Questions about things that have been bugging me

[GaryPassamonte]

There is a distinct possibilty that all Peck and Snyder team cards were issued in the same year, 1870, although there is no way to be certain.

[barrysloate]

I've thought of that too Gary, that maybe prominent teams of the period were issued simultaneously. If you went into the store you could request any of the teams in the set. Our original thought that they were issued in separate years can not be corroborated.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

I've thought of that too Gary, that maybe prominent teams of the period were issued simultaneously. If you went into the store you could request any of the teams in the set. Our original thought that they were issued in separate years can not be corroborated.

For me personally, I don't usually change a prevailing thought unless there is proof. Others can change whatever they want to or believe what they want to. When I see definitive proof, or something that makes me change my mind, I will change.....

[prewarsports]

I agree with Gary's assessment, I know there are advertisements from the 1871 catalog (which I used to own but dont anymore) that have all these for sale still so my guess is that they were available starting in 1870 and all teams were made at the same time and the year of the team pictured doesn't mean it was made any earlier, just pictures a slightly earlier team.

[zljones]

Originally Posted by prewarsports

I agree with Gary's assessment, I know there are advertisements from the 1871 catalog (which I used to own but dont anymore) that have all these for sale still so my guess is that they were available starting in 1870 and all teams were made at the same time and the year of the team pictured doesn't mean it was made any earlier, just pictures a slightly earlier team.

So you had a catalog Peck and Snyder from 1871 that was selling the cards, instead of giving them away? Wow, I thought they were handed out for free. How much were they charging for the cards?

[barrysloate]

Originally Posted by zljones

So you had a catalog Peck and Snyder from 1871 that was selling the cards, instead of giving them away? Wow, I thought they were handed out for free. How much were they charging for the cards?

I read in a 1910 era baseball book that the store offered the cards for fifty cents apiece. I would think though that if you were a good customer and spent some money with them, they would toss you a few freebies.

[E93]

Questions about first baseball "cards" are complicated and depend on how one defines a "card". I think of Peck and Snyders as "trade cards". I am sure we will never have consensus on first card stuff. I think of 1886 N167 Old Judges as the first set of baseball cards in the common, unqualified, no-explanation-necessary sense of the term.
JimB

[Leon]

Jim B....good point on defining a "card." I can't define one either but I know one when I see one... and the Peck and Snyder's are certainly baseball cards.

[E93]

Originally Posted by Leon

I can't define one either but I know one when I see one.

Didn't a senator say something like that about pornography?
JimB

[zljones]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

I read in a 1910 era baseball book that the store offered the cards for fifty cents apiece. I would think though that if you were a good customer and spent some money with them, they would toss you a few freebies.

Wow 50 cents was alot back then! My packs of 1991 Topps that I bought when I was kid were less!

[rhettyeakley]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

I read in a 1910 era baseball book that the store offered the cards for fifty cents apiece. I would think though that if you were a good customer and spent some money with them, they would toss you a few freebies.

Barry, I believe the 1871 P & S book Rhys is referring to had them at the time for sale at 10-cents each or one could get a dozen for a buck. There were several to choos from. It has been several years since Rhys showed me the book but that is my recollection. The P&S book was their 1871 equipment catalog--really interesting book as I also believe you could buy real Cincinnati Reds jerseys, their own style ball, etc. (obviously they weren't gamers or anything but you could buy the same exact jersey's direct from P&S).

[drc]

Even if the 1869 Peck and Snyder Reds cards were being sold in 1871, they could have still have been made in in 1869. I bet Steiner is selling Derek Jeter autographs that are two years old.

[barrysloate]

That's interesting Rhett. The book I got the fifty cents price from was Base Ball and Base Ball Players by Elwood Roff, a pretty rare book published in 1912. Maybe by 1871 they were remaindered, having already used up their market interest. Possibly a hot item in 1870, but yesterday's papers by 1871.