1934-36 Diamond Stars Set (R327)

‘It’s In The Details’

Title R327 Diamond Stars
Year 1934-36
Size 2 3/8″ x 2 7/8″
Images Color
Type Candy/Gum
Number in Set
108

1934-36 Diamond Stars Overview

1935-diamond-starsThe 1934-36 Diamond Stars set includes 108 total cards. Fronts included a colorful player image with a sizable biography on the backs. In addition to a paragraph about the player, other key information such as his birth place, age, height, weight, and statistics were added as well.

Cards were produced by National Chicle for its Diamond Stars Gum product. They are notable for their somewhat dull colorful fronts using only a handful of colors. In addition to green, which was used when the playing field was included, the set mostly uses only blue, orange, and yellow as its colors. That color scheme is repeated across the entire set. The design of the cards is described by nearly everyone as an Art Deco style.

Most of the pictures were a mix of portraits and partial body shots. However, a few included full body artwork.

Despite a sizable checklist, some of the game’s biggest stars were missing, including Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. That has made it a little less appealing but also helped to keep the price in a more reasonable range. Because of that, this set is often a better target for collectors over the Goudey issues, which include high-dollar Ruth and Gehrig cards.

Variations

Because the set was produced over three years, some variations exist for certain card with spelling and team names. The biographies can be slightly different on the backs to reflect a player’s age, his latest season, etc.

In addition, the ink color varied, too. Backs were printed in both green and blue ink and depending on the color, you can tell when they were printed.

As indicated in the American Card Catalog, earlier cards were printed in green and backs printed in blue were printed later. More specifically, while green ink was used for the biographies on the back in 1934 and 1935, the company switched to blue for some 1935 cards and for its final year of printing in 1936. Thus, if you have a card with green ink, it is from either 1934 or 1935. If you have a card with blue ink, it is from either 1935 or 1936.

While 108 cards are in a basic set, many more comprise a master set taking into account all of the back variations across the three years of production. A master set can be a challenging alternative to other 1930s issues such as the Goudey cards.

Collectors should also note that, while 108 cards make up the basic set, many of those are virtually the same with only statistic updates on the back while they utilize the same picture on the front as other cards. Including all variations, there are 170 cards in the issue.

Hank Greenberg and Ernie Lombardi Error Cards (and others)

Cards of Hank Greenberg are arguably the most valuable in the set.

While often advertised as rookie issues, Greenberg’s cards are actually only second-year cards. Greenberg’s rookie cards are from 1934 and while this set began production in that year, Greenberg’s cards were not printed until 1935.

Additionally some of Greenberg’s cards have his name misspelled as ‘Greenburg’ on the front. Those are much rarer than his corrected ‘Greenberg’ version and typically sell for more.

Shown here is the error card and here’s a bit more on Greenberg’s issue, commonly mistaken as a rookie.

Greenberg’s isn’t the only error in the set. A second typo is found on another high-profile player — Hall of Famer Ernie Lombardi.

The majority of Lombardi’s cards have his first name spelled correctly as Ernie. However, some are misspelled as ‘Earnie.’ Like Greenberg’s, the error cards of Lombardi are the rarer ones.

Diamond Star Premiums

In addition to the cards, National Chicle also offered special premium photos to collectors. These premiums, known as part of the R311 National Chicle set, were given away to collectors in exchange for 15 wrappers.

In addition to the baseball premiums, National Chicle also ran a similar promotion for football premiums with the 1935 National Chicle football set. Both the baseball and football issues are cataloged as R311.

Proof Sheet and 1981 ‘Extension’

While 240 cards were planned to be included in the set, National Chicle only issued 108. However, at least 12 others were seemingly close to production.

At some point, an uncut sheet of 12 new cards was brought to the public, apparently from the family of a printer of National Chicle’s cards. This sheet was auctioned in 1991 and, recently, in 2016 when SCP raised over $62,000 for it.

In 1981, a collector named Denny Eckes reproduced the 12 cards through his shop Den’s Collectors Den. The original sheet had blank backs but the reproduction cards have card numbers and complete biographies, just like the 1930s Diamond Stars cards did.

While not an official part of the checklist, the cards have become popular among fans because they feature players and pictures that were believed to be nearly issued. This set is often referred to as the Diamond Stars Extension.

That checklist includes:

  • 109 – Benny Frey
  • 110 – Pete Fox
  • 111 – Phil Cavarretta
  • 112 – Goose Goslin
  • 113 – Mel Harder
  • 114 – Doc Cramer
  • 115 – Gene Moore
  • 116 – Rip Collins
  • 117 – Linus Frey
  • 118 – Lefty Gomez
  • 119 – Jim Bottomley and Rogers Hornsby
  • 120 – Lon Warneke

Here’s a bit more on these cards.

1934-36 Diamond Stars Checklist

  1. Lefty Grove
  2. Al Simmons
  3. Rabbit Maranville
  4. Buddy Myer
  5. Tom Bridges
  6. Max Bishop
  7. Lew Fonseca
  8. Joe Vosmik
  9. Mickey Cochrane
  10. Leroy Mahaffey
  11. Bill Dickey
  12. Dixie Walker
  13. George Blaeholder
  14. Bill Terry
  15. Dick Bartell
  16. Lloyd Waner
  17. Frankie Frisch
  18. Chick Hafey
  19. Van Lingle Mungo
  20. Shanty Hogan
  21. Johnny Vergez
  22. Jimmy Wilson
  23. Bill Hallahan
  24. Sparky Adams
  25. Walter Berger
  26. Pepper Martin
  27. Pie Traynor
  28. Al Lopez
  29. Robert Rolfe
  30. Heinie Manush
  31. Kiki Cuyler
  32. Sam Rice
  33. Schoolboy Rowe
  34. Stan Hack
  35. Earl Averill
  36. Ernie Lombardi
  37. Billy Urbanski
  38. Ben Chapman
  39. Carl Hubbell
  40. Blondy Ryan
  41. Harvey Hendrick
  42. Jimmy Dykes
  43. Ted Lyons
  44. Rogers Hornsby
  45. JoJo White
  46. Red Lucas
  47. Cliff Bolton
  48. Rick Ferrell
  49. Buck Jordan
  50. Mel Ott
  51. John Whitehead
  52. George Stainback
  53. Oscar Melillo
  54. Hank Greenberg
  55. Tony Cuccinello
  56. Gus Suhr
  57. Cy Blanton
  58. Glenn Myatt
  59. Jim Bottomley
  60. Red Ruffing
  61. Bill Werber
  62. Fred Frankhouse
  63. Stonewall Jackson
  64.  Jimmie Foxx
  65. Zeke Bonura
  66. Ducky Medwick
  67. Marvin Owen
  68. Sam Leslie
  69. Earl Grace
  70. Hal Trosky
  71. Ossie Bluege
  72. Tony Piet
  73. Fritz Ostermueller
  74. Tony Lazzeri
  75. Irving Burns
  76. Billy Rogell
  77. Charlie Gehringer
  78. Joe Kuhel
  79. Willie Hudlin
  80. Louis Chiozza
  81. Bill Delancey
  82. John Babich
  83. Paul Waner
  84. Sam Byrd
  85. Julius Solters
  86. Frank Crosetti
  87. Steve O’Neill
  88. George Selkirk
  89. Joe Stripp
  90. Ray Hayworth
  91. Bucky Harris
  92. Ethan Allen
  93. Alvin Crowder
  94. Wes Ferrell
  95. Luke Appling
  96. Lew Riggs
  97. Al Lopez
  98. Schoolboy Rowe
  99. Pie Traynor
  100. Earl Averill
  101. Dick Bartell
  102. Van Lingle Mungo
  103. Bill Dickey
  104. Robert Rolfe
  105. Ernie Lombardi
  106. Red Lucas
  107. Stan Hack
  108. Wally Berger

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