Zeenut collectors...

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Posted By: robert a

For you guys who collect Zeenuts, I'm curious how you go about it:

Do you collect them by year, team, cultural/religious background, condition, with or without coupon, major leaguers, etc.?

What is your niche?

Thanks for sharing.

Robert

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Posted By: Steve Murray

The way I collect:

1911 Set all SGC graded 114/122.

1911 to 1938 Run, need 1934 and 1935 to complete.

High name recognition of those that played in the majors. Have Chance, Averill, Reese and Overall. Hope to pick up a few more in 2008.

Bad boys: Weaver, Rumler, Gedeon. Had the McMullin but sold it this year.

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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

I started out after a few familiar names, after reading O'Neal's book about the Pacific Coast League. A great book if you're interested in the league...

Then, like Steve above, the idea of getting a run of years seemed attractive, so I kept an eye out for those. I lack a card from 1916, 1920, and 1921. I'd like to get one of these rascals with the coupon still attached.

None of mine are graded. I do have a couple of Home Run Kisses, only because Mr. Lipset talked about them in his Encyclopedia, I found out about those while reading his fine information on ZeeNuts.

The most I have of any year is 1927, I have 16 of those. I think I might try to chase down the rest of those one day.


There are so many, that ZeeNuts lend themselves to being collected several ways... a year, one of each year, a certain player, a certain team...

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Posted By: boxingcardman

Stars and popular players. I have no interest in completing sets; never have. Just not my cup of tea.

Sic Gorgiamus Allos Subjectatos Nunc

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Posted By: Peter Thomas

Trying to put 1911 (70%) & 1912 (55%) sets together. Missing a dozen or so cards from 1931 and 1932 sets, where I got a large lot in a thrift shop about 12 years ago. Also trying to get a card w/coupon attached from each year - only have about half of the years. Currently have about 1100 Zeenuts.

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Posted By: peter ullman

wow peter...that's a lot of Zeenut's!!! At one time I was going for a run...then I started accumulating Zeenuts from 1911-1912. Now...I'm liquidating the little I have left...I may keep my HRKisses because I like the ornate borders.

pete ullman

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Posted By: leon

I am going for a run of years with coupon...I probably need around 5 or so....then I have some other cards that are kind of cool like the '11 Weaver and a few guys with sweaters on (which is where I get unfocused).....

Zeenuts in general, the ones without coupons, can be reasonably had and have some very interesting poses...I do prefer one with coupons though...

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Posted By: S Gross

Trying "full-run" of Vernon/Venice/Vernon/Mission/Hollywood fanchise (just over half way mark). Although I'm an East coast guy, the PCL cards are just too great to ignore. I picked Vernon basically because I like their "suburban" aspect. Also, even though they won a few titles (I believe), there is something about their "weak-sister" statis I like.















((((The fact that they were originally placed in Vernon because LA was dry at the time, might also have aomething to do with it ))))

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Posted By: Alan O'Connor

Thought I'd weigh in on the Zeenuts as I seldom get the chance--my focus is very narrow: Sacramento baseball 1886-1960. I have all Sac Zeenuts from the 1920s, need a few from 1937 and a few from the teens including 1919 Vance.

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Posted By: Bob

Probably have gone as far as I can go with the 1911s, missing about 10-11. All mine are graded by SGC and I have several there now being slabbed. I keep collecting, then selling, collecting, then selling the 1912s so have some very nice slabbed ones but only about 25 total. I have started collecting Portland Zeenuts from the early 1900's lately. Only Zeenuts are 11s and 12s.

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Posted By: Fred C

I like collecting certain players (HOF, stars, oddities), Zees w/tabs and the 1911 and 1912 Zees. "Would" I like to complete at least on year (or all years)? Sure but it's just not in the cards.

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Posted By: Andrew

Zeenuts are a lot of fun. There are many ways to collect, and a lot of mystery.

I have been collecting Zeenuts multiple ways:

Any and all Seattle players, especially 1922 and 1923.

Any and all with coupon. I have 4 with coupon, and I would like more, but they are very tough to find.

A full run from 1911-1938. I still need a 1921 and a Home Run Kiss.

MLB HOFers, and other significant players. I have Averill, Calvo, Mishkin, George Johnson, Almada, Crosetti etc.

I generally am not a set collector, but I am trying to get as many 1918s and 1933 Sepias as possible.

If anyone wants to talk about Zeenuts, feel free to email me at callmefugazi@yahoo.com

Andrew

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Posted By: Jim Clarke

I try to collect only with coupon and have one from every year. Then upgrade to HOFers when I get a chance to do so

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Posted By: Zeenut

I'm pretty much what you would call a Zeenut "Nut". I buy as many as I can right now and later on I'll figue out my niche. Right now I have 500+

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Posted By: Andy Cook

I'm working on full sets of 1919, 1923, 1931 (need 1), and 1933 sepia. I also pick up pose and cropping variations. I passively pick up cards with coupons and 1933-36s.

Andy

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Posted By: James Feagin

I collect the Mormon players found in the Zeenuts set which are Spencer Adams and Roy Castleton. It's a fun niche.

Happy New Year!

James

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Posted By: Rhett Yeakley

James, you are forgetting Ray Jacobs and Red Peery (they are also Mormon).
-Rhett

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Posted By: brian p

I have collected Zeenuts by year, and always based upon availability, and have successfully completed the 1927 and 1931 sets (congrats to Andy C. on what sounds like his 1931 completion). Some of the tougher years I don't bother with, such as the 1918 and 1915, and other years I have just scratched the surface and am unlikely to pursue. There are a few years I need between one and a dozen. Otherwise known as I have a bunch of zee lovely coconuts.

Brian

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Posted By: Patrick McMenemy

I picked up all 12 catcher poses in the 1911 Zeenut set in less than a year, just before everyone else caught ZEENUT FEVER. Then I picked up 4 Home Run Kisses in less than 6 months. Unfortunately that's when things got tough.

I haven't even seen another catcher pose HRK available for sale in over a year.

This past year I picked up a total of 2 Zeenuts. One purchased from a board member, a 1912 Barney Burch, and recently a 1915 Tubby Spencer Zeenut on eBay.

Hopefully 2008 will be more successful.

Patrick

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Posted By: Bob

Matt- That Cartwright is awesome, let me know if you ever want to part with it!
tbob

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Posted By: Alan

I'm researching Zeenuts of Jewish players. I wish I could afford to buy them, but I can't

Alan

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Posted By: Dave Hornish

Just thought you all might like seeing this. It's from a Lew Lipset "Liquidation Reverse Auction" in the 2/25/95 SCD. I imagine Lew was making the move to Arizona and thinning out his inventory at the time. The Zeenut prices were quite interesting:

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Posted By: Steve Murray

What makes that so telling is the number of 1918 cards (1). Supports everyone's belief that they are the most scarce.

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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

Steve, I was just about to point out that single 1918 card, too. I think Mark McCrea posted that the 1918 season was shortened due to the war, and that cut down on the number of 1918 cards. I knew the season was shortened, but had not made that association, and I agree with his thinking. The red border adds to desirability, I don't know if they had paper drives in 1918 like they did in 1942...

I do know that I have only one 1918 ZeeNut. And I think that year would be one of the more difficult to complete.


And how did you even find the McMullen card?? I understand you sold it. Where and how did you acquire it?? I think that is one of the top dozen cards out there... not necessarily in value, but in desirability.

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Posted By: Andrew

Steve and Frank,

Also note that there isn't a single 1913 for sale in the ad. 13s are very difficult. However, I also agree that 18s are the toughest to locate, with 13s second toughest in my opinion, followed by 15s.

I'm not sure where Home Run Kisses fit in, but they certainly are right there with 1913s and 1918s.

Andrew

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Posted By: Steve Murray

Andrew:

Actually I don't find 1913 to be all that difficult. I don't actively look for them but I do have three or four, one with a coupon. I only have one 1918.

Frank:

The McMullin was on ebay, an SGC 30, with a BIN of $4,000. So, I'll have to disagree, a little, that it isn't one of the top ten in value as well as desirability. I had just passed a week before on an ungraded example that Mark had offered for the same amount. Made him an offer of $3,000 only to be told that the consignor wanted to wait to see what it may bring. A half hour later I emailed back to Mark that I would take it but in that short time it had been sold. Subsquent to my purchase of the SGC 30 I got an offer I couldn't refuse.

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Posted By: leon

I will go along with the status quo on 1918's being possibly the toughest. I mainly track the ones with coupons so all of the years are pretty tough. There are some new folks on the board that probably haven't seen the list of cards that came from a gentleman in Northern California, about 3-4 yrs ago. His father collected them as a kid then they were handed down and left completely intact. I don't think he collected much after about 1916...which would have put his dad at about 13 yrs old at the time.....(edited to add that I have sold or traded most of these and kept about 30 cards for my collection)

D310 (12) w/weaver fr....overall gd-vg
D311 (61) all different pr-ex
E90-1 (18) w/Jackson (pr-sold), Joss..overall pr-fr
E90-2 (1) Wagner - nice SGC 20....2 moderate creases
E90-3 (2) common and pr-
E101 (9) w/Evers, Jennings pr-fr....major back damage..
E136 Zeenut '11 (113) w/Weaver in fr...others vg'ish
E136 Zeenut '12 (36) gd-vg+/ex
E136 HR Kisses (2) gd
E136 Zeenut '13 (6) all with coupon
E136 Zeenut '14 (23) 6 with coupon 17 without coupon
E137 Zeenut '15 (67) 24 with coupon w/McMullen 43 w/o coup.w/Risberg, Lefty Williams
E137 Zeenut '16 (1) with coupon
E224 Texas Tommy (5) w/Marsans, w/uncatalogued
E-Unc Big Eater (3) w/ horizontal ex, 1 in gd-vg, 1 pr
H-unc Western Playground (40) complete set vg+
T4 Obak- (2) still unidentified but not Weaver.
T206 Old Mill- (23) w/Cobb, Evers, Chance, Willis.pr-fr
T206 Sweet Caporal ?(1) Cobb 350-460 series...pr.
T212-1 Obak (47) nice mix of framed/frameless
T212-2 Obak (116) about 25 different slogans.. pr-ex-mt
T212-3 Obak (131) w/Weaver pr-nrmt/mt
T217 Mono (8) 3 that don't have back damage......pr-gd
T222 Fatima- (7) all common, 1 high number in fr, 2 cut in half, pr....

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Posted By: Zeenut

Right now I have (21) 1918 Zeenuts and I agree that they are the toughest along with Home Run Kisses.

Matt

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Posted By: boxingcardman

can you post an image? Thanks.

Sic Gorgiamus Allos Subjectatos Nunc

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Posted By: Andrew

Steve,

Besides 18s and Home Run Kisses, which years in your opinion are more difficult than 13s?

Adam,

The only 18 O'Doul I have ever seen resides in the collection of a long time collector in the Seattle area, and it still has the coupon. Unfortunately, that collector doesn't scan his Zeenuts.

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Posted By: Steve Murray

I think the 33 (Black & White) 34, 35 and 36 are difficult in that to properly assign the year you need to find it with the coupon attached. I'm still looking for the 34 and 35.

Edit to correct the spelling of my own name

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Posted By: brian p

Thought I would stab at an answer. I believe 1915 and 1937-38 are tougher than the 1913's.

Brian

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Posted By: Zeenut

Brian P-

Can you email me?

Matt

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Posted By: Andrew

Steve,

33-36 certainly are tough to find. Do you know if there has been any effort to add to the 33-36 cards with coupon identified in the Horne book? According to the Horne book, 33s with coupon are significantly more difficult to locate than 34, 35, or 36 with coupon. I suppose we will never really know because they are all very tough, but these are some of the mysteries that make Zs fun to collect.

Brian P,

15s and 37-38s might very well be harder to find than 13s. All of these obviously are very difficult to locate. Does anyone have a scan of a 1938 coupon to share?

Andrew

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Posted By: Dave Hornish

I thought I was up to date on my hobby references. What is the Horne book?

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Posted By: Steve Murray

David:

The Horne book of Zeenuts it is the treatise by Jim Horne on 1911-1938 Zeenuts.

Andrew:

Presume you mean has anyone seen a 1938 coupon rather than a 1938 zeenut with coupon attached since the 1938 coupons were seperate from the card.

P.S. If anyone is interested in zeenuts picking up the Horne book is a must. ebay seller jmanos1 has them for sale from time to time for $10.00. (Hi Jim )

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Posted By: Dave Hornish

Thanks for the info I just sent Jim a note.

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Posted By: Andrew

Steve,

Yes indeed. A 1938 coupon (where the coupon is as big as a regular card). The only one I have seen is in the Horne book.

Andrew

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Posted By: mark bowers

I am trying to get a Sacramento Zeenut from each year of issue and need a VG+ copy for the years 1918, 1919, 1920 and 1912, 1913 and 1914 if there was a team in those years. Dont have much pre-war to trade and would prefer to purchase. Thanks.

Mark

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Posted By: Steve Murray

Sacramento did field a team in each of the years you list and there are a number of zeenuts for the team in each year. Other than 1918 the other years should be pretty easy to obtain. Suggest you post your wants on the B/S/T.

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Posted By: mark Bowers

Thanks Steve. Sorry for posting in the wrong venue. Shows I am a rookie at all of this. Will take your suggestion and thanks again.

Mark
mkbow2@surewest.net

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Posted By: Steve Murray

No problem. Your post was on topic for the main board. You needed to know if Sacramento was represented in the listed years. We're happy to help.