Anyone collect 1934-36 Diamond Matchbooks?

[BobC]

Originally Posted by cubman1941

That is a great looking "proof".

Jim,

I don't think it is technically what the regular card guys would call a proof. As I mentioned before, I believe that in the process if making the matchbooks they ran it through some machine that would apply the black material that became the striker for the matchbook. My guess has always been that somehow there were some sheets or whatever of these that were run, but then the striker material didn't get properly applied so that when they cut them to get to the individual matchbook covers, they couldn't go back and apply the striker material by hand, or they just didn't bother because it wasn't worth the time and effort to do it by hand. And then rather than just throw out these unusable matchbook covers, I wouldn't be surprised if someone at the plant that made them just took some of these scraps home to give out to kids and family. They are still showing the ballplayer and his bio, and therefore still somewhat collectible, just not in a complete matchbook form. Maybe calling it an uncomplete or unused scrap piece would be a better term. Kind of like what the T206 collectors get when they have a card that is missing one or more of the colors that should have been on it, if that makes sense. In this case the matchbook is missing the striker material though, not a color. Does that make any sense?