Postcard help

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Posted By: Dave

At the local cardshop here the owner today brought out a postcard of Babe Ruth. It looked quite similar to the postcard "manager" series from the 1920's? Kind of a crude looking dirty off tan colored with the picture in the center of Ruth. Was Ruth in this series? He also mentioned he had a Cobb, and I do believe Cobb was in the "manager" postcards. Is there another series similiar that would have both Cobb and Ruth?

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Posted By: fkw

Yes there is a Ruth. The set is on page 32 in the 2007 SCD and Ruth books for $600 NRMT.

There are actually 2 Cobbs. The one on the right is not cataloged (yet) and the Ruth I believe is like it.

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Posted By: Dave

are they any record of auction sales for the ruth? he had told me a cobb recently sold for $2500...which I found hard to believe. he said he took them up to the chicago show and that Maestro and Rosen were both after him about the postcards.

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Posted By: fkw

Actually both Cobbs are cataloged now in the 2007 SCD ($400 NRMT ea.).

Mgr. Cobb on left sells for $250-$500 (Ive seen or owned about 6-8). There was a Ruth, Johnson, W.Robinson, Harris, etc. a couple years ago on eBay but I dont remember what the Ruth sold for. I have only seen one of the non-Mgr. Cobbs (the one I own), and it is smaller and slightly different with a uppercase lowercase caption, and the postcard back design is totally different. The cards listed in SCD are from 2 separate sets but grouped together as Anonymous Postcards.

$2500 is a crazy price, Ive owned about 4 of the Mgr. Cobbs, and have trouble getting a few hundred for them.

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Posted By: Paul

So I guess these aren't really "manager" postcards at all????

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Posted By: fkw

The taller ones are all Managers and say so on the front before the name or team.

Ive seen or owned,
Ty Cobb
Walter Johnson
Wilber Robinson
Bucky Harris
John McGraw
And the checklist includes Bill McKechnie, but Ive never seen it.

My thinking is the Cobb on the right (above and below) is going to be the same style as the Ruth and these will be the only 2 that are smaller and have the upper and lower case caption on front. These would also have a back that is a different style "Post Card" design. These 2 were maybe issued before the Mgr. cards, but no one knows for sure.

I know for a fact I have seen the Ruth, but at the time I didnt own my Cobb so couldnt compare them, and didnt think too much about it beyond knowing it wasnt cataloged.

Maybe Dave can take another look at it and see how the caption on front is styled "BABE RUTH" or "Babe Ruth".

Here are the 2 backs.

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Posted By: Lyman

Frank, thanks for your posts. You are correct in assuming that the Ruth is printed in the style (upper-lower case type) as the Cobb variation. Below is an example:

Unfortunately, I do not have access to the Ruth card so do not know for sure the back design or the card dimensions.

Could you please post the dimensions of the two Cobb variations.

Thanks, Lyman

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Posted By: Dave

The back of the Ruth I saw was exactly like the one Frank posted. Guessing on the dimension of it....maybe 4x6?

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Posted By: fkw

The smaller one (Cobb/Ruth) is 3-3/16" by 4-15/16"

The taller one (Mgr) is 3-3/16 by 5-1/2"

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Posted By: Dave

I would have sworn the Ruth I saw would have been bigger than 3-3/16" by 4-15/16" but i'm sure your probably right

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Posted By: fkw

Normal modern "standard postcard size" is 3-1/2" by 5-1/2", so these are both a bit smaller, but thats not unusual for the early years.