released during the last two weeks of 1928), 1929-30 4-on-1 Exhibits & 1929-30 R315.

[h2oya311]

interesting Phil (and Adam).

I know the TPGs show the W560 as being issued in 1927 and we have seen evidence on this website that the date of issue for that set is more likely from 1928-29, but how did you determine that the W560 set is definitively a 1929 issue?

[bcbgcbrcb]

Hey Derek:

As per Brian’s recent thread on the dating of the W560 set, one of the players on the uncut sheets is presented with a team that he was traded to on 12/13/28. In order for the set to have been issued in 1928, the maker would have had to do the complete layout, print all of the cards and then distribute/release them within about a two week period before the end of 1928.

Probably a better chance of winning the mega millions, don’t you think?

[brianp-beme]

Here is that thread Phil is referencing discussing W560 issue dating:

https://www.net54baseball.com/showth...highlight=w560

Brian

[h2oya311]

thanks y'all!

[Leon]

Good info and thread...

Originally Posted by brianp-beme

Here is that thread Phil is referencing discussing W560 issue dating:

https://www.net54baseball.com/showth...highlight=w560

Brian

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by bcbgcbrcb

Thanks for the additional info, Adam.

So, in the final synopsis here, the Foxx postcard-back exhibit COULD have been first issued in 1928 as the uniform style pictured in the photo used dates it to that season, along with the matching uniform style of the photo used for the Lefty Grove postcard-back exhibit. We know that it was NOT issued in 1925-27 and, of course, COULD have also been first produced anytime after, from 1929-31.

Since all of the other options for the Foxx rookie card were issued in 1929 or later, and in the absence of uncut sheets or further company documentation from the Exhibit Supply Co., the earliest possible card of Foxx would be the earliest version of the postcard-back exhibit series, the blank-back version, of which one has been sitting on e-bay for a long time at a very steep price. I guess it's also possible that a "correspondence" back could have been produced in 1928 as well. Possibly other versions of the back too, but more unlikely.

Should proof ever turn up that the Foxx postcard-back card was not produced until 1929 or later, then Foxx will have five or six rookie card options, including that one, the Kashin (R316), Leader Novelty, W560 (I don't believe that this card issue could have been laid out, printed and also released during the last two weeks of 1928), 1929-30 4-on-1 Exhibits & 1929-30 R315.

What I would change there is the reference to the blank-backed Foxx as the first one. If the card is later than 1926, then any blank back is almost certainly likely a misprint and does not carry any specific date relationship.