1912 colgan chip 'tin' of joe jackson

[Archive]

Posted By: Tom Boblitt

and the ones on ebay right now are Stars of the Diamond.

Tin Tops are listed in the American Card Catalog as E270. They share that designation with the Red Bordered Colgans as well. Don't know why they never made another designation because it's not like they look ANYTHING alike. The Stars of the Diamond are E254 and the most 'common' of the chips.

Stars of the Diamond (E254)


Tin Tops (E270)


Red Borders (E270)


The Tin Tops and Stars of the Diamond are all b/w photos on thinner, somewhat glossy paper. Not sure how they stamped the backs on the cards because you can find them rotated in all manner of ways. Always wondered that one. The Red Bordered Colgan's are printed on a thicker, less shiny type paper that kind of has a yellowish hue on the back of the chip. They are also VERY condition sensitive on the backs of the chips. The paper is cheap and it's hard to find one that doesn't have 'chips' or flakes on the back around the borders. So....to find a high graded Red Bordered E270--really much above a 5 is pretty difficult (in my opinion....). Plus the fronts of the Red Border chips are often askew...that is, the red border falls outside where it should or covers part of the chip or leaves a crescent type space(see below).



Great set(s).....all made here in Louisville, KY by Colgan's. John Colgan invented gum in the mid 1870's in Louisville and found a way using parafin in the early 1880's to make it taste better longer. Anyway, check out details on yahoo.....John Colgan Gum will get you tons of articles if you want more details.....

Also...........there's the Stars of the Diamond E254 back variation of '208 in present series' (see below). VERY tough--as, if not more, tough than the E270 Tin Tops.



Lots more people more qualified than I to talk about these.......hopefully some of them'll chime in..........