[oldeboo]

Originally Posted by Jobu

I love the research and feedback that is happening on this one.

I see Trey's argument for this being related to the Butterfinger premiums, but I am still left with a several questions.

1 - I find it a bit odd that they wouldn't reprint the piece with a design change instead of stapling a piece of paper over the top - that paper could be removed and then you have an ad out there for something you won't deliver and people will get mad.
Rolling with the assumption that something like this actually existed, I was only throwing out one possibility. How many people have ever walked into a gas station and seen a piece of paper with writing at the cashier's counter? Something like: "Buy 2 Get 1 Free" "Free- Take One" I know I've seen things like that written with a sharpie or pen and this is 2021. Who's to say that didn't happen in 1934? Maybe the shop owner didn't care about the Ruth promo, so he made his own. Maybe he would give a picture for any brand of gum.

2 - If this was put out there with the bottom left covered up, I am not sure how this promotion works because all that is left showing is an 8x10 of your favorite baseball player and 2 sticks of gum for 1 penny. No mailing instructions, no wrappers, etc. The Ruth premium would have cost 50 wrappers and 5 cents in stamps, and yet according to this, the 8 x 10 premiums almost would have had to have been given away at the point of sale to anyone who bought two sticks of gum for a penny? Doesn't that seem a bit out of line in terms of a promotion? Especially when Butterfinger gave 1 premium away for a 5 cent candy bar. On the other hand, maybe it explains the low quality of the Butterfinger premiums? The 48 Leaf premiums seem like they are on similar paper, but you had to buy an entire box of 1948 Leaf to get one of those (I think).
From what I've read, I believe that Butterfinger premiums were indeed given to the customer at the time of purchase. They were so basic and cheaply made that it doesn't seem that strange. A black and white picture on thin paper. This isn't a baseball card with hours and hours of design time and what not. The cost had to of been so low to produce. I guess if you wanted to load up on these images, gum was the way to go. Maybe this gum flopped, then they switched to giving the images with Butterfingers. I don't think that's too strange. You could also go down the rabbit hole that there indeed was a Ruth promo through the mail that occurred. Do we know for certain that the R309-1 Goudey Ruth was made exclusively by/for Goudey? I don't believe it has any Goudey branding on it. Goudey also gave things away like baseball pants and gloves. Lots of companies ran redemption programs for generic items they could get through a vendor.

3 - Has anyone ever heard of a brand name called Baseball Gum?
I haven't, but something interesting about General Gum is that they did sell items like Movie Gum, Button Gum, etc. Baseball Gum fits with the simplicity theme. Maybe they piloted it in a few local stores and it flopped? You would think there would be a wrapper or two floating around.
Again, just wild guesses.

I am hoping this is real, just enjoying the puzzle.
I have no skin in the game, but do find it interesting as well. I don't see any content on the item in question that couldn't be explained. Maybe it was a thoughtful forger that did his homework. He would have put a heck of a lot of effort into producing this for such small gain it seems. Wouldn't we see more if this was a fantasy item? I know I like to see evidence as proof just like anyone else, but it's just wild guesses at this point. Even if this is fantasy land, I've learned a lot about real items that exist. If Paul comes back and says his piece doesn't look right, I'm not certain it's an absolute fantasy. More questions than answers.

comments attached