OT: Vintage Boxing Card Help

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Posted By: James Feagin

I recently scored in a trade a card from 1911-12ish. Card depicts a boxer named James Johnson "American Coloured". Back is a Scissors back and in VG-EX/EX condition. I'm pretty sure this is a British issue and have been told it's rare. Few questions:

1.) Is there a catalogue number to this card?
2.) Was James Johnson a good or even a fair boxer? Couldn't find anything on him on the internet.
3.) I know most English cigarette cards aren't valuable. However, does this card have any value? Approximately how much? I normally don't do too many OT posts, but I would love any help on this matter.

James

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Posted By: steve f

Ya mean Jack Johnson?.. First black heavyweight champ.

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Posted By: James Feagin

Card says James Johnson, unless it was an error???

Edit: Card says Battling Jim Johnson who apparently was a good fighter and gave Jack Johnson all he wanted in a heavyweight bought.

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Posted By: jamie

james,
heres a good link for you on johnson- not an impressive record but he did battle johnson to a draw

http://www.boxrec.com/media/index.php/Boxer:Battling_Jim_Johnson:011646

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Posted By: James Feagin

Thanks for the link Jamie! Does anyone know the approximate value for such a card or if they're in demand?

James

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Posted By: jamie

james,
think i found your set:
http://cgi.ebay.com/TOMMY-BURNS-RARER-1911-WILLS-CARD-PSA-6_W0QQitemZ8780108203QQcategoryZ55985QQssPageNameZ WDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

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Posted By: warshawlaw

You have a card from a set of 36 issued ca. 1911 by the W.D. & H. O. Wills company, a British manufacturer, for inclusion in export cigarettes. The company tried to match US-style T cards. The fellow you have is NOT heavyweight champ Jack Johnson, who also has a card in the set. There are two backs; the star and circle one and a Scissors cigarettes back. Value: $20 or less depending on condition. He is a common.

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Posted By: Scott Gross

And catalog numbers do exsist (from E. Jones Seconds Out - Round One):
Scissors back: WI-1-W62-347
Star & Circle back: WI-1-W62-405
(WI-1 = World Index-1)

It's a cool set, nice garphics. As Adam said it was issued outside if England, so it has a lot of American, as well as English/Austrialan, boxers.

Man, those English could smoke and collect !!!!!

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Posted By: Mark

There;s a Jack Johnson on ebay now:

http://cgi.ebay.com/1911-W-D-H-O-WILLS-JACK-JOHNSON-PSA-4_W0QQitemZ8778072797QQcategoryZ55985QQssPageNameZ WDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

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Posted By: warshawlaw

but this set is my favorite of the lot, I suppose because it is closest to the American versions I do collect.