1912 Hassan Triple Folders Set (T202)

Posted on October 3, 2016 by Pre-War Cards

‘It’s In The Details’

Title	T202 Hassan Triple Folders
Year	1912
Size	2 1/4″ x 5 1/4″
Images	Color
Type	Tobacco
Number in Set	132

T202 Hassan Triple Folders Overview

In 1911, it was the T201 Mecca Double Folders set that excited collectors. In 1912? A third layer was added to create the T202 Hassan Triple Folders set.

The T202 cards folded to make three distinct cards. The outer edge panels folded inside and were half the size of the middle panel. On each exterior edge were individual color portraits – the same ones as in the popular T205 set. Almost all players with cards using that design were included in the T205 issue. The lone exceptions were Smoky Joe Wood and Walt Blair, who were new additions.

In the middle of two exterior color cards was a black and white picture of an action shot. Some of the middle photos included one of the two players on the outside but others did not. Backs of all cards included the Hassan logo and player biographies. Backs have print either in black or a rarer red ink.

Similar to the T206 set, one challenge in completing the set is the sheer volume of Hall of Famers on multiple cards. Ty Cobb, for instance, appears on parts of six cards. Mathewson is on eight of them. Despite a manageable 132 cards, the set is not terribly inexpensive because of the high volume of big names appearing more than once.

Commons in the set typically start around $20-$25 in low-grade condition.

Joe Jackson

One of the more interesting tidbits regarding this set the set was only recently discovered. The issue was sort of thrust into the spotlight back in 2010 when research led to the discovery of Joe Jackson in the set.

The ‘Lord Catches His Man’ card, featuring a baserunner being thrown out was mostly determined to be a card featuring Jackson, who did not appear in the T202 set otherwise. The find is particularly notable as Jackson is not found in many tobacco sets, or sets in general, really.

The card is now recognized as one featuring the former White Sox star and commands much more money than it once did. Even despite that, however, it remains one of Jackson’s most affordable cards.

T202 Panels

One interesting way to collect the set has caught on in recent years as more people have begun collecting the individual panels.

While these cards are usually found intact, they can also be found separated. Similar to the perforated 1980-81 Topps basketball cards, many collectors separated these cards over the years and they are seemingly more desirable than before. Even though they are worth a fraction of the fully intact cards, they are still collected.

Because of the images from the T205 set, the cards on the outside edges can sometimes be confused as T205 cards if separated. But they are different in several ways – most notably, the T202 cards have white borders while the T205 cards have gold borders. In addition, the separated panels from a T202 are noticeably smaller than the T205 cards.

T202 Hassan Triple Folders Checklist

Below is a checklist for the set. Because the cards are not numbered, I have arranged them by alphabetical order of the title of the middle action panel. Players at the end are the other players on the sides (also in alphabetical order).