1910-19 Coupon Cigarettes Set (T213)

‘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.
- Chief Bender (no trees)
- Hal Chase (fielding)
- Hal Chase (portrait)
- Ty Cobb (batting)
- Ty Cobb (portrait)
- Eddie Collins
- Mike Donlin
- Mickey Doolan (fielding)
- Larry Doyle
- Jean Dubuc
- Dick Hoblitzell
- Miller Huggins
- Hughie Jennings
- Walter Johnson
- Rube Marquard
- John McGraw (portrait)
- Fred Merkle
- Zack Wheat
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