1923 W515 Strip Card Set
‘It’s In The Details’
| Title | W515 Strip |
| Year | 1923 |
| Size | 1 3/8″ x 2 1/4″ |
| Images | Color |
| Type | Strip |
| Number in Set |
120 |
W515 Strip Overview
Two separate sets make up the W515 strip card series. Both have a similar look and design with colored pictures on the fronts and blank backs.
The bottom borders of the baseball cards included the player’s name, team, and position. Both also utilize the same checklist. The second of the two sets (W515-2) is slightly larger than its counterpart.
Most strip cards, by design, are not very attractive. The W515 set, though, tests the limits by fans and is one of the least artful issues among W-Cards.
The entire set includes a total of 120 cards but there’s more than baseball here. A total of 60 baseball players are included the set and the other 60 cards include a variety of other famous personalities, such as boxers.
Like other strip issues, these are fragile cards. That is because they were printed on a low-quality paper stock. These are easily torn or damaged as a result.
Variations
While the standard cards are the most common, three variations of the cards are known today.
The most common of the variations are the Little Wonder Series cards. These are found with the name ‘Little Wonder Picture Series’ printed on the borders on the fronts. The name appeared to be on the exterior of the uncut sheets as the full name does not appear on the cards. It is possible that the entire set was to be called the Little Wonder Picture Series and these are merely cards at the top of the sheet. Cards are found with only a part of the phrase as it stretched across several cards. The Little Wonder variation appears to only be found as the slightly larger W515-2 cards.
A rarer variation and the one that is the most intriguing are the W515 cards that are actually Fleer’s first baseball cards.
The Fleer Company that grew to prominence in the 1980s got its early start way back in 1923. Fleer used the same cards as the W515 issue, only placing an ad for their company on the back to distinguish them. Fleer actually holds the distinction of producing earlier baseball cards than famous companies Topps, Goudey, and Bowman, as a result.
Finally, a third back is known on the cards as an advertisement for Jersey Ice Cream. Those backs, as shown, include a mention of receiving five free cards with a brick of Jersey’s Ice Cream product.
These are the rarest of the variations and not many are likely to exist. The most notable one seen to date is an Eddie Collins version that was sold in a 2015 Heritage auction for nearly $500.
All of the variations considered more valuable than the regular cards.
W515 Strip Checklist
This checklist currently represents only baseball players in the set.
- Bill Cunningham
- Al Mamaux
- Babe Ruth
- Dave Bancroft
- Ed Rommell
- Babe Adams
- Clarence Walker
- Waite Hoyt
- Bob Shawkey
- Ty Cobb
- George Sisler
- Jack Bentley
- Jim O’Connell
- Frankie Frisch
- Frank Baker
- Burleigh Grimes
- Wally Schang
- Harry Heilmann
- Aaron Ward
- Carl Mays
- Bob/Emil Meusel
- Art Nehf
- Lee Meadows
- Casey Stengel
- Jack Scott
- Kenneth Williams
- Joe Bush
- Tris Speaker
- Ross Youngs
- Joe Dugan
- Barnes Brothers
- George Kelly
- Hugh McQuillan
- Hughie Jennings
- Tom Griffith
- Miller Huggings
- Whitey Witt
- Walter Johnson
- Wally Pipp
- Dutch Reuther
- Jim Johnston
- Willie Kamm
- Sam Jones
- Frank Snyder
- John McGraw
- Everett Scott
- Babe Ruth
- Urban Shocker
- Grover Alexander
- Rabbit Maranville
- Ray Schalk
- Heinie Groh
- Wilbert Robinson
- George Burns
- Rogers Hornsby
- Zack Wheat
- Edd Roush
- Eddie Collins
- Charlie Hollocher
- Red Faber
Follow Pre-War Cards on Twitter and also be sure to like our page on Facebook.
