Defining pre-war rookie cards! Ahhh.....

[DanP]

I know the last topic many of you want to re-hash is the RC definition. Feel free to skip this thread if your tired of the discussion.

As I sit here watching the History Channel tell us why the world is going to end in 2012 it's hard to believe my focus is on baseball cards. However, while watching TV I decided to do some research into the N54 archives about rookie cards (even back to the Hal Lewis days).

Before we get into the detail, here's how I define rookie cards (feel free to define them however you wish, no argument here):
For both Pre-war and Post-war:
1. they have to be cards (no pins, photographs, newspaper pic's etc.)
2. No minor league, pre-rookie, etc.
3. No team cards (other multi-player cards OK)
Post-war; very simple, the first mainstream cards issued
Pre-war; the earliest card issued; If there's a date range for the issue any card issue within the date range is OK (for example: 1907-1909 any cards from any issue within that period is their RC, unless it can be proven a specific player's card within an issue issue was actually from 1907)
Oh, and one last note: If there's only one card (i.e. Just So ..) then I'm OK with the next issue being their RC (I have to be).

This rant is all in fun. One thing I love about RC collecting is that you need to learn about many different card issues. You need to do some research, there's more of a challenge than just "checking off a checklist".

OK, now to the point:
I just noticed the thread from last winter (I was busy in 2010 and didn't do much with N54 or collecting) from Kevin regarding his research about why the 1907-09 Novelty Cutlery were really issued in 1910 or 1911. What??? Just a few days ago I just missed out on Speaker's NC at $2k!! I would have been in even more shock if I just realized that I spent $2k on a card that maxed out at $763 in the ebay auction (seller had a reserve) was not a better RC than what I already have!!

To complicate things even more, the next card in line for Speaker's RC is the E91's (08-10). I hate the fact that these cards do not even attempt to illustrate the player and the same character is used for multiple players. Can these E91's really be a players RC when they don't even depict the player? I may cross E91's off of my RC list!

End result, I'm back to calling the T206 or Turkey Red acceptable RC's for Speaker and I saved $2,000 not making a larger offer last week.

This time it worked out for me.


Dan