1888 Kinney Great American Trotters (N231) Set and Checklist

Posted on October 6, 2016 by Pre-War Cards

‘It’s In The Details’

Title	Kinney Great American Trotters (N231)
Year	1888
Size	1 1/2″ x 2 3/4″
Images	Color
Type	Tobacco
Number in Set	25

1888 Kinney Great American Trotters (N231) Set Overview

This was one of many horse racing sets issued by Kinney.

The cards feature riders and horses, though the focus is on the horses. That is evident from the fronts, which list only the names of the horses unlike the company’s more easily attainable N229 and N230 cards. Fronts also include the Kinney Bros. High Class Cigarettes name and all cards are printed with a horizontal layout.

Backs reference a special promotion. Returning 25 of the cards would entitle the collector to a large sized 8X10 or 10X12 photo of a horse. Today, these photos are known as the N239 set. Of note is that cards eligible for this promotion included these cards, as well as cards from the aforementioned N229 and N230 cards, which featured racehorses and jockeys. Returning 100 of the cards would entitle the collector to one of Kinney’s albums with pictures of cards.

Of the three sets, these N231 Great American Trotters cards are easily the most difficult to find. Prices for them are roughly double the starting prices of the N229 and N230 cards, though interest in them is not quite as high as the cards in those issues.

Similar to the N229 and N230 cards, the dating on these cards appears to be a bit murky as they are listed as 1888, 1889, or 1890 issues. However, as the large photo premiums include an 1888 copyright, that is the date I have selected or this set.