Red Man Tobacco Card Collecting?

[homerunhitter]

Anyone here collect the Red Man Tobacco cards? If so let’s see some! Any advice for someone just starting out on these? Should I focus on collecting ones with tabs or is that an impossible task (or expensive)? Thanks

[MikeGarcia]

They are a snazzy time capsule of the stars of the day , for those scant few years : remember this whiz kid ?
..

they look good without the coupon too , if the cut was done with care....have fun...

..

[GeoPoto]

Erwin C. "Bob" Porterfield. Pitcher for the Washington Senators in 1951-1955. 87 wins and 8 saves in 12 MLB seasons. 1954 All-Star. 1953 AL wins Leader. Debuted with the New York Yankees in 1948. Finished up with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1959. His best season was 1953 with the Washington Senators as he posted a 22-10 record with a .335 ERA in 255 innings pitched.

Porterfield's SABR biography explains how his early hopes with the Yankees fizzled: A pitching Big Three of Vic Raschi, Allie Reynolds, and Ed Lopat powered the Yankee dynasty of the late 1940s and early 1950s, but the club was constantly searching for fourth and fifth starters. The great pinstriped hope of 1948 was right-hander Porterfield, who had rocketed up through the farm system in only two years.

Like many other pitching phenoms, Porterfield saw his career stunted by injuries. It wasn’t just arm trouble, but what the philosopher Lemony Snicket calls “a series of unfortunate events.” Porterfield survived a beaning, line drives that ricocheted off various body parts, and an exploding matchbox.

He showed what might have been in four relatively injury-free seasons, when he was one of the American League’s top pitchers. By then the Yankees had written him off and traded him.

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[GeoPoto]

First black catcher in MLB.
First black player in the American League.
First black player for the New York Giants.
First black player for the Chicago White Sox.
First black player for the St. Louis Browns.

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[LuckyLarry]

I’ve got a full run 52-55 a few with tabs fun set to put together.
Larry

[Volod]

I collected the '52 set back in the '80's because I was in my second childhood and always fondly remembered my father giving me those cards in '52 as he opened a new pack of Red Man chew. As a big fan of the Braves at the time, I thought the Torgeson and Gordon cards were particularly beautiful, wanted a Spahn of course, but for some reason, the old man never produced one of those, among other shortcomings. Had to wait more than thirty years to get Spahnie.

[111gecko]

This is my old group of them. Wasn't really a fan at the time; but now regret getting rid of them...

[UKCardGuy]

I love the Red Man sets. I'm working on the full 52-55 run with tabs). I'm doing it as a slow build over time.

They're not too expensive and there's a good selection around. But finding them in higher grades is tougher. The prices on a NM Redman get expensive but if your willing to accept VGEX to EX+ there are bargains to be had.

I try to focus on EX+ but I have a small number that are worse and a small number that are better.

This is my latest Redman pickup

[David W]

A few Cardinals.

[commishbob]

My Billy Pierce run, a Spahnie and Orioles pitcher Joe Coleman enjoying the product it seems. I have one or two others. Can't find the scan of Sam Mele as an Oriole. He's in the '54 set as a White Sox player as well.

[metroac]

Like many of us, I once had a large card collection, but sold it off -- in my case, in two large divestitures in 1997 and 2009. A few years later, though, I found that I missed collecting and wanted to get back in. I didn't want to collect what I'd collected before unless they were sets I really liked. I started with two sets that I thought were 1) small, 2) really beautiful, 3) didn't have to be perfect to be enjoyable, 4) didn't contain any real budget busters, and 5) that I hadn't collected before. They were the 1936 R312 Pastels and the '52-'55 Red Man.

I started with a "find" on eBay of about 30 1953's (with tabs) that had been pasted in an album and survived a fire (as evidenced by the charring around the edges). About half of them were Hall of Famers. I replaced all of them as I built my '53 set, but they're still some of my favorite cards (and they still smell of smoke).

[homerunhitter]

These are really cool guys! Thanks for your posts! I’m still trying to decide if I want to collect these with the tabs or not. Besides monetary value in the lower g run not sure if tabs are more desireable or not. Or if it makes a huge difference or not. I’m really not sure which way to go on the tabs or not. What do you recommend?/suggest? Thanks

[BobC]

Originally Posted by homerunhitter

These are really cool guys! Thanks for your posts! I’m still trying to decide if I want to collect these with the tabs or not. Besides monetary value in the lower g run not sure if tabs are more desireable or not. Or if it makes a huge difference or not. I’m really not sure which way to go on the tabs or not. What do you recommend?/suggest? Thanks

Get them with the tabs. Biggest reason why..........the tabs spell out exactly what year, and what card number, they are, right on front. Makes it super easy to identify them. If you haven't noticed already, the card images were pretty much copied year to year. Those tabs make it super easy to keep track of them.

[Mutton Chop Yaz]

These are beautiful cards that aren't the subject of much discussion and seem to be overlooked. Interest in these sets is probably muted by their atypical size and lack of Mickey Mantle and Jackie Robinson, but their size highlights the artwork and the player selection is pretty great otherwise. Anyone who appreciates colorful, artistic cards should appreciate these. The write-ups are also very nice.

I have one card from each of the sets in my Cleveland HOF type card collection. I'm also working on the 1955 set, which I selected because it seems to be the most affordable of the sets that include Mays. It also features a bunch of Indians coming off their 1954 pennant year.

[tschock]

Bert,

A couple things I'll add, which I don't think were mentioned about the set(s). If I remember correctly, ALL the cards had 2 different dates on the back for the redemptions, March or May. So you have those variations if you REALLY get into them. You can also use the backs for dating the cards as well if they don't have tabs. And the backs altered green-red-green-red for 52-53-54-55. You can also start with a single year, and if you like those, add another year or the rest of them.

Obviously WITH tabs are more expensive, relatively speaking. But it's not like the cards were completely cut out from a package (like Team Flakes, Milk Duds, Wheaties, etc), so you are only dealing with a single 'tab' cut. Either way you go, they look nice in a binder. I have a complete run of mixed with and without tabs, and that doesn't bother me. Besides, you can always cut off that tabs if you end up deciding to go that route.

Good luck on a cool set!

[G1911]

I'm casually collecting them all. The artwork is beautiful, they are pretty cheap, and there are no Mantle's, Aaron's, Jackie's or big rookies in them to escalate the cost. I'll need two of every card due to the different expiration dates. I'm probably 25-33% through. I have a Gus Zernial with a blank back, haven't seen another blank back but also haven't looked too hard. I have a few tabs but prefer them without; they're easier and cheaper that way and the tab's aren't exactly cool or something meant to stay attached.

[jayshum]

If anyone is working on the 1954 Red Man set and can use a low grade Woodling, Rizzuto or Porterfield without tabs, PM me or email me at jandcristi@verizon.net and I can send you pictures and prices.

[homerunhitter]

I forgot to ask, what is the best way to store these? In a binder? In a larger yop loader? Thanks

[metroac]

I think they look great in four-pocket pages in a binder. I find it easier to appreciate them this way instead of in a stack of top-loaders.

One other item - a lot of the cards have minor creasing, and the minor creasing can be hard to spot, especially in a show venue that's not well lit. I hate to say how many lightly creased cards I've taken home thinking they were perfect (or at least uncreased). But maybe that's just my own carelessness (or excitement at finding them).

Cards without tabs are great if you want to stretch your budget. Nice star cards with tabs can be pricey, but they're more desirable and probably more liquid if/when you go to sell.

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Originally Posted by LuckyLarry

I’ve got a full run 52-55 a few with tabs fun set to put together.
Larry

Good stuff, Larry!

[G1911]

I store mine just like Larry does, except I don’t have dividers between years because I’m lazy. I think he’s onto something here

[homerunhitter]

I’ve been tracking some of these on eBay for the past week or so in hopes of adding some with tabs to my collection and….. wow! Ones with tabs are going for insane numbers compared to the ones with no tabs. For me at least , I’m not so sure chasing those with tabs is cost effective for me. I might just settle on collecting those with no tabs instead!!!

[Chris-Counts]

Here's all three Red Man cards of Minnie Minoso. I'm happy to collect these mostly without tabs ...

[homerunhitter]

Agree! These are beautiful cards with or without tabs. If one comes my way with a tab and it’s priced reasonably , I’ll buy it , but man, the prices of tabbed ones , I’m not sure are worth it too me. (Meaning, I think I’m fine with just a complete set/run of the un tabbed ones for a fraction of the price.)

[IndyDave]

Originally Posted by homerunhitter

Agree! These are beautiful cards with or without tabs. If one comes my way with a tab and it’s priced reasonably , I’ll buy it , but man, the prices of tabbed ones , I’m not sure are worth it too me. (Meaning, I think I’m fine with just a complete set/run of the un tabbed ones for a fraction of the price.)

This is me. I'm down to only needing the 1955 Mays to finish all 4 sets. I would guess I have somewhere around 20% of the cards with tabs. All things being equal, I will pay a small premium for a tabbed version if I have a choice. I upgrade to a tabbed version what I can.

My only true card "find" of my nearly 50 years in the hobby was in the early 1980's when one of my dad's friends sold me and my brother his "childhood" collection - it was some 52 Topps, 53 Bowman color and 52 Red Man. Most all of the Red Man we got from Jake were without tabs - so that is what started me that way.

They are some of my favorite sets - the paintings are so colorful. And as others have noted, there really isn't an insanely priced individual card - though I'm finding I'm likely laying out a few hundred to get the Mays I need to finish my sets.

[Jerry G]

Those of us that are disappointed with the slim pickin's of Stan Musial cards from the 1950s will find "the Man' in 1952 and '53 Red Man. Here is the 1953. Check out the amazing biography.

[Chris-Counts]

Originally Posted by Jerry G

Those of us that are disappointed with the slim pick'ins of Stan Musial cards from the 1950s will find "the Man' in 1952 and '53 Red Man. Here is the 1953. Check out the amazing biography.

You won't have to wait too long to find one without a tab in the $50 range, which has to be the best bargain in 1950s cards. In the past year, I've picked up a couple nice Red Mans of Mays without tabs. Both were less than $60.

[homerunhitter]

I like!!!

[Griffins]

anyone collect the caps that were the redemption prize for the tabs? I've got 6 but always looking for more.

[Exhibitman]

I have one error back:



Back was printed upside down in the press.

I am working on a run of all of Al Rosen's cards, signed. I have one Red Man so far.

One of these days I will get my arse in gear and finish off my Spahn, Minoso and Doby runs.

[G1911]

That Grim is awesome. I have a blank back around here somewhere I'll find but I've seen very few 'oddities' from the Red Man issues, considering they are a fairly commonly found set.

[G1911]

Gil didn't quite get his card printed right.

[homerunhitter]

I’m quickly finding out that tabs are nice but dang! They are very expensive! Especially HOF ones. I’m now wondering if it’s better to have a complete full set/run of non tabbed ones or a partial set of tabbed ones?

[G1911]

Runnels here wasn't quite right...

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

Originally Posted by homerunhitter

I’m quickly finding out that tabs are nice but dang! They are very expensive! Especially HOF ones. I’m now wondering if it’s better to have a complete full set/run of non tabbed ones or a partial set of tabbed ones?

I've had similar thoughts. I'd probably opt for a tab-less run and sprinkle in a few with tabs here and there.