N284 Buchner Gold Coin Set

[scooter729]

I've always enjoyed this set - here's a few favorites I have, all with the Donaldson Printer back

[teza11]

Ok, so we have 3 printers and apparently 3 different back types. Anyone have access to the complete checklist on pp 400-403 of the WTI Vol IV? I've attached the series overview from the Forbes & Mitchell guide below.

Jeff

[RCMcKenzie]

I haven't checked my cards, yet, but, was looking around on eBay. ChampsandBums has a type of police captain series that has "Ballin & Liebler Lith N.Y." "Copyrighted 1888". They have a second police capt. design that says Julius Bien copyright 1887. The actors and jockeys I looked at had the Julius Bien trademark and 1887, which puts the van der ahe in that sub-type of cards, unless someone has a Van der ahe without a Jules Bien back. I'll post some more tomorrow. (pic from champsandbums ebay listing)(actor pic is one I lifted a while back off of an ebay listing, not my card, for reference purposes...)

I only have the non-sport guide, the SCD, and Lipset checklists. Would also like to see a full checklist. Although at least one of the police card types were made in 1888 and still reference baseball on the back, I don't know if the baseball cards were also continuously released after 1887 or not, but it seems they may have been. Rob

[bcbgcbrcb]

One key question for rookie card purposes, if the N284's were available for a second year, during 1888, were there any players that were never issued during 1887 and became available for the first time in 1888?

[RCMcKenzie]

I'm working on a detailed inventory of what I have. I believe I'm seeing that each subject has one specific back. The Curt Welch St. Louis I have has a Julius Bien back (Jockeys and Actors), like the Von Der Ahe St. louis. I think the cards that are made by Donaldson Bros and Giles are specific to the fronts, in other words, if you have a card with a Giles back like Ferguson Phila, all of the Ferguson Phila cards will have a Giles Leading Baseball back.

I have not found a baseball subject with anything other than 1887 or blank. My thinking is that the cards could say "1887" on the back, while they were still being distributed a year or more later. Diamond Stars have a 1934 copyright, even though we know from the bio backs that they are 1934-1936.

I'll post more later. Rob

[RCMcKenzie]

Phil, a quick follow-up to your question about rookies in the Buchner set. I think you can call the Buchner baseball cards 1887. Anson was 35 in 1887, so I wouldn't really consider it his rookie card, although it may be his first appearance in a somewhat major issue. I'm sure there may be some true rookies in the set, but it would take some research.