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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

Gee....there is a lot of "con-jecturing" going on here regarding this rare and highly desirable T-card.
So, let us first review what factual stuff is known about this unique Ty Cobb card.



Factory 33 - 4th Dist. of N.C.


1st....the caption is printed with Brown ink (similar to all T206's). So, this tells us it had to be printed prior to 1912.
So, in my opinion, it bears no resemblance to a T213-2 (or 3) card.....as some have alluded to. From 1912 to 1916,
American Litho. printed the captions on their T-cards with Blue ink.
Furthermore, in support of the 1911 timeline is the Ty Cobb (back) card in the Senator Russell's original collection.
My research has shown that he collected all his T-cards in 1910 to 1911.

2nd....in 1911, ATC production was transferred to the Liggett & Myers plant in Durham, NC....Factory 42, 4th District.
The Ty Cobb back identifies Factory 33 in Durham, NC. This Factory still remains a mystery; however, it is consistent
with ATC's continuing production of American Beauty, Piedmont, and Sweet Caporal cigarettes in Durham.

3rd....Speaking about cigarettes, it has been a asserted that this Ty Cobb card was inserted in tin cans advertising
Ty Cobb Tobacco. Not so sure about this, since contained in those tins was Cut Plug Tobacco. And, the back of this
Ty Cobb card advertises "Smoking Tobacco".....meaning a cigarette brand.

4th....The quotation marks in "Ty Cobb" on the back signify that the Copyright was pending at the time of this card's
printing. This leads me to believe that the Ty Cobb tobacco was an experimental brand; and, it did not succeed (per-
haps, due to the break-up of ATC at the end of 1911). And, that may explain the very limited printing of this card.

So, let's continue this debate ?

Those are my thoughts....let's hear your's ? ?


TED Z