When fans think of multi-sport pre-war card sets, the first that often comes to mind is the 1933 Goudey Sport Kings issue. That set, however, isn’t as rare as the 1933 R328 U.S. Caramel release. Here’s a closer look at that set.
1933 R328 U.S. Caramel Basics
The 1933 U.S. Caramel set was given its designation (R328) by Jefferson Burdick in the American Card Catalog. While the set was a legendary one, it was also competing with several other key gum issues, such as the 1933 Goudey baseball card set and the 1933 Goudey Sport Kings set, released in the same year. The set is often listed as a 1932 set but is actually from 1933.
While the U.S. Caramel issue didn’t have the colorful combinations those issues had, it still included quality artwork. The set features mostly portraits of various athletes against a solid red background. Measuring approximately 2 3/8″ wide by 3″ tall, they were practically the same size as the Goudey issues of 1933. All cards are simple portraits of athletes with the exception of Yankees Hall of Famer Bill Dickey, who is seen brandishing a bat on his card. The set includes baseball players, boxers, and golfers. Its popularity, however, stems from the fact that it is dominated by baseball players. In all, 27 of the 32 cards in the set feature athletes from that sport.
The set was produced by the U.S. Caramel Company, which was based in Boston, Massachusetts. A complete set of the cards could have been mailed to the company in exchange for a baseball. Three sets could be sent in for a glove. Unlike some other redemption programs, the company agreed to return the cards to the sender, although they would have likely been marked or altered so that they could not be redeemed again.
1933 R328 U.S. Caramel Stars
One of the great thing about the set is the number of absolutely legendary players in it. Nearly all of the baseball players included in the release are members of the Hall of Fame as are all five of the other athletes. It features an absolutely loaded checklist of stars, headlined by Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Ty Cobb. Other big baseball names include Eddie Collins, Rogers Hornsby, Mickey Cochrane, Al Simmons, Jimmie Foxx, Lefty Grove, and a gaggle of others.
The five non-baseball subjects, as mentioned, are big ones, too. That group includes boxing greats Jack Dempsey, Jack Sharkey, and Gene Tunney, as as well as golfing legends Bobby Jones and Gene Sarazen.
All of those are big names, obviously. But the real key to the set? No. 16 Fred Lindstrom. Lindstrom is a Hall of Famer but one of the lesser ones in a star-studded group. His card, however, is the most important in the set because it was a shortprint. Only a couple are known to have been located in collections today. According to this Goodwin Auction, only two had been known as of a few years ago. The shortprinting of Lindstrom’s card was surely done in an effort to limit the number of prizes that were redeemed. Because the cards were returned, any Lindstrom cards would have been back in the collecting circulation.
1933 R328 Prices
The cards are much rarer than the the 1933 Goudey gum issues, which were much more popular. Even the lesser known players sell for a good bit of money. In decent shape, commons and lesser Hall of Famers usually start around $200 and the bigger names are significantly more. A Ruth PSA 3 sold recently for more than $3,800. High-grade cards are not only difficult to find, but incredibly expensive. A PSA 8 Ruth sold for more than $40,000 in 2013. Complete sets (minus the Lindstrom) are rare, but do surface from time to time. Goodwin sold a complete set for nearly $32,000.
You can see 1932 U.S. Caramel cards on eBay by clicking here.
1933 U.S. Caramel Checklist
- Eddie Collins
- Paul Waner
- Bobby Jones (Golf)
- Bill Terry
- Earle Combs
- Bill Dickey
- Joe Cronin
- Chick Hafey
- Gene Sarazen (Golf)
- Rabbit Maranville
- Rogers Hornsby
- Mickey Cochrane
- Lloyd Waner
- Ty Cobb
- Gene Tunney (Boxing)
- Fred Lindstrom
- Al Simmons
- Tony Lazzeri
- Wally Berger
- Red Ruffing
- Chuck Klein
- Jack Dempsey (Boxing)
- Jimmie Foxx
- Lefty O’Doul
- Jack Sharkey (Boxing)
- Lou Gehrig
- Lefty Grove
- Ed Brandt
- George Earnshaw
- Frankie Frisch
- Lefty Gomez
- Babe Ruth
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