Coupon Type 1: Paper Theory

[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.

[usernamealreadytaken]

It sounds like Burdick knew his stuff pretty well and because of his work the cards we collect decades later are still identified by his designations. Guess what? I get that. But the guy came up with a classification system for baseball cards...Not exactly sacred work (sorry). I guess when people dodge real debate on the proper designations and instead ring the "Burdick said so" bell, it shows where this discourse is destined to end.

Back to the debate that "Coupon's" are out because one can feel the difference: how does that address American Beauty? Thanks!

[Abravefan11]

Originally Posted by 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.

John I like your theory and think it's a great explanation for the use of thinner stock but I still don't think it's enough to tie these cards to the T206 set.

In my opinion the images were simply reused because it was the most cost effective way of producing a new set. Many of the southern leaguers included in the T213-1 set are the indicator for my opinion.

These southern leaguers are shown in the T213-1 set with the team they started the 1909 season and appeared in the early T206 set yet:

Fritz left New Orleans prior to the end of July 1909.
Persons left Montgomery prior to the end of July 1909.

Hart didn't play for Little Rock in 1910.
Hickman didn't play for Mobile in 1910.
Lentz didn't play for Little Rock in 1910.
Rockenfield didn't play for Montgomery in 1910.
Thornton didn't play for Mobile in 1910.

[FrankWakefield]

This, in my mind, is similar to the blown call from a couple of nights ago. The past few days, folks I encounter who know of my passion for baseball, will ask me about and opine about the call. Most non-baseball folk want the Commissioner to fix it. To me it is changing a call to achieve a desired outcome. That's contrary to what I do at work... and it seems wrong to me for the Commissioner to do it. I went to a minor league game last night and met up with 2 fellow baseball fanatics. We were 3-0 on it, the call was blown, it's a shame, it was not a perfect game. Leave it alone and move on. They liked my idea of fellow umpires meeting between home and the mound when they perceive a similar bad call, and they wait for their crew-mate to join them, so he'll know to ask for help on the call...

Here, it seems the desired goal is to have those series 1 Coupon cards called T206. I have GREAT respect for Mr. Burdick's work on the American Card Catalog. I have a hardbound copy. And I have a copy of a postcard work he published. It's more than "he said so". He knew so, too. And it's what my fellow Frank said up there, you can sort 'em out by hand with your eyes closed. I can discern American Beauty cards from other T206s when looking at their fronts. But I can't by holding them one at a time with my eyes closed. I can sort 1914 Cracker Jacks from 1915 Cracker Jacks with my eyes closed. And everyone here could, too, after they'd held a few for a few minutes. The AB's are from identical card stock, cut slightly less wide. The Coupon card is on entirely different stock, but happens to be the same size... (same size as a T205, maybe that's what they really are). The Coupon's don't mention 'series' or '150' or '350'.... They're different. Just like Mr. Burdick said. Different, even if you want 'em to be alike.