Lot # 460: 1910 T209 Contentnea Cigarettes "Photo Series" B. E. Thompson - Dressed as Uncle Sam

Rarely offered example of one of the most fascinating and unusual cards in all prewar card collecting: the 1910 T209 Contentnea Cigarettes "Photo Series" card featuring B. E. Thompson. This card has long intrigued collectors and even casual observers as it is unlike any other baseball card ever produced, featuring Thompson, a nonplayer who is believe to have grown tobacco in the area, dressed as Uncle Sam. Printed on the reverse of each Thompson card is text that reads “Be Sure and Save B. E. Thompson’s Picture. Ask Your Dealer About It.” The text implies that Thompson's card should be of special importance to collectors who discover it inside a pack of Contentnea Cigarettes, but the exact reason as to why was not clear until recent years. An article in Old Cardboard (issue #28) by collectors Michael Peich and Tim Newcomb, both true card scholars and avid researchers of this set and others, establishes that Thompson's card was used in conjunction with a redemption offer by the manufacturer, Erwin-Nadal. The premium for which his card was to be exchanged was a souvenir album. The card displays a bold image and the reverse is boldly printed. Graded POOR 1 (MK) by PSA. There is heavy creasing and pencil writing front and back, which is responsible for the card receiving such a modest grade. The T209 "Photo Series" set is composed of 224 different players from the Virginia League, Carolina Association, and Eastern League. T209 Contentnea "Photo Series" is one of the rarest and (in large part because of its rarity) most overlooked of all tobacco-card issues. This is a presentable example of the most desirable card from the series, which would be an exceptional addition to any T209 set or type-card collection.