Let’s rehash the Bond Bread controversy.

[Johnphotoman]

There is a long running thread on the Bond Bread controversy (1947 BOND BREAD and its "importers"....show us your cards ?) By Ted Zanidakis - it is an amazingly good thread, full of good information, but it is long. Everyone should take time to check it out, if you are into Bond Bread. I will give my opinion on what I have read there. Please chime in if I miss something, I am no expert by any means. I just want to recap and update the Bond Bread controversy here. … 1947 BOND BREAD and its "importers"....show us your cards ? By Ted Zanidakis.

All these years and we can not agree on what is a legitimate Bond Bread card. We have 1947 rounded corner cards, 1947 square cards, 1949 square cards-that emerged as a standalone product sold as “Sport Star Subjects”, and the re-printed "1947 Bond Bread" cards which David Festberg discovered in a NJ warehouse in the 1980's…24 cards in that set. All these cards were 2 ¼ x 3 ½, but on different paper.

Ted Zanidakis had first hand knowledge on what should be considered Bond Bread cards, he collected these cards directly from Bond Bread packages. They were on thin white stock with round corners. Bond Bread cards were packaged in loaves of Bond Bread, and at least one theory for their rounded corners is that the cards were less susceptible to damage that way. Importantly for collectors today, the rounded corners help distinguish these cards from near-identical versions that emerged as a standalone product sold as “Sport Star Subjects” in 1947 and 1949.

We also have people who say they collected 1947 square cards that were not inserted into Bond Bread; printed on heavier card-stock not as white, more on the gray side. These 1947 square cards should not be called Bond Bread since they were not inserted into Bond Bread. Although the two mentioned cards are virtually identical, but still, many people say they collected 1947 square first hand in boxes as a stand alone. ie, “Sports Star”.

This means that we have two distinct issues: for the year 1947; Bond Bread package inserts and stand alone, “Sports Star”. Meaning 1947 Bond Bread round cornered, and 1947 Sports Star Bond Bread squared cornered cards.

We also have the 1949 square cards…”Sports Star” said to have come out in 1949. But remember we have statements from various collectors who say they received the Sports Star Subjects and Screen Star Subjects sets in packets in 1947, it appears to me that it is incorrect to assume those sets were not issued until 1949-1950.

Yes, cards did come out in 1949 as Sports Star cards, but these were just re-prints of 1947 Sports Star cards, I do not believe anyone can tell if they are from 1947 or 1949 since they are exactly the same. These cards should be called Sports stars and not Bond Bread cards , even though many have the same image on them.

Now up to date, Bond Bread did produce Aarco Bond Bread Exhibit cards in 1947, many with the same images as the Bond Bread inserts; 3 1/16 x 4 ¾ in. believed to have been distributed through penny arcades. But this size is not listed in the standard catalog of vintage baseball cards 4 edition. Many people assign these cards to W571, but that is wrong.

Also in 1947 Bond Bread produced premium baseball cards that were 6-5/8 in x 9 in. The exhibit and premium cards should not be called Bond Bread cards, but Bond Bread exhibit and premium Bond Bread cards.

As for the Festberg discovered in a NJ warehouse in the 1980's, you can tell they are not from 1947 or 1949 by looking at the back of the cards, they are more brown than the white or gray stock used to print on. As a matter of fact - the 1947 and 1949 square cards and the exhibit, and the premium are printed on the same gray looking stock, whereas the Bond Bread round cornered cards were on a whiter and a little bit thinner and glossy stock. It is very obvious that the Festberg discoveries are inferior reproductions of the original 1947-1949 cards.

Full disclosure: I only collect baseball cards that match photos I have, and I do have two other threads on this subject running; Bond Bread card size, and card size. Please have a look.

I have a few photos that match the “Bond Bread” cards. That's why I have done my research on Bond Bread cards. Here are some of the pictures I have - to show the difference, look at the front and back of the cards. John.