1888 N321 SF Hess California League

Extremely rare minor league issue from 1888. The 2-7/8" X 1-1/2" cards were inserted in packs of S.F. Hess & Co.'s packs of Creole brand of cigarettes and feature beautiful color renditions of the players. The cards are blank backed. One umpire, Sheridan, is included in the set.

There was a discovery of a group of N321 proofs, identical in design to the regular N321's but without the caption at the bottom.

Regular N321:



N321 Proofs:



N321 Checklist:

1 Eddie Bennett HAV
2 George Borchers: GM
3 Tom Buckley HAV
4A Turk Burke STOCK pitching
4B Turk Burke STOCK batting
5 William Burnett: GM
6 Frank Carroll PIO
7 John Donahue PIO
8 Jack Donovan: GM
9 Michael Finn PIO
10 Charles Gagus HAV
11 George Hanley HAV
12A Pop Hardie: GM Catcher
12B Pop Hardie: GM Center Field
13 Jack Hayes STOCK
14 Jack Lawton HAV
15 Rube Levy HAV
16 Daniel Long: GM
17 Tom McCord: GM
18 McGinty
19 Peter Meegan HAV
20 Henry Moore STOCK
21 James Mullee PIO
22 Billy Newhart: GM
23 Joseph Noonan PIO
24 Harry O'Day STOCK
25 Hip Perrier PIO
26A Thomas Powers HAV first base
26B Thomas Powers HAV first base and Capt.
27 Jack Ryan: GM
28 Charles Selna STOCK
29 Joseph Shea: GM
30 Jack Sheridan Umpire
31 Big Smith PIO
32 Hugh Smith PIO
33 John Smith
34A Leonard Stockwell STOCK catching
34B Leonard Stockwell STOCK batting
35 Charles Sweeney HAV
36 Pop Swett HAV
37 Milton Whitehead STOCK

Just thought I'd bump this up with a new(ish) addition to my collection. I feel lucky to own one of these gems.