Are Dixie Cup Lids "Cards"?

[Archive]

Posted By: Charles E. Moore

I know this eBay item is a bit newer than most of the boards' interest, but it this considered a card. Looks kinda neat!

DIXIE ICE CREAM LID - "WALLY MOSES" PHILADELPHIA A'S

Item number: 5121083518

[Archive]

Posted By: hankron

Personally, I wouldn't call them cards (just my opinion, others are welcome to disagree), but they fall within the general genre of baseball cards-- along with silks and P2 Pins and Diamond matchbook covers. They are legitimate collectables and people collect them, so there's no reason not to buy one if it interests you.

[Archive]

Posted By: warshawlaw

They've been considered cards since issue and are in all the major references as such. They are very cool items for player collectors. I picked up a nice Al Rosen at the national. Don't know if the slabbers would do them...

[Archive]

Posted By: jay behrens

Not a card in the classic sense. They were meant to be collected, but they are not a card. Just becuase something is listed in price guides does not mean it is a card.

Jay

I saw weird stuff in that place last night. Wierd, strange, sick, twisted, eerie, godless, evil stuff. And I want in.

[Archive]

Posted By: Ryan Christoff

Why would they not be considered cards? Is it because they were issued with ice cream instead of, oh let's say bread or hot dogs? If so, what about Tharp's, Harrington's or Yeungling's?

Is it because they are round instead of rectangular? If so, do you also consider Colgan's Chips not to be cards? They have an ACC designation (E254) by the way. ACC standing for American CARD Catalog.

People on this board can rationalize all kinds of things about why something is or isn't a "card" or a "rookie," usually based on whether they do or don't own it, but I'm interested to hear the explanation for this one.

Maybe some cards are listed in all of the catalogs because they ARE cards and not the other way around.

-Ryan

[Archive]

Posted By: hankron

According to Jefferson Burdick and several contemporary biblical scholars, a baseball card isn't allowed to have a tail.

[Archive]

Posted By: Ryan Christoff

As people's frustration grew with being unable to access their ice cream without repeatedly stabbing the protective cover with a steak knife, the lids grew closer and closer to extinction. In a case of adaptation at its finest, the dixie cup lids sprouted tails, thus ensuring the survival of their species.

-Ryan

[Archive]

Posted By: jay behrens

Colgans are more a card than dixie lids. Dixie LID should tell you everything you need to know. It's a lid, not a card. More a quasi-card. It's that grey area where it's not really card, but it's more than just a lid, etc.

I generally think of something being a card if it is a premium involved with a product. Peck & Snyder's are nice, but they are more trade card than true baseball card.

Jay

I saw weird stuff in that place last night. Wierd, strange, sick, twisted, eerie, godless, evil stuff. And I want in.

[Archive]

Posted By: Chuck Ross

For what it's worth, Burdick classified a wide range of items as "insert cards". His grouping includes all the obvious rectangular standbys, but also pins, blankets, matchbooks, rugs, silks,etc. All of these things have ACC numbers, including the baseball Dixie lids and premiums, which are categorized as F7 (in the food card group along with items like Yuengling's Ice Cream (F50) and Hires Root Beer (F211)). I think there is precedent for considering collectibles that are part of the packaging (as opposed to inserted in packaging) as cards. But the bottom line, as someone stated above, is: if you like 'em, collect 'em. Who really cares what classification they come under?

[Archive]

Posted By: Gilbert Maines

Well, this is a VBC forum. Previous threads have adequately addressed the meaning of the "V". It appears reasonable to identify the meaning of the "C".

Therefore, whether Dixie Lids are cards seems to me to be relevant topic.

Certainly they are composed of cardboard (is cardboard a requirement?)

They portray the picture of a baseball player (I would guess that is desireable).

They have no corners (like drums + chips - are they cards?).

The ACC designation arguement does not appear to hold much weight because items made of leather, cloth, felt, etc. are also included in that CARD catalog (again - is cardboard necessary to be a card?).

Not everyone is willing to accept the stigma of being a memorabilia collector. The purists among us insist on collecting only cards. Please help with your offering of a definition of a card - so that we do not have to cower when faced with something unusual.

Gil

[Archive]

Posted By: Georgina

The fact that this item was a "lid" a functional piece of the product and not an "insert", an addition to the package takes it down a notch in my mind; plus it being associated with "ice cream"-a dessert type food as opposed to franks or poultry a main couse, takes it down the pecking order still further. My opinion is, you should collect it, but keep it well hidden. Thanks, Georgie

[Archive]

Posted By: Eric

Dixie's are as much a baseball card issue as any other vintage set out there. They're made out of cardboard, feature a baseball player, and WERE INTENDED to be removed and collected.

I've read the arguments about them not being cards because they're round, which is totally obsurd. This theory does away with many great issues: Juju's, Colgans, coaster issues, and many others. And addressing the fact that they were a lid and this may not validate them as cards, this would mean any card issue that had to be cut away from a larger piece (ie Orange Borders), would also have to be declassified as "cards". As long as people are being anal in their card "classifying"..what about Butter Creams? These were intended to be redeemed...not collected. Does that declasify them as a "card" too? There are no plausible reasons or excuses to consider Dixie's anything less than a "regular" baseball card issue. "Cards" are lids, former parts of adverting pieces, strip's of many players, playing cards, drink coasters, ticket stubs, cereal box backs, and a plethora of other things. They're all "cards" if they are made of a paper, cardboard, or other paper-like material. Call them disks, cut-outs, strips, playing cards, box sides, redemption tickets..they're all "cards". If they're made out of something else..then they're a "silk", or a "leather", or a "felt", or a number of other baseball collectibles.

For the gentleman that innocently posed this question originally, I'd just like to say that Dixie's are also an easier set to assemble (baseball players only in any year). For those who really enjoy the issue, the multitude of different back advertisers can also add a neat challenge and difference to each Dixie. Best of luck with your collection.

[Archive]

Posted By: hankron

Why does it matter what they are classified as? Whether labelled as 'trading cards,' 'lids' or 'laughing monkey beans from Tanzania' they are the same exact things.

Luckily, I collect laughing monkey beans, so Dixie Lids are kosher.

[Archive]

Posted By: Gilbert Maines

Ahh yes, Georgie!

The elimination of cards related to desserts, snack foods and (of course) tobacco products sure makes vintage card collecting much more respectable, and way simpler. And although products like Wheaties may qualify for a main course meal, the inclusion of player pictures on the outside of the box also makes them undesireable.

May I ask a question Georgie? What pre-war cards do you recommend collecting? It seems to me that all that remains are laughing monkey beans.

[Archive]

Posted By: hankron

Gilbert, I think Georgie was being an anonymous smart ass, little more.

Though it does bring up the question for our Jewish collecting friends on board. Is it unkosher(word?) for some to collect baseball cards that were sold with unkosher foods? Did any Sandy Koufax baseball cards promote unkosher foods? ... Excuse my ignorance to the issue, but I'm Norwegian. We eat anything, even stuff that technically isn't food