Coupon Type 1: Paper Theory

[Abravefan11]

1) I don't know the standards Burdick used thus I can't question them.

2) These are my observations and my opinion. Yes they deviated on the size of the cards with the American Beauty series but given the timeline and players included it's evident (to me) that these are part of the same group. This is all just my opinion, maybe shared by others, maybe not.

[FrankWakefield]

I think you misunderstand the origins of Coupon Cigarettes. Duke's Trust was the end result of capitalism gone wild. We all think we support capitalism. Left to its own, the end result would be a monopoly. Without a bit of regulation the big 3 auto companies of my youth would have banged it out until one survived, then that survivor would have a monopoly. Duke started taking over other cigarette producers. Coupon Cigarettes happened to be the name of the company down Louisiana way (can't you hear Corky Laing banging away) that Duke took over. Those ATC brands with which we're all familiar (eg Piedmont, Cycle, "Sweet Caporal", "American Beauty"... ) these were regional brands. These brands were where they were, and had a market, before they were acquired by the ATC. Duke's outfit didn't decide in 1909 to make a lesser quality cigarette, call it Coupon, and sell it down south...

And while similar to T206 cards in design, I'm satisfied and content with Mr. Burdick's separation of the Coupon cards from T206. (not from "other" T206)

[fkw]

A blind person can tell the difference between a T213-1 and the other 16 T206 brands.

The paper stock is all I need to see/feel for me to know it is not the same series.

Its a separate set that has for many years been collected separately.

No need to change the ACC#, Burdick got it right IMO.

[ethicsprof]

If someone were willing and capable of creating a new classification system to replace Burdick's, making the Coupon 1 part of whatever T206s are to be called makes sense to me. The arguments for the inclusion of Coupon 1
have been delineated elsewhere numerous times (granted arguments against
have been delineated as well).
The greater issue is convincing any of us to redo the quite masterful work of Burdick which took a great many years of his life ,contributing in part to his
arthritic exhaustion and death some 2 months or so after completion of the task.
Any takers?!

best,
barry

[Abravefan11]

Barry your thoughts are spot on. What Burdick did decades ago would take a team of people with all the modern resources years to complete.

With that said I'm OK with people questioning or debating his classifications but when the conjecture dies down his is still the system we use.

[ethicsprof]

Thanks, Tim.
The more I read about Burdick, the more i stand in awe of his contributions.
I do wish that this sickly, gnarled, hermit of a man, could know just how much he influenced the generations of vintage card collectors with his incredible dedication, astuteness, perseverance, and scholarship. Yes, i'd like to see a few of the 'errors' fixed, but the 'errors' are tiny specks compared to the unparalleled classification system he gave us.

One of his only friends, perhaps his closest, was the beloved Lionel Carter.
Two Giants. Primus inter pares.

best,
barry

[Rob D.]

I often wonder whether people who are so quick to dismiss Burdick's work realize his dedication to the hobby and the mind-set he had. It went far beyond checking in on an Internet chat board a few times a day and posting some musings. He dedicated much of his life to collecting and cataloging cards.

That's not to say his work is beyond reproach, but again, I just wonder whether the naysayers realize what/who they're challenging.

[canjond]

Although this is only my theory, I've questioned whether coupons were printed on thinner stock due to the brand's distribution method. Unlike all of the other t206 brands (exept polar bear) which were packed inside slide and shell boxes of cigarettes, coupon was a soft paper pack that never had a box configuration. Thicker stock may have torn the packaging so a thin stock had to be used. This might also explain the poor condition of cards too. Not only is the paper thinner, but the distribution method did not protect the cards either.