1934-36 Batter Up Premiums Set (R318)

Posted on September 15, 2016 by Pre-War Cards

‘It’s In The Details’

Title	R318 Batter Up Photo Premiums
Year	1934-36
Size	5″ x 8″
Images	Two-Color or Sepia
Type	Candy/Gum
Number in Set	6 (?)

1934-36 Batter Up Photo Premiums Overview

Only identified in recent years, these rare photo premiums are extremely difficult to find.

The photos were issued by National Chicle and have a two-color picture utilizing red ink. The premiums used the same exact pictures of the R318 Die-Cut cards so they are likely a Batter Up issue of some sort. The photos have a blank back and the only text on them is the player’s name printed on the front.

Calling these scarce is kind of an understatement. They weren’t even known about until recent years and only a few have been discovered. They are commonly called the premiums that are mentioned on the R318 Batter Up wrappers for the high series cards but that is probably incorrect.

Instead, these may be some sort of promotional piece or part of another uncataloged premium altogether.

Measuring 5″ x 8″, they are significantly larger than the regular R318 Batter Up cards. When offered at auction, the price on them is generally quite high with even commons topping $1,000.

Which Premiums Are These?

There is currently a bit of confusion on these premiums. A set of premiums are mentioned on the wrappers of the R318 Batter Up Die-Cut cards but we don’t exactly know what they are.

As I wrote here, this set is often classified as those but that is probably a mistake. The premiums mentioned on those wrappers were to be distributed along with a regular R318 Batter Up High Number card and thousands of those exist. If these were really the premiums mentioned, more would certainly be known.

A more likely candidate for the premiums from the wrappers are the R312 Colored Photos or the R313 Fine Pens set. Both were issued by National Chicle at the same time as some of the regular R318 Batter Up cards. And in particular, Jefferson Burdick called the R313 premiums a Batter Up issue.

1934-36 Batter Up Photo Premiums Checklist

To date, only a few of these scarce premiums have been discovered. A complete checklist does not yet exist and, due to the small amount seen, may never be known. Ones currently known are identified below. Old Cardboard mentions a Martin and Gehringer is known but I have not yet personally seen them.