The Hall of Fame isn’t just for sports cards
By Chuck McAnulla (COMBO #27) – HOF: Perhaps those letters mean nothing to you. Perhaps you prefer ABC or XYZ. As a card collector, you may better relate to IOU.
The “HOF” designation does, however, have a magical connotation for sports card collectors, since it signifies that the players so identified in a given card set’s checklist are members of the Hall of Fame in their particular sport. Hall of Fame athletes have traditionally been of greater interest to sports collectors and their cards more highly prized, monetarily and otherwise. Prices of very rare tobacco sports cards can run to six figures—yes, all to the left of the decimal point!
Collectors of non-sport tobacco cards have made the happy discovery that American tobacco sets contain many famous personages—“Hall of Famers,” in a sense—in various fields of endeavor. Famous explorers, aviators, actors, writers, rulers, generals, and even martyrs abound in tobacco series. Whether these cards are collected individually or in sets, non-sport tobacco cards have the advantages of greater rarity than many sports issues, generally superior artwork, seemingly infinite subject variety, and—perhaps best of all—they’re available for a fraction of the price of turn-of-the-century baseball and hockey cards.
A prime example of a tobacco non-sport set which boasts numerous famous names is the T25 Actors set. These cards, issued in the 1910s by Between the Acts little cigars, are a popular issue for several reasons. Numbering 50 cards, the set is a manageable size to complete, especially if the collector is flexible in terms of card condition. Although the cards’ black borders are prone to chipping and imperfections, the artwork—handsome portraits of the era’s famed stage heartthrobs in a gold picture-frame motif—is typical of the astounding illustrations found in tobacco groups. But it is the presence of so many “Hall of Famers” that makes the T25 set an award-winner.
As the entertaining and quaintly worded biographies on the cards’ backs indicate, this is a veritable Who’s Who of the stage world of the times. Certainly, the key actor in the set is George M. Cohan, who is best-remembered today for his songwriting contributions to popular culture—“Give My Regards to Broadway” and “Yankee Doodle Dandee.” Cohan’s card can be obtained in the $20 range in excellent or better condition. Quite a value when compared with a Honus Wagner tobacco card, isn’t it? Incidentally, Cohan’s card notes that “‘The Four Cohans’ is a household word.” (I’m still working on this one.) Single cards cost $6-$8, and the whole collection is valued at around $350.
Another star of this set is Maurice Barrymore, father of Ethel, John, and Lionel. Also included is Barrymore’s brother-in-law, John Drew. Sound familiar?
For laughs, we can turn to the card of Eddie Foy, first of “The Seven Little Foys.” There’s also the comedy team of Lew Fields and Joe Weber. For tears, there is Edwin Booth, whose card notes his Shakespearean roles, but not his infamous brother.
Supporting characters include such names as Belasco, Harrigan, Hopper (the guy who made Casey at the Bat famous), Irving, Skinner, and literally scores of others. The set’s biographies are excellent inspiration for further reading about actors and theaters. Also try T108 Theatres Old and New for more incredible artwork and theater history.
While one of the many charms of non-sport tobacco is its variety—everything from butterflies to presidents awaits the adventurous collector—these actors are truly of Hall of Fame caliber. The T25 set is definitely classic non-sports.
