Quote:
Originally Posted by BobC
They aren't really considered by many in the hobby as true cards, and seem to have been more of an oddball issue that only a relative few collectors showed much interest in going back many years. As of late though, especially with the run-up in prices with many of the more mainstream pre-war card issues, a lot of collectors I feel have started turning to more "unconventional" card issues, like these Wheaties cards, and they have been gaining popularity. The prices are such that collectors that maybe can't otherwise afford items of certain players from the more conventional card sets can now look to issues like these Wheaties cards instead. And it also seems that set collectors are slowly being replaced by more type card and/or specific player/HOF collectors. So, these Wheaties cards help to fill in and cover such collecting niches. And the fact that the major TPGs do grade them is a plus, despite the added expense that can be incurred from grading them due to the need for oversized holders. Especially for Registry people who are looking for a fairly new set, or trying to find another card for a specific player's master set, and so on. Personally think the Wheaties items are great, and include some very colorful and unique designs and images. And when they are in really nice shape and condition, that can look amazing.
They may not be everybody's cup of tea, but I think more and more people are noticing and picking up on them, and their desirability, as time goes by.
|
I have no idea why anyone especially members of this forum would say that Wheaties Backs are not Baseball cards. Every major catalig lists them as Baseball cards. The first trade I made with John Ramirez in 1975 was a 1960 Post Cereal for a Gehringer with most of the box intact. So in OP's view since both the 1960 post and the wheaties were from cereal boxes we were not actually trading baseball cards.
From the begining baseball player images have been issued along with various products to boost sales. I feel the pain of poster Keith Thompson who's Mom would not buy Wheaties. My Mon wouldn't buy Kelloggs and definitely no Pop Tarts despite the cards promised in the Box.
But yes Bob and Kieth Wheaties are Baseball cards. So are Post Cereals, Hunters, Briggs Eskay Meats 1910 Orange Borders and other candy boxes. And every other issue that some fortunate youngster cut out, or off of a box. A box they either convinced their Mom to buy or saved their own pennies to bring home.
They exist today because they were treasured and preserved by the card collectors of the past. And they will be passed along to card collectors in the future becase they are treasured by many card collectors today...but like all things they are not treasured by everyone.