Ty Cobb's True Rookie Card

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Posted By: petecld

As far as limiting your choices for a rookie card the only kind I exclude is an item where the entire team is pictured. A "first appearance card" but not "rookie card." That being said:

In my opinion, Ty Cobb's rookie card is one of the postcard issues of the era. Any one of these issues should be considered his rookie: Dietsche, Wolveries News, H.M. Taylor, or Novelty Cutlery as they all have 1907 as the initial issue date. If you don't like the fact that these sets were issued over a span of years and you can't pinpoint an exact date then your Cobb rookie would be in the PC770 American League Co. set which has a 1908 date in the SCD guide or the 1908 Detroit Free Press set.

If you don't consider postcards at all then the first Cobb card would be either E90-1, W555, or any brand of the E92 issue, E101 or E102. All of these sets, or parts of, could or were issued as early as 1909.

In 100 years will collectors debate which is Tony Gwynn's rookie: 1983 Topps or Fleer or that retarded company that cut up Ruth's jeresy.

Sorry, I had to work "retarded" in somewhere.