Card firsts

[steve rogers]

I have a small but growing collection of old auction catalogs and there's a good story about the uncut sheets in the 2000 Robert Edward catalog. The card was printed with the high number series of 1934 Goudey's. Half the sheet has "Lou Gehrig says" and the other half has "Chuck Klein says". The Lajoie has the same type of background as the '34's but doesn't have either of the "says" expressions. Also there was another card #106 for the 1933 Goudey set. Barry Halper owned a Leo Durocher that's exactly the same as the regular Durocher but the card number on the back has #106. It's believed the card was a printer's proof. Halper also owned a 1933 Lajoie signed by Mr. Nap. I would pay a premium for that card but the signature actually sold for less than a comparable unsigned card.

From my understanding there were 4 uncut sheets that included the Lajoie. there was a sheet that sold in the Copeland auction in 1991 for $80,000. A restored sheet sold in 1993 for $74,000. The best condition sheet was for sale in the 2000 auction with a reserve of 75,000.

The 4th sheet no longer exists. Charlie Sheen had one that was in great condition and he put it on display at an All Star cafe, one of those lame theme restaurants. Well someone stole his uncut sheet and cut the thing up. UGH!!!! They recovered the cards after the damage had been done.

This is the best I can do for a scan. The better quality images are too big to upload, but you get the idea.

Scott

[flyingdutchdude]

Gary I believe your right on that, I dont think Goudey advertised it, but with all the letters, they had to do something.

I have seen uncut sheets of 1934 Goudey's with the Lajoie in the sheet, thats the reason the design is similar to a 1934 Goudey. After cutting the sheet they must have had to find the #106 and set it aside for the people that wrote.

[Gary Dunaier]

The only way to receive the #106 card back in 1934 was to write the Goudey Gum Co. and ask for it.

I've always been under the impression that Goudey never actually publicized the card, so it's not like you could just write Goudey and ask them to send you one.

It's my understanding that the card came to be as a result of Goudey receiving so many letters from parents, angry at not finding a #106 despite buying pack after pack after pack after pack, that they finally created a #106 to send anyone who happened to write and complain..

[flyingdutchdude]

Another card you may want to add is the 1933 R319 (Goudey) Nap Lajoie #106 card.

It is the earliest (that I know of) special edition card only received through the mail. The only way to receive the #106 card back in 1934 was to write the Goudey Gum Co. and ask for it. The rest of the R319 cards were available in gum packs.

For those that dont know the story, it was fairly common for some sets to purposely leave out one card ((in this case #106) so the kids would keep spending their pennies and nickels trying to find that last card to complete their set (which was never going to happen). In the case of the 1933 Goudeys it pissed off a bunch of parents and kids, so Goudey finally had to produce a special #106 card to complete the set.
The #106 Lajoie was printed in 1934 but is part of the 1933 set.

[Utter Chaos]

Let's track innovations that cards have gone through. Please feel free to correct my many oversights. First . . .
. . .
Autographed: 1936 Pebble Beach Clothiers
Numbered card: 1993 Donruss Elite #ed/10,000
Game Used: 1997 Donruss Limited Fabric of Game/UD G/U jersey/Leaf Thomas
Babe Ruth material/signed card: 1998 Upper Deck Retro Legendary Cuts
1/1 card?
Double or triple materials card?
Printing/press plate card?

Score had 5 different Joe Dimaggio autographed cards #ed/2500 in 1992.

Some more firsts:
First UV card: 1989 Upper Deck
First card included with gum: 1933 Goudey (?)

[Dalkowski110]

"Printing/press plate card?"

1996 or 1997 Pinnacle had the press plates thrown in.

"Double or triple materials card?"

I think Upper Deck Piece of the Action 2 in 1999.

"1/1 card?"

Actually, the concept goes further back than you'd think and isn't a creation of the 1990's. I believe Renata Galasso (which was the penultimate "collector's issue" company that made now-worthless cards) or maybe SSPC inserted one of a kind parallels in the early 1980's.

[RuthMayBond]

Let's track innovations that cards have gone through. Please feel free to correct my many oversights. First . . .
. . .
Autographed: 1936 Pebble Beach Clothiers
Numbered card: 1993 Donruss Elite #ed/10,000
Game Used: 1997 Donruss Limited Fabric of Game/UD G/U jersey/Leaf Thomas
Babe Ruth material/signed card: 1998 Upper Deck Retro Legendary Cuts
1/1 card?
Double or triple materials card?
Printing/press plate card?