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Old 10-02-2007, 07:01 PM
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Default Net 54's Definition of Card

Posted By: DaveL

A baseball card is, generally,


1)a cardboard or paper product roughly the size of
a playing card, but ranging from a the size of a
large stamp to a postcard. (There are exceptions)
2)Depicting a baseball related theme, usually a player or a team. (There are exceptions)
3)Produced in set form (i.e. a series of players or
teams within a common format. (There are exceptions)
4)Produced in a finite time period, usually a specific year or baseball season. (There are exceptions)
5)Produced for widespread distribution, OR related to a set that was produced for widespread distribution. (There are, of course, exceptions).
6)Produced as a individual product or premium unto itself. A clipping from a 1929 magazine would NOT qualify.
An exception to #1 would be T3's. To #2, Tip-Top Bread #24. There are plenty of single card sets to violate rule #3. The 1954 Red Heart Dog Food set was available (allegedly) for nearly 20 years. (#4) The aforementioned e107 type 2 would apparently violate #5.


In the end, there is no black and white definition. If the item satisfies all six of the listed criteria, it IS a baseball card. But there are many cards which violate one or more of the above conditions which are much more highly prized than those which satisfy all six. In the end, it is in the eyes of the collector (and the collecting community) which determines what is and what is not a card.

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