E104-3 Nadja Speculation

This set was mentioned briefly in the "one of a kind" thread, but it would be nice to have a thread dedicated solely to E104-3's. There's still a lot of mystery surrounding this set, with new discoveries being made until very recently.

Unlike E104-1 (Philadelphia) and E104-2 (Pittsburgh), E104-3 features players from several teams (New York, Detroit, Philadelphia, St. Louis). Considering that the checklist is still incomplete, some speculate that there's still a Cobb/Matty/Mcgraw/etc E104-3 discovery out there to be made. Since Jennings and Crawford are both prominent Detroiters featured in the set, it stands to reason that Cobb would be included as well.

Do you think these cards actually exist? I welcome your thoughts on this as well as any other remarks that you might have on this intriguing set.

I would say definitely. They are probably hidden away in some REAL collection, like the one Norris Mauristraum has bragged he owns!

On another note, I would say somewhere out there, maybe in England, there is a T215 Pirates Cobb as well!

I belive so too. If you think about it, why wouldn't the company put in star players? My theroy is that since kids could get these cards and not tobacco cards, many were destroyed. But seriously, from the companies veiw, more star players= more purchases of caramel. Just a theroy. If you did not get this post, I agree with Scott Edkins.

I was lucky enough to acquire 6 of these cards, all with Nadja backs, from a long time collector who bought them back in 1980. Of the 6 cards, 2 were new to the hobby and 2 others were the first known with Nadja backs.

I bought them sight unseen as e92s. I just about had a heart attack when I opened the packed and saw the first card. I knew right away what it was. The seller thought they were e92s because he couldn't get the players to match up to the e104-3 set. I ended up sending him some more money for the cards.

Jay

I have about six E104-IIIs myself. I just can't see there being a superstar player that is not checklisted in this day and age. I do not think it is impossible -- but I think it is rather unlikely. I think there are a few more commons from the set that will be catalogued over the next few years....but perhaps the reason the set has always been so overlooked and ignored is specifically because there have never been known examples of Cobb/Matty/McGraw to surface (even if not proclaimed).

Just my thoughts.

There are more uncatalogued cards sitting in collections than you think. Look at how long Larry Fritsch sat on the knowledge of the Doyle variation before he let word of out to the public. Many old-timers jeaously gaurd info a rarities and uncatalogued cards. We won't hear about many of them until they decide to sell off, or die. Then that only works if the collection goes to auction and isn't sold privately. It wouldn't surprise me if some gems are sold of privately so that the secret can be kept and the rest of collection goes to the auction house, still looking very impressive.

Jay

How many Red Dooins are sitting in private collections? Oops, wait, he is uncatalogued. I count at least four.

This is one of the few views Jay and I have agreed on for a long time - there ARE several cards The Hobby doesn't know about setting around in private collections. I would LOVE to see what cards Fritsch has stored away personally (more than any other collection).

These collectors have their own reasons for not sharing cards they own that are uncatalogued. From the people I know with extreme rarities that The Hobby doesn't know they own, their biggest reason for not letting the cat out of the bag on their card or cards is they don't want to be harassed from potential buyers.

Just like the Herpolsheimer set (a completely new set to Our Hobby) came to light via eBay a few years back, there are not only cards from known sets, but unknown sets as well out there still.

BTW - some companies might have short-printed the stars' cards as well - to keep people buying more of their product (whether it be candy or cigs). This might explain the lack of Cobbs, Mattys and other stars for some particular sets as well.

Chase was found recently. I think Cobb and Matty are possible.