The T206 350-Only Series - Some Observations on Available Backs

[Matt]

Originally Posted by tedzan

It's my understanding that there was only one PB press run of the 350-only series. The timing of it was coincident
with Demmitt and O'Hara briefly playing for their respective St Louis clubs. The supporting evidence for this single
press run is the fact that only approx. 42% of the 216 Subjects in the 350 series were printed with the PB backs.

Whereas, the subsequent PB press runs of the 350/460 and 460-only series include over 90% of the Subjects in
those series. And, the abundance of PB cards from these two latter series is indicative of multiple PB press runs.

I'm still not understanding something. Polar Bear backs don't have 350-only or 350/460 designations on them (right?) That being the case, how do you know that Demitt St Louis and OHara St Louis were 350-only cards and therefore only in the first run and not the later PB runs?

[tedzan]

" That being the case, how do you know that Demitt St Louis and OHara St Louis were 350-only cards and therefore
only in the first run and not the later PB runs? "

Matt....that is a good question. Scot Reader and I discussed this possibility some years ago; and, we concluded that
the St Louis variations of Demmitt and O'Hara were printed and issued during the 350-only series run.

The timeline in Scot's book for the 350/460 series release is Summer/Fall 1910. This timing is confirmed by the status
of certain Subjects in this series. And by this time period, both Demmitt and O'Hara were 5 months gone from their re-
spective St Louis teams.


TED Z

[Matt]

Originally Posted by tedzan

The timeline in Scot's book for the 350/460 series release is Summer/Fall 1910. This timing is confirmed by the status
of certain Subjects in this series. And by this time period, both Demmitt and O'Hara were 5 months gone from their re-spective St Louis teams.

While theoretically, I understand why more cards of them as players wouldn't be produced after they were out of the majors, in my humble opinion, I'm not sure that's enough to conclude that they weren't included in the 350/460 series. It's entirely possible that their cards were still produced after they were done in the majors.

thanks for the discussion and for the other excellent points you made.

[tedzan]

Matt

At the risk of be-laboring this subject, here are some real numbers for you to consider......

A recent survey of 20,000 randomly sampled T206's over a 4 year period yielded 4 Demmitt's and 4 O'Hara's (St Louis vari-
ations). Similar (but scaled down) surveys in the early '90s and in the 1980's produced very similar results.

For argument sake, let us assume this 20K survey is representative of what is out there on these two very rare variations.
Experts (not I) have guesstimated that approx. 1-2 Million T206's have survived over the past 99 years. If we extrapolate
the results of this survey with respect to the 1-2 Million figure, then we get 200-400 Demmitt cards and 200-400 O'Hara
cards. I think this certainly makes the case for a "single printing" of these two cards. Especially, when you compare these
numbers to the guesstimated population of say a Red Cobb....which is 5000.

If I cannot convince you that these two cards are 350-only subjects, then perhaps someone else here can. But again, the
greatest numbers of POLAR BEAR cards are found with the 61 subjects in the 350/460 series. Trust me, the St Louis cards
of Demmitt and O'Hara were never printed in this run.



TED Z

[Matt]

Originally Posted by tedzan

For argument sake, let us assume this 20K survey is representative of what is out there on these two very rare variations.
Experts (not I) have guesstimated that approx. 1-2 Million T206's have survived over the past 99 years. If we extrapolate
the results of this survey with respect to the 1-2 Million figure, then we get 200-400 Demmitt cards and 200-400 O'Hara
cards. I think this certainly makes the case for a "single printing" of these two cards. Especially, when you compare these
numbers to the guesstimated population of say a Red Cobb....which is 5000.

Ted - in order for your argument to hold, you'd have to compare the number of St Louis Demitts/Oharas with other Polar Bear cards; if your sampling showed 20 of card X with the Polar Bear back and that card is a known 350 and 350/460 subject, and only 4 Demitts, then I agree the Demitt was most likely run for only the 350 subject run. Comparing it to a Red Cobb doesn't do us much good considering all the backs the red Cobby was printed with. All it proves is that the PB Demitt was run for less printing then a red Cobb, which we can all agree on.

[tedzan]

I simply used the Red Cobb as a reference number. This Cobb was Double-Printed and if you reduce its 5000 figure by a 1/2,
you get a typical population number (2000) of any typical T206 card. That still leaves the Demmitt and O'Hara populations at
approximately 1/10 th of a typical T206.

If I had more time today, I would dig up my records comparing the Demmitt and O'Hara numbers to other 350-only PB cards.
However, we are leaving soon for a vacation and this study will have to wait. Maybe, Scot Reader or Jamie Hull will chime in
here, in the meantime, and provide further proof of these Demmitt and O'Hara cards being 350-only Subjects.


Regards,

TED Z