1928 Fro Joy Babe Ruth Ice Cream Set of 6 W/ Mailer and Premium

Description: It is widely known and accepted that the 1928 Fro Joy Ice Cream cards were issued first by the factory as singles and then later that same year in sheets. Fans could mail away the 6 singles in exchange for an uncut sheet of the 6 card set that would be accompanied with an 8 ½ x10 premium of Ruth. And while there are many counterfeits of these uncut sheets there are still some legitimate sheets which exist in the hobby. There are very subtle differences in the printing of the cards that make up the legitimate uncut sheets that make them appear slightly different than the singles as issued by the factory. Two of those differences are the dotted cut lines on the front and the slight gaps in the corners of the text boxes on the reverses. While I have no explanation for this other than it being from a different print run, legitimate uncut sheets can always and only be distinguished from the well done counterfeit uncut sheets from the color of the paper on the back and more importantly by the identification of an obsolete printing process called photoengraving which was prominent in early sports cards. The backs of the legitimate cards from uncut sheets are beige/brown and similar to the color of the back of the Ruth premium. The backs of the singles cut from counterfeit sheets will be whiter and more similar to the color of the backs of the factory issued singles. As far as identifying the photoengraving process, under magnification you can see a rim on the edge of the dot matrix patterns as well as on the text. If that rim is present on the edge then the cards had to have been printed in the 1920s. These cards do have that characteristic. Here is a link describing photoengraving. http://www.cycleback.com/baseballcards/sixteen.html. Legitimate uncut sheets have been sold over the last decade with the Ruth premium and mailer by respected auction houses like Robert Edward Auctions, Heritage Auctions, Mile High Card Company and Goldin Auctions. The example listed here is one of the few examples having been sold by Heritage Auctions. It was lot #56182 in their 11/17/22 auction. Beckett is the only third party grader who will grade and encapsulate the sheet cut versions of the Fro-Joys. Prior to cutting up the sheet to create 6 single cards, emails were sent to Beckett with not only a link to the auction listing but stating clearly two times that the sheet would not be cut up unless and until they agree that they can grade this version of the Fro-Joys. After a few days, Beckett’s Verification Department approved their being submitted—a department that is headed by their actual graders. The sheet was then cut and the cards were submitted. While going through the grading process the graders then decided the cards were counterfeits and returned them ungraded. Reliance on their assertion resulted in a sheet being cut up that otherwise would have remained intact. This listing includes the mailer, the premium and what remains of the uncut sheet which is now 6 individual cards. Happy to provide larger scans. Not only did the sheet come one of the most respected auction houses but the provenance on the sheet is very strong. From the consignor via Heritage: “I spoke with the consignor again who retold the same story he had told me months ago when he consigned the piece. The consignor’s mother was a caretaker for Nellie Dyer, who is the addressee on the large Fro Joy envelope. She was the ice cream eater and was about 10-15 or so years old at the time she received the envelope. Nellie died in the late 1980s and her caretaker (consignor’s mother) bought the property and much of its contents. Included was a print that was framed. In the 1990s, the family looked in the back of the frame and found this envelope with the premium and card sheet in it. The consignor says there is no chance that it is not authentic.” If there is still any doubt as to authenticity, look at the images on Heritage’s website. Those images clearly show the uncut sheet and premium have a wrinkle in the same exact area that exactly corresponds with the mailer on the back of the lower left. There is no doubt these were all obtained in 1928. These singles are not from a counterfeit sheet. The dot matrix lithography process is consistent with printing from that period and the dot matrix patterns are only seen in the images of Ruth. There is no dot matrix pattern in the text or any of the white space on the card. Further, after more than 30 years handling only vintage cards, the paper is 100% consistent with paper from the 1920s. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE Payment must be made immediately. All items are fully insured through Collectibles Insurance Services.All ungraded cards are 100% guaranteed to grade unless otherwise stated.

Price: 8000 USD

Location: Canoga Park, California

End Time: 2024-11-30T21:13:29.000Z

Shipping Cost: 100 USD