1919-21 W514 Baseball Cards

Like a lot baseball cards of the strip variety, the 1919-21 W514 cards also have blank backs. Having a closer look at these cards reveals their simplicity and frailty. These cards are not of typical thickness of standard cards. In fact, these cards are so thin that they are something of a challenge to put into penny sleeves and semi-rigid holders. My advice here would be to use toploaders when storing these cards. The colors are bright and vibrant for their age. The pop of the yellow and red on the Joe Gherrity have withstood the test of time quite beautifully. This is a quality set with a list of mega-legends that includes Cobb, Ruth and “Shoeless” Joe Jackson. I would anticipate high scarcity at shows and shops but keep your eyes out online if you’re in the market for examples from this exquisite set.

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Set Information:

The W514 set consists of 120 cards and is the largest of the various strip-card issues of its era. Issued between 1919 and 1921, it’s one of the earliest and most widely-collected. These blank-backed cards measure in at 1-3/8″ x 2-1/2″ and feature color drawings of players with card numbers in the lower corner and player names, teams, and positions stated below the player images. The set holds historical significance because it includes seven of the eight Chicago “Black Sox” players who were banned from baseball for throwing the 1919 World Series; the most famous of which is “Shoeless” Joe Jackson and is his only strip-card appearance.

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