(Honus Wagner) CIGAR BOX

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Posted By: Jay Miller

Hal--I'm rooting for you but I would still be a little nervous. The box may mention Henry Reccius somewhere on the wood where it doesn't show up in the scan. I wonder what that little rectangular label on the front says. If the manufacturer was someone other than Reccius that would be a good thing. Otherwise, I'm not sure the differentiation between Honus and Hans means alot--maybe it does, who knows. The 5 cents price on the box is cheaper than the price on the card. Maybe the card came after the box when prices had gone up. Maybe the card is later than the mid-20's. The fact that the brand may have existed into at least the mid-1920s has to add some doubt to the card dating from the 1890s. When did phone numbers in Louisville add more digits? Could that be used to narrow things down a little?

Barry--If the Elliot Street address was the company address in the 1890s does that tie the card to that date? What if the cigars were issued over many years and the company did not change their address. Couldn't that card have been included in the box in 1908 or 1912? Who knows--which is a big problem if you are trying to call it a rookie card.