Post an obscure card that interests you and explain why

[Piratedogcardshows]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

1886 Hancock Clothing Phil Tomney. In the mid-1990s the first and only three cards from this set were discovered. The three cards represent three different players making each a unique specimen. The three players are from the Syracuse Stars, an International League team from the period. These cards represent the first minor league card set and the first card set of any kind to put player information on the back. Along with Goodwin’s N167s they can also be called the first baseball card set of any kind. They are also arguably the rarest type cards in existence.

Amazing Tomney card there. If you don't mind me asking you who are the other two players with a card?

[oldjudge]

Dick Buckley and Doug Crothers are the other two players in the Hancock set. Buckley, like Tomney, played in the majors.

[Exhibitman]

Surprise! If you were a particularly lucky kid in the early 1920s you might have found one of these in your life:




Open the box and look inside:



Yep, baseball and boxing cards. Not my stuff, just some illustrative images. More pics:



Ruth-Johnson-Sisler-Alexander



Two guys I haven't ID'd yet (top row) and Johnny Kilbane and Benny Leonard (bottom row).

There were some nonsports cards too but, frankly, who cares, you know?

[Clutch-Hitter]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Surprise! If you were a particularly lucky kid in the early 1920s you might have found one of these in your life:




Open the box and look inside:



Yep, baseball and boxing cards. Not my stuff, just some illustrative images. More pics:



Ruth-Johnson-Sisler-Alexander



Two guys I haven't ID'd yet (top row) and Johnny Kilbane and Benny Leonard (bottom row).

There were some nonsports cards too but, frankly, who cares, you know?

Never seen those boxes. Great stuff

[Snowman]

Fun thread idea. Mine is definitely the 1958 Menko Doyusha JCM30a Jackie Robinson card. It's my holy grail card, and one that I was fortunate to have been able to track down earlier this year on my birthday. My copy is shown below.

Why do I like it?

For one, I just love the look of the card. It's sized like a T card, but has the color and pop feel of an Andy Warhol art piece. It has a very bright and bold almost neon magenta background to it. I love the back as well. Just a classic piece of art overall. It's a stunning card in hand.

In addition to how it looks, it's also a really cool historical piece. Throughout the entirety of Jackie's career, there was enormous tension between the US and Japan in the wake of the Pearl Harbor attack and our retaliations in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. But what most fans don't know is that in 1956, after the conclusion of the World Series, Jackie and the Brooklyn Dodgers (sans Koufax) traveled to Japan to play a 19-game exhibition series against Japanese players and teams in an effort to bring the two nations closer together and forge bonds of peace. They were invited by Matsutaro Shoriki, the "father of Japanese baseball", who was the man responsible for Babe Ruth's famous Japanese tour in 1934. 1956 was also the year that Jackie Robinson retired. His final game in a Dodgers uniform was played in this series, on Tokyo soil, and his last hit was a HR that erupted the crowd.

Cool story, but why he has a Japanese Menko card is a bit of a mystery. The Kanji on this card reads, "Roberto Chico Barbon". At the time this card was produced, in 1958, Barbon was the only black player in Japanese baseball, and as indicated on the card, he wore #8 for the Hankyu Braves. But instead of picturing Barbon, the card features Jackie Robinson. It is assumed to be an error card that was likely pulled from production, although an actual "Chico" Barbon replacement card was never made.

It is by far Jackie's rarest card, as there are only 5 copies known to exist: 4 on the PSA pop report, and 1 on SGC. Perhaps there are more that will surface in the future though, as they command steep prices whenever one hits the market.

Sean, from Victory Investments, made a great documentary about this card last year. It's worth checking out if you're interested:

https://youtu.be/VBDvF_dD5BU

[Leon]

Cool thread. I like this one because he looks like Dracula

[BobbyStrawberry]

Originally Posted by Leon

Cool thread. I like this one because he looks like Dracula

That's a cool one!

[Leon]

Originally Posted by BobbyStrawberry

That's a cool one!

Thanks....

No explanation necessary this one, as to why I find it interesting.

[vansaad]

Originally Posted by Leon

Thanks....

No explanation necessary this one, as to why I find it interesting.

Come on, Mayor! That pitch was above my parasol.

[abothebear]

Originally Posted by Leon

Cool thread. I like this one because he looks like Dracula

I like this one because he has a devil-beard.



.

[whiteymet]

Hi Guys:

Here is one of my obscure group of cards. Looking for info on them. From the late 1940's

The Rapid Electrotype Co. of Philadelphia issued them

Hoping someone has info on them or can add to the checklist.

[BeanTown]

Not many items out there from (assuming) Cuba with both Ruth/Hornsby on it.

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by BeanTown

Not many items out there from (assuming) Cuba with both Ruth/Hornsby on it.

That's a beauty. Roland has commented on these on the Cuban card thread. Leon has (had?) one that I used to own.

[brianp-beme]

Originally Posted by whiteymet

Hi Guys:

Here is one of my obscure group of cards. Looking for info on them. From the late 1940's

The Rapid Electrotype Co. of Philadelphia issued them

Hoping someone has info on them or can add to the checklist.

No help, but it always great to see something that I haven't encountered before. Hopefully someone else has some info for you!

Brian