1910-19 Coupon Cigarettes Set (T213)

Posted on October 4, 2016 by Pre-War Cards

‘It’s In The Details’

Title	T213 Coupon Cigarettes
Year	1910-19
Size	1 1/2″ x 2 5/8″
Images	Color
Type	Tobacco
Number in Set	322

T213 Coupon Cigarettes Overview

Produced over ten years, the T213 Coupon set has three different series. Each one has a slightly different look. For that reason, many players over the sets are featured with different team names as they moved to different franchises during that 10-year period.

The cards were printed for Coupon Cigarettes brand, which was based in Louisiana. As was the case with other tobacco cards, these are believed to have been printed in New York and then sent to factories where they were inserted into cigarette packages. In Coupon’s case, these factories were located in Louisiana.

All fronts have a color portrait with images taken from the T206 set and the cards are often compared to that iconic release. But the ink used to print the name and team at the bottom is either in blue in brown.

Brown was used for Type 1 cards (matching T206) while blue was used for Types 2 and 3. Backs all have an advertisement for Coupon Cigarettes, but each one varies across the series. All three types of cards are much rarer than T206s.

Type 1 backs advertise the Base Ball Series, Type 2 has a 20 for five cents advertisement, and Type 3 has an ad that says 16 for ten cents.

In all, there are over 300 cards from the three series. More than 3,000 have been graded by SGC.

Finally, note there are slight size differences among the three times. Type 1 and Type 2 cards measure 1 1/2″ x 2 5/8″ while Type 3 cards measure a bit smaller at 1 3/8″ x 2 9/16″.

Type 1

Because of the same images and similar overall look to the T206 cards, some collectors feel as they could be classified as T206 issues. That case is usually made for the Type 1 issue (printed in 1910), which has the same font type and color on the fronts for the names and teams. A total of 68 cards are included in this type. In addition to the fronts that utilized the brown ink, the other way to determine Type 1 cards is that they have the word ‘Mild’ on the backs in between the Coupon and Cigarette words. Additionally, no price for the cigarettes is given on the backs of these cards.

Type 1 appears to be the rarest of the three Coupon series. It is also unique in that the card stock was much thinner than Type 2 and Type 3 – both of which utilized thicker stock that was more traditional of tobacco cards of the era. Type 1 cards, on the off chance they can be found, are often heavily damaged.

Here’s a breakdown of the argument for making them part of the T206 set.

Type 2

Type 2 was printed in 1914-16. While as many as 188 cards are listed in the set not nearly that many ‘truly’ different cards are in the set. The issue includes numerous print variations and most players include more than one variation. Some of the variations are different poses while others are team variations printed at the bottom.

Type 2 is the only one that has significant team variations as it was printed over three different years. The team variations reflect players changing teams.

While there seems to be a consensus on the number of cards within Type 1 and Type 3, the checklist of Type 2 is a little more confusing.

A total of 188 cards have been previously recognized as comprising the complete checklist. However, the set may realistically only have 185 cards. Three cards (Magee, Phila.; McQuillan, Phila.’; and Reulbach, Brooklyn Fed.) are widely believed to not exist. A discussion of these potentially missing cards is found here.

For the purposes of this site, I have used 185 as the true number of cards in the checklist.

Type 3

Printed in 1919, Type 3 was the final T213 Coupon issue. A total of either 69 or 70 cards were included in that release. 70 is often cited as the number of cards but there are conflicting reports about that. PSA’s set composition page, for example, considers the set complete at 69 and doesn’t reference a Rube Marquard portrait card as other checklists do.

For the purposes of this site, I have used 69 as the correct number.

Type 3B?

A fourth type of Coupon cards actually exists, although only three classifications are recognized.

These cards utilize the same design as Type 3 with the same back advertisements. The lone difference is that, like some T206 cards, the factory number indicating where the cards were printed at the bottom of the backs has an overprinted rectangle over top of it with a new factory number printed above it. This was done to indicate a change in where the cards were printed.

The regular Type 3 cards state that they were printed out of Factory 3. However, cards with the overprint have this modified to Factory 8. But while this is technically a fourth type of back, it is not recognized as a completely separate type as the cards are otherwise identical to the Type 3 cards.

The overprinted Type 3 cards are exceedingly rare and a complete checklist for them does not yet exist. But one can assume that all Type 3 cards were printed with the overprints. Those known to exist are checklisted below.

Here’s more on the fourth type of T213s.

T213 Coupon Cigarettes Checklist

Type 1

Harry Bay
Beals Becker
Chief Bender
Bill Bernhard
Ted Breitenstein
Bobby Byrne
Billy Campbell
Scoops Carey
Frank Chance
Chappy Charles
Hal Chase (fielding)
Hal Chase (portrait)
Ty Cobb
Bill Cranston
Birdie Cree
Bill Donovan
Mickey Doolan
Jean Dubuc
Joe Dunn
Roy Ellam
Clyde Engle
Johnny Evers
Art Feltcher
Charlie Fritz
Ed Greminger
Bill Hart
Jimmy Hart
Topsy Harsel
Gordon Hickman
Danny Hoffman
Harry Howell
Miller Huggins (hands up)
Miller Huggins (portrait)
George Hunter
Dutch Jordan
Ed Killian
Otto Knabe
Frank LaPorte
Ed Lennox
Harry Lentz
Rube Marquard
Doc Marshall
Christy Mathewson
George McBride
Pryor McElveen
Matty McIntyre
Mike Mitchell
Carlton Molesworth
Mike Mowrey
Chief Myers (batting)
Chief Myers (fielding)
Dode Paskert
Hub Perdue
Arch Persons
Ed Reagan
Bob Rhoades
Ike Rockenfield
Claude Rossman
Boss Schmidt
Sid Smith
Charlie Starr
Gabby Street
Ed Summers
Jeff Sweeney
Ira Thomas
Woodie Thornton
Ed Willett
Owen Wilson

Type 2

Red Ames
Red Ames
Home Run Baker
Home Run Baker
Home Run Baker
Cy Barger
Chief Bender (no trees)
Chief Bender (no trees)
Chief Bender (no trees)
Chief Bender (trees)
Chief Bender (trees)
Chief Bender (trees)
Bill Bradley
Roger Bresnahan
Roger Bresnahan
Al Bridwell
Al Bridwell
Mordecai Brown
Mordecai Brown
Bobby Byrne
Howie Camnitz (arms down)
Howie Camnitz (arms up)
Howie Camnitz (arms up)
Billy Campbell
Frank Chance (batting)
Frank Chance (batting)
Frank Chance (portrait)
Frank Chance (portrait)
Bill Chapelle
Larry Chapelle
Hal Chase (fielding)
Hal Chase (fielding)
Hal Chase (portrait)
Hal Chase (portrait)
Hal Chase (trophy)
Hal Chase (trophy)
Ty Cobb (portrait)
Ty Cobb (bat)
Eddie Collins
Eddie Collins
Eddie Collins
Doc Crandall
Doc Crandall
Sam Crawford
Birdie Cree
Harry Davis
Harry Davis
Ray Demmitt
Ray Demmitt
Josh Devore
Josh Devore
Mike Donlin
Mike Donlin
Bill Donovan
Mickey Doolan (batting)
Mickey Doolan (batting)
Mickey Doolan (fielding)
Mickey Doolan (fielding)
Tom Downey
Larry Doyle (batting)
Larry Doyle (portrait)
Jean Dubuc
Jack Dunn
Kid Elberfeld
Kid Elberfeld
Steve Evans
Johnny Evers
Russ Ford
Art Fromme
Chick Gandil
Chick Gandil
Rube Geyer
Clark Griffith
Bob Groom
Buck Herzog
Buck Herzog
Dick Hoblitzell
Dick Hoblitzell
Dick Hoblitzell
Solly Hofman
Solly Hofmann (misspelled)
Miller Huggins (hands up)
Miller Huggins (portrait)
John Hummel
John Hummel
Hughie Jennings (one hand)
Hughie Jennings (two hands)
Walter Johnson
Tim Jordan
Tim Jordan
Joe Kelley
Joe Kelley
Otto Knable
Ed Konetchy
Ed Konetchy
Ed Konetchy
Harry Krause
Nap Lajoie
Nap Lajoie
Nap Lajoie
Tommy Leach
Tommy Leach
Tommy Leach
Ed Lennox
Sherry Magee
Sherry Magee
Rube Marquard (portrait)
Rube Marquard (portrait)
Rube Marquard (throwing)
Rube Marquard (throwing)
Christy Mathewson
John McGraw (glove)
John McGraw (portrait)
Larry McLean
George McQuillan
George McQuillan
Fred Merkle
Chief Meyers (fielding)
Chief Meyers (fielding
Chief Meyers (portrait)
Chief Meyers (portrait)
Dots Miller
Mike Mitchell
Mike Mowrey
Mike Mowrey
Mike Mowrey
George Mullin
George Mullin
Danny Murphy
Red Murray
Red Murray
Red Murray
Tom Needham
Rebel Oakes
Rube Oldring
Rube Oldring
Dode Paskert
Dode Paskert
Billy Purtell
Jack Quinn
Jack Quinn
Ed Reulbach
Ed Reulbach
Nap Rucker
Nap Rucker
Dick Rudolph
Germany Schaefer
Germany Schaefer
Germany Schaefer
George Schlei (batting)
George Schlei (portrait)
Boss Schmdit
Wildfire Schulte
Frank Smith
Tris Speaker
George Stovall
Gabby Street (catching)
Gabby Street (portrait)
Ed Summers
Bill Sweeney
Bill Sweeney
Jeff Sweeney
Jeff Sweeney
Ira Thomas
Ira Thomas
Joe Tinker
Joe Tinker
Joe Tinker
Joe Tinker
Heinie Wagner
Jack Warhop
Jack Warhop
Zack Wheat
Zack Wheat
Kaiser Wilhelm
Ed Willett
Ed Willett
Owen Wilson
Hooks Wiltse (throwing)
Hooks Wiltse (throwing)
Hooks Wiltse (throwing)
Hooks Wiltse (portrait)
Hooks Wiltse (portrait)
Hooks Wiltse (portrait)
Heinie Zimmerman

Type 3

Note that it is not known how many of these have been found with the overprinted back and new factory number

Red Ames
Home Run Baker
Chief Bender (no trees)
Chief Bender (trees)
Roger Bresnahan
Al Bridwell
Miner Brown
Bobby Byrne
Frank Chance (batting)
Frank Chance (portrait)
Hal Chase (fielding)
Hal Chase (portrait)
Hal Chase (trophy)
Ty Cobb (batting)
Ty Cobb (portrait)
Eddie Collins
Sam Crawford
Harry Davis
Mike Donlin
Bill Donovan
Mickey Doolan (batting)
Mickey Doolan (fielding)
Larry Doyle (batting)
Larry Doyle (portrait)
Jean Dubuc
Jack Dunn
Kid Elberfeld
Johnny Evers
Chick Gandil
Clark Griffith
Buck Herzog
Dick Hoblitzell
Miller Huggins (hands up)
Miller Huggins (portrait)
John Hummel
Hughie Jennings (one hand)
Hughie Jennings (two hands)
Walter Johnson
Tim Jordan
Joe Kelley
Ed Konetchy
Nap Lajoie
Sherry Magee
Rube Marquard
Christy Mathewson
John McGraw (glove)
John McGraw (portrait)
George McQuillan
Fred Merkle
Dots Miller
Mike Mowrey
Chief Myers
Chief Myers
Dode Paskert
Jack Quinn
Ed Reulbach
Nap Rucker
Dick Rudolph
Herman Schaefer
Wildfire Schulte
Tris Speaker
Gabby Street (catching)
Gabby Street (portrait)
Jeff Sweeney
Ira Thomas
Joe Tinker
Zack Wheat
George Wiltse
Heinie Zimmerman

Type 3 with Overprint

Note that it is not known how many of these have been found with the overprinted back and new factory number. Below are the known checklisted cards. While not many have been seen, one can theorize that all of the Type 3 cards were printed with the overprint backs.