Anyone collect 1934-36 Diamond Matchbooks?

[nebboy]

I also pickup Cubs matchbook from time to time

[martyp]

A few years back, I purchased some sets and wanted to see how PSA would grade them.

[tschock]

Here's what a page from a complete 1935-36 set looks like in a binder.

Complete set being a relative term, since there are both year/text and color variations to the 'base' 156 matchbook set.

[UKCardGuy]

Originally Posted by martyp

A few years back, I purchased some sets and wanted to see how PSA would grade them.

Interesting. I'm curious what the grading scale is for matchbooks.

Any idea what brought the grade down to a 3 for the Mungo and Root? They both look better than a 3 to me.

[BobC]

Love the Diamond Matchbooks. Have about 75% of the 1934 silver border set, about 75% of the 1935-36 main set, missing one of the 1936 "team on back" set, and have a complete 1936 Cubs team set. Only have a few of the 1935 black border set though. I know they are supposed to be shorter printed and less available than any of the other Diamond Matchbook sets, but you can always find a few on sale online, and I can never seem to justify paying the markup that most sellers seem to place on them over the other Diamond Matchbook sets. Diamond Matchbooks are a niche market to begin with, and have a fairly thin collector base it seems. And you rarely see them being sold through auction houses, but when you do, they are generally being sold in lots and not as individual matchbooks. Another indicator of their lower demand in the hobby. I simply can't justify to myself paying the higher prices seemingly always asked for the black border matchbooks, and thus don't have anywhere near a complete set.

Whenever you can find a complete matchbook with all the matches still in it, I think that is super and somewhat rare to find. I don't think complete matchbooks with all the matches still in them sell as high as they should, again an indicator of the lower interest and demand level overall. I actually have about 20 complete matchbooks with all the matches still in them in my collection, including a 1934 silver border Ducky Medwick, a 1935-36 main set Chuck Klein, and actually two complete 1935 black border matchbooks of Casey Stengel.

Over the years have also come across some Diamond Matchbook covers that appear to have never had the matches inserted to make an actual matchbook. Just the unused matchbook cover itself that has never been bent and folded. Probably someone from the factory that made them just took home some of the unused covers. That is very rare also. Anyone else out there seen or have any of these unfolded, unused Diamond Matchbook covers? Unfortunately I don't have one myself.

Another question for you other Diamond Matchbook collectors then. When collecting, do you have to have the striker still attached to the matchbook cover, or are you okay with it even if it has been removed? Personally, I don't want them unless the striker is still attached, but often see them for sale online with the strikers removed.

And lastly, anyone collect or even seen autographed Diamond Matchbook covers? I've only got one myself, an autographed 1934 silver border matchbook of Eugene DeSautel. Got to believe there are others, though have to admit I don't really ever remember seeing any other autographed matchbook covers out there.

Great thread about another seldom discussed issue that is way underappreciated and undervalued in my opinion. Whenever you can find them in really nice shape, they are great looking with wonderful images and short bios. My favorite of all the different Diamond Matchbook sets is the 1934 silver border set. Not sure why, just something about the silver border sets them off for me. And speaking of the the 1934 silver border set, the checklists I've seen have always included a silver border matchbook for Wes Ferrell. However, in recent years there had been some questions about whether or not such a matchbook actually existed for him. So, anybody here seen or have a 1934 silver border Diamond Matchbook of Wes Ferrell? I'm guessing it may not exist.

[cubman1941]

Although just a Cubs guy I do have quite a few. I would like with matches but I agree they are difficult to find that way. Thus I prefer with striker attached but will get one without if I need it for my Cub collection. I enjoy, although get a little frustrated, trying to figure out the 36 type 2 Cubs black and brown ink ones. Trying to buy these on line is really difficult.

I have never seen an unused one and it would be fantastic to find one. I have also never come across an autographed one. Suspect not many people thought about getting these autographed as cards were more prevalent.

Have a few 34 Silver border but only one black border.

In my earlier post I mentioned a person who helped me out tremendously with the checklists and found his name. It was Charles Specht. This was back in 2013 and, if he is still around, I would consider him to be the most knowledgeable person around regarding Diamond matchbooks. Unfortunately I only kept one of our correspondence emails.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by cubman1941

Although just a Cubs guy I do have quite a few. I would like with matches but I agree they are difficult to find that way. Thus I prefer with striker attached but will get one without if I need it for my Cub collection. I enjoy, although get a little frustrated, trying to figure out the 36 type 2 Cubs black and brown ink ones. Trying to buy these on line is really difficult.

I have never seen an unused one and it would be fantastic to find one. I have also never come across an autographed one. Suspect not many people thought about getting these autographed as cards were more prevalent.

Have a few 34 Silver border but only one black border.

In my earlier post I mentioned a person who helped me out tremendously with the checklists and found his name. It was Charles Specht. This was back in 2013 and, if he is still around, I would consider him to be the most knowledgeable person around regarding Diamond matchbooks. Unfortunately I only kept one of our correspondence emails.

Thanks Jim, would be great to hear from this Charlie Specht and see if he's aware of a silver border matchbook of Wes Ferrell actually existing.

Wish I could remember where I had seen that unused/unfolded Diamond Matchbook cover. Seem to remember it was a silver border matchbook cover and don't think the black material for the striker had been applied yet either. That could have been the reason the cover never got used then because it would have had no striker.

The black borders are always going to be more expensive, so guess I'll have to suck it up one day and pay more for them when they do come up for sale.

Collecting only complete matchbooks with matches in them would be super, but doubt you could ever complete the larger Diamond Matchbook sets that way. And besides, displaying or storing the matchbooks with all the matches still intact is a bit tough. When you just collect them without the matches they fold out nice and flat and can easily be put into binders with the plastic pages, like the one earlier poster showed in a picture of his set in a binder. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if some collectors would shy away from complete matchbooks with all the matches still intact for that reason alone.

Good luck with your Cubs collecting.

[brianp-beme]

Originally Posted by BobC

Wish I could remember where I had seen that unused/unfolded Diamond Matchbook cover. Seem to remember it was a silver border matchbook cover and don't think the black material for the striker had been applied yet either. That could have been the reason the cover never got used then because it would have had no striker.

Were you referring to something like this one I found that is on ebay?

Brian

[riggs336]

I have the 1936 Cubs set (U3-2) in green and in blue. Looking for a red set.