1914 Cracker Jack Set (E145-1)

‘It’s In The Details’

Title E145-1 Cracker Jack
Year 1914
Size 2 1/4″ x 3″
Images Color
Type Candy/Caramel
Number in Set
144

1914 Cracker Jack Overview

Collins E145 Cracker JackAmong the most well-known candy card issues, the 1914 and 1915 E145 Cracker Jack sets are heavily desired by collectors. The cards are among the most well-known pre-war issues.

Known for their red backgrounds, these cards have gained quite a following over the years and are one of the more popular E-card releases. Famous collector Charlie Sheen has a well-documented collection of these cards graded by PSA.

The 1914 set feature a total of 144 total cards. Printed on thinner card stock, these cards are the more sought after of the 1914 and 1915 Cracker Jack cards. Both sets have the same design.

Cards feature a player image against a solid red background. The tops of the cards read “Cracker Jack Ball Players” while the bottoms include the player’s name and team.’ One card was included into each Cracker Jack package.

One anomaly in the set is the card of Hall of Famer Roger Bresnahan. Bresnahan has both cards with a card number and without one.

Unlike many other caramel and tobacco cards from the same era, the backs of the cards include a detailed biography of the player in question. Also printed on backs are card numbers to help collectors better assemble a set. Cards are rare and extremely delicate making grading them in any condition a worthwhile pursuit.

1914 Cards vs. 1915 Cards

One confusing thing for collectors not too familiar with these sets is differentiating the 1914 cards from the 1915 cards and that’s because the cards look virtually alike. There are a few ways to tell them apart, however.

Without a doubt, the easiest way to tell them apart is the backs. The backs of the 1915 cards were printed upside down while the 1914 backs are right side up when you turn them over horizontally.

In addition, as stated, the 1914 cards are printed on thinner stock. Finally, the 1915 set was larger and included cards beyond No. 144. Any cards with card numbers after 144 are 1915 cards.

Finally, in terms of rarity, the 1914 cards are much rarer.

Production

While production values of early cards is always difficult to find, Cracker Jack came right out and identified how many cards were printed … or at least how many were to be printed.

While the backs of the 1915 cards don’t make any claims as to how many were produced, the 1914 set does. At the bottom of the first cards in the set, Cracker Jack stated that there were ten million cards produced. That number changed on later cards in the issue, citing 15,000,000.

If true, that provides a really interesting look into history. To date, PSA and SGC have graded a little more than 7,000 cards from this set combined. Even if you double that to account for other graded cards and raw cards, that still gives us less than one-tenth of one percent (.001). It’s a startling look into history and just how few of these cards survived.

Here’s a much deeper look into this topic.

Branch Rickey Rookie Card

The series includes many big names of the era, including the likes of Ty Cobb, Christy Mathewson, Honus Wagner, Walter Johnson, and many more. One lesser name is known, even though his card sells for significant money — Branch Rickey.

Rickey, who is famous for signing Jackie Robinson to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers, has his rookie card in the 1914 set. Rickey’s cards do not approach the highest ones in the set but are highly sought after for his role in breaking Major League Baseball’s color barrier with the signing of Robinson.

Even low-grade cards of the Hall of Famer usually sell for more than $1,000.

Rickey, it should be noted, like most others, is also found in the 1915 Cracker Jack set. Collectors seeking his true rookie card should be careful that the example they are pursuing is the 1914 issue and not the 1915 print. Both are valuable, but only the 1914 card should be considered his first.

1914 Cracker Jack Checklist

  1. Otto Knabe
  2. Home Run Baker
  3. Joe Tinker
  4. Larry Doyle
  5. Ward Miller
  6. Eddie Plank
  7. Eddie Collins
  8. Rube Oldring
  9. Art Hofman
  10. John McInnis
  11. George Stovall
  12. Connie Mack
  13. Art Wilson
  14. Sam Crawford
  15. Reb Russell
  16. Howie Camnitz
  17. Roger Bresnahan
  18. Johnny Evers
  19. Chief Bender
  20. Cy Falkenberg
  21. Heinie Zimmerman
  22. Smoky Joe Wood
  23. Charles Comiskey
  24. George Mullin
  25. Michael Simon
  26. James Scott
  27. Bill Carrigan
  28. Jack Barry
  29. Vean Gregg
  30. Ty Cobb
  31. Heinie Wagner
  32. Mordecai Brown
  33. Amos Strunk
  34. Ira Thomas
  35. Harry Hooper
  36. Ed Walsh
  37. Grover Alexander
  38. Red Dooin
  39. Chick Gandil
  40. Jimmy Austin
  41. Tommy Leach
  42. Al Bridwell
  43. Rube Marquard
  44. Charles Tesreau
  45. Fred Luderus
  46. Bob Groom
  47. Josh Devore
  48. Harry Lord
  49. Dots Miller
  50. John Hummel
  51. Nap Rucker
  52. Zack Wheat
  53. Otto Miller
  54. Marty O’Toole
  55. Dick Hoblitzell
  56. Clyde Milan
  57. Walter Johnson
  58. Wally Schang
  59. Harry Gessler
  60. Rollie Zeider
  61. Ray Schalk
  62. Jay Cashion
  63. Charles Adams
  64. Jimmy Archer
  65. Tris Speaker
  66. Nap Lajoie
  67. Otis Crandall
  68. Honus Wagner
  69. John McGraw
  70. Fred Clarke
  71. Chief Meyers
  72. Joe Boehling
  73. Max Carey
  74. Frank Owens
  75. Miller Huggins
  76. Claude Hendrix
  77. Hughie Jennings
  78. Fred Merkle
  79. Ping Bodie
  80. Ed Reulbach
  81. Jim Delahanty
  82. Gaavy Cravath
  83. Russ Ford
  84. Elmer Knetzer
  85. Buck Herzog
  86. Burt Shotten
  87. Hick Cady
  88. Christy Mathewson
  89. Lawrence Cheney
  90. Frank Smith
  91. Roger Peckinpaugh
  92. Al Demaree
  93. Del Pratt
  94. Eddie Cicotte
  95. Ray Keating
  96. Beals Becker
  97. Rube Benton
  98. Frank LaPorte
  99. Frank Chance
  100. Tom Seaton
  101. Wildfire Schulte
  102. Ray Fisher
  103. Joe Jackson
  104. Vic Saier
  105. Jimmy Lavender
  106. Joe Birmingham
  107. Tom Downey
  108. Sherry Magee
  109. Fred Blanding
  110. Bob Bescher
  111. James Callahan
  112. Edward Sweeney
  113. George Suggs
  114. George Moriarty
  115. Ad Brennan
  116. Rollie Zeider
  117. Ted Easterly
  118. Ed Konetchy
  119. George Perring
  120. Mickey Doolan
  121. Hub Perdue
  122. Donnie Bush
  123. Slim Sallee
  124. Earl Moore
  125. Bert Niehoff
  126. Walter Blair
  127. Butch Schmidt
  128. Steve Evans
  129. Ray Caldwell
  130. Ivy Wingo
  131. Elber Baumgardner
  132. Leslie Nunamaker
  133. Branch Rickey
  134. Armando Marsans
  135. Bill Killefer
  136. Rabbit Maranville
  137. Bill Rariden
  138. Hank Gowdy
  139. Rebel Oakes
  140. Danny Murphy
  141. Cy Barger
  142. Eugene Packard
  143. Jake Daubert
  144. Jimmy Walsh

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