• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Get Sports Collectors Daily via EMail
    • Advertise with SC Daily
    • Write for Sports Collectors Daily
    • Write About Your Sports Collection
    • Where Can I Sell My Baseball Cards?
  • Hot on eBay
    • Most Watched Graded Rookies
    • Most Watched PSA 10 Cards
    • Most Watched BGS, BVG Cards
    • Most Watched SGC Cards
    • Most Watched CSG,CGC Cards
    • Most Watched Baseball Cards
      • Most Watched 2023 Baseball Cards
      • Most Watched 2022 Baseball Rookie Cards
      • Bowman Chrome Cards
      • Ronald Acuna Jr. Cards
      • Shohei Ohtani Cards
      • Mike Trout Cards
      • Fernando Tatis Jr. Cards
      • Babe Ruth Cards
      • Hank Aaron Cards
      • Jackie Robinson Cards:
      • Mickey Mantle Cards
      • Willie Mays Cards
      • Vintage Baseball Card Sets
      • T206 Cards
    • Most Watched Basketball
      • Top 100 Most Watched Basketball Rookie Cards
      • 100 Hottest 2022-23 NBA Rookie Cards
      • Victor Wembanyama Cards
      • Michael Jordan Cards
      • Kobe Bryant Cards
      • LeBron James Rookie Cards
      • Nikola Jokic Rookie Cards
      • Giannis Antetokounmpo Cards
      • Luka Doncic Rookie Cards
      • Prizm Basketball Cards
      • Panini National Treasures
    • Most Watched Football Cards
      • Most Watched NFL Rookie Cards
      • 2023 NFL Rookie Cards
        • CJ Stroud Cards
      • 2022 NFL Rookie Cards
        • Brock Purdy Rookie Cards
      • 2021 NFL Rookie Cards
      • 2020 NFL Rookie Cards
        • Joe Burrow Rookie Cards
        • Justin Herbert Rookie Cards
        • Jalen Hurts Rookie Cards
      • Josh Allen Rookie Cards
      • Patrick Mahomes Rookie Cards
      • Tom Brady Cards
    • Most Watched Hockey Cards
      • Top 100 Most Watched Hockey Rookie Cards
      • Most Watched 2021-22 NHL Rookie Cards
      • Most Watched 2020-21 Rookie Cards
      • Most Watched 2019-20 Rookie Cards
      • Connor McDavid Cards
      • Wayne Gretzky Cards
      • Bobby Orr Cards
    • Most Watched Soccer Cards
    • Most Watched UFC Cards
    • Most Watched Golf Cards
    • Most Watched 1 of 1 Cards
    • Most Watched Topps SuperFractors
    • Most Watched Racing Cards
    • Top Sports Card Dealers on eBay
    • Most Watched Memorabilia
      • Vintage Sports Memorabilia
      • Vintage Sports Tickets, Stubs
      • Most Watched Autographs
  • Ending Soon on Ebay
    • Baseball Cards
    • Basketball Cards
    • Football Cards
    • Hockey Cards
    • Soccer Cards
    • Golf Cards
    • UFC Cards
  • Top - Ad

Sports Collectors Daily

Sports Collectors Daily

Sports collecting news - Sports cards and sports memorabilia industry news.

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network and Amazon.com.

  • Sports Memorabilia News
  • Sports Card News
    • Modern Sports Card News
      • New Sports Card Release Calendar
      • Shop Talk
    • Vintage Sports Card News
      • Affordable Vintage Cards, Collectibles
      • Old Baseball Card Sets
      • Old Basketball Card Sets
      • Old Football Card Sets
      • Old Hockey Card Sets
      • Vintage Pack Facts
  • Business/Industry News
    • Sports Memorabilia Business News
    • Sports Memorabilia Industry News
  • Around The Hobby
    • Editor’s Blog
    • David Cycleback’s Identification and Authentication Advice
  • Popular Stories
  • Sell Your Cards
You are here: Home / Sports Card News / The W9316 Strip Card Set is Short, Hideous, and Rare

The W9316 Strip Card Set is Short, Hideous, and Rare

May 12, 2021 By Anson Whaley

Strip card sets have been known historically as issues that struggle with aesthetic appeal. But one set, in particular, is one that has made collectors wince for years — the W9316 strip card set.

Here’s a closer look at this hidden ‘gem.’

W9316 Strip Card Basics

Believed to have been issued in 1921, the W9316 strip card set is not a large one. It includes only ten cards and while that is small by today’s standards, other sets were similarly small in the pre-war era.

Like most strip cards, the creator of this set is unknown. But if they were typical strip cards, they would have been distributed by all sorts of stores and vendors. Strip cards were printed in uncut strips or sheets and often cut or torn off at the time they were given to a customer. How many collectors ultimately got their hands on them is questionable, simply because the cards are much rarer than other strip cards.

Of note is that the odd W9316 designation was not from Jefferson Burdick’s American Card Catalog. That would not have made much sense based on Burdick’s numbering. Strip cards in that book (in a section then called ‘Recent Album Cards’ and printed with Exhibit cards) began with W501 and worked their way up through W644. Rather, the set was added by another publication that was printed after the fact. The American Card Catalog does not seem to have recognized this unique set so, to many collectors, it is uncatalogued.

The players in the release were certainly real live major leaguers. But unless you happen to be familiar with the set, good luck determining which player is which without the benefit of the name on the front. The depictions do not look much like the actual players. The color, cartoonish depictions are particularly difficult to stomach — so much so, that I actually believe this is the ugliest pre-war baseball card of them all.

There are lots of things wrong with the cards that make them look unappealing. For one thing, the players are so crudely drawn that several of them look like other cards in the set. The faces of the players are a problem, often lacking sufficient detail and with a distinguishing characteristic of bright red lips as if the players were wearing lipstick. Red lips on early cards were not terribly uncommon. In particular, young children, male or female, were often shown on trade cards with red lips. But coupled with the sheer hideous nature of the cards, here, it is simply one more thing to complain about.

Even the uniforms on many of the players were sketched so briefly that they are noticeably bad. There’s, for example, a disproportionately awful looking card of Bob Veach, which depicts him with a somewhat small head and a large upper body. The cards do have a card number on the front with the name, which is helpful when cataloging a set. But the cards (like most strip cards) have blank backs and this is mostly a forgettable issue for collectors seeking cards that, well, look nice.

Like many strip card sets, the printing quality varies quite a bit on these. The paper stock used for the cards, of course, is somewhat fragile, matching other inexpensive strip issues. Ink levels also contribute to what can be drastically looking different cards with little overall consistency. Similarly, these hand cut cards have little consistency when it comes to the sizes and edges. Some have a rough cut or have even been torn instead of formally cut with scissors. Others are cut drastically narrow or wide.

W9316 Checklist

The checklist is not terrible but could certainly have been stronger. Four of the ten cards depict Hall of Famers (Home Run Baker, Wilbert Robinson, George Sisler, and Ray Schalk) but missing are the likes of big names, including Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, and others.

Sisler’s is generally considered to be the biggest name in the set. Even if you don’t concede that point, he was certainly the biggest star at the time of the 1921 release date. The year before, in 1920, he led the majors with an incredible 257 hits — a record that stood for more than 80 years until it was broken by Ichiro Suzuki in 2004, who collected 262. Unsurprisingly, Sisler also led the majors that year with a .407 batting average and 399 total bases. In 1921, he followed that up by showing off his versatility, leading the majors with 18 triples and leading the league with 35 stolen bases while hitting a healthy .371. And in 1922, Sisler had arguably his greatest season with 246 hits and a career-best .420 batting average while leading the majors in stolen bases and winning the Most Valuable Player Award.

His was a great inclusion but without Ruth, Cobb, and Johnson, the set is still lacking a significant amount of star power.

The set also has two errors in it. Hall of Famer Wilbert Robinson has his first name spelled as Wilbur. Less offensive, Wally Schang’s first name is spelled as Wallie. Neither card is known to have been corrected so while those errors detract from the set a little, the price for them is not affected.

Here’s the full set checklist.

  1. Bob Veach
  2. Frank ‘Home Run’ Baker
  3. Wilbur Robinson
  4. Tom Griffith
  5. Jimmie Johnston
  6. Wallie Schang
  7. Leon Cadore
  8. George Sisler
  9. Ray Schalk
  10. Jesse Barnes

Rarity and Pricing

As mentioned, the cards are not easy to find. You can typically find some on eBay but quantities are not plentiful. That often leads to high asking prices from sellers offering them.

The rarity is seen in PSA’s population report. To date, the company has not even graded 40 total copies of the cards. Many certainly, however, are raw and ungraded, so that number shouldn’t be viewed too seriously. It does speak to the fact that the cards are abundant, however.

$75-$100 is a good place to start for commons in decent condition. Some of the bigger names can be found within that threshold on occasion but usually, you can expect to pay for for the likes of Sisler. Sisler cards in nice condition can fetch twice that amount.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Reddit
  • Facebook Messenger

Related Stories:

The Baseball Cards of the Legendary Jim Thorpe Eddie Cicotte and His Affordable and Very Collectible Baseball Cards Quirky 1920s W9316 Strip Cards Are a Sight to Behold 5 Bargains of Pre-War Stars in Strip Card Issues Pre-War Food Issues Offer Unique Options to Collectors Supplements are Affordable Pre-War Options Studying the Rarity of the 1928 F50 “Ice Cream and Candy” Baseball Cards V117 Maple Crispette Set Brought Major League Baseball To Canada

About Anson Whaley

Anson Whaley is a contributor to Sports Collectors Daily and has been an avid pre-war and vintage card collector for more than 20 years. He manages a pre-war sports card blog and database at www.prewarcards.com . You can email him at [email protected] or find him on Twitter @PreWarCards.

Filed Under: Old Baseball Card Sets, Sports Card News, Vintage Sports Card News Tagged With: 1920s baseball cards, pre-War baseball cards, W9316 Strip Cards

Primary Sidebar

Our articles may contain affiliate links. When you click on links to merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network. 

Shop Sports Cards on Ebay
  • Football
  • Basketball
  • Baseball
  • Hockey

High End Cards and Memorabilia

  • BBCE Authenticated Boxes, Packs opens in a new window
  • Graded pre-War Card eBay Auctions
  • PWCC Premier Auction
  • PWCC Fixed Price Marketplace
  • Graded Rookie Cards on eBay opens in a new window
  • Authenticated Photos on eBay opens in a new window
  • Graded Tickets & Stubs opens in a new window

Bargain Corner

  • Michael Jordan cards $5 and less opens in a new window
  • Kobe Bryant cards $5 and less opens in a new window
  • Mickey Mantle Cards Under $150 opens in a new window
  • Graded T206 Cards Under $150 opens in a new window
  • Pre-War Cards Under $100 opens in a new window
  • Pre-1980 Graded Baseball Cards $10 and Less opens in a new window
  • Pre-1980 Graded Football Cards $10 and Less opens in a new window
  • Vintage Graded Basketball Cards $25 and less opens in a new window
  • Vintage Graded Hockey Cards $10 and Less opens in a new window
  • Complete Sets $20 and Less opens in a new window
  • Baseball Hall of Famers for $5 or Less opens in a new window
  • Football Hall of Famers for $5 or Less opens in a new window
  • Hobby Boxes Under $30 opens in a new window
  • Pre-1986 Rookie Cards Under $1 opens in a new window
  • Buy Boxes Directly from Topps opens in a new window

RSS Auction Report

  • Steve Novella Offers PSA Card Auction Ending Dec. 6, 2023
  • SuperDog Sports Auction Ends December 7, 2023 – Bid & Register Now
  • Top Results from Classic Auctions November 2023 Auction

Footer

Categories

  • Around the Hobby
  • Business/Industry News
    • Sports Memorabilia Business News
    • Sports Memorabilia Industry News
  • David Cycleback's Identification and Authentication Advice
  • Editor's Blog
  • Featured Articles
  • Hobby Shop Talk
  • National Sports Collectors Convention
  • Popular Stories
  • Rich Klein's Ramblings
  • Sports Card News
    • Modern Sports Card News
      • New Sports Card Release Calendar
    • Vintage Sports Card News
      • Old Baseball Card Sets
      • Old Basketball Card Sets
      • Old Football Card Sets
      • Old Hockey Card Sets
      • Vintage Pack Facts
  • Sports Memorabilia News
  • Uncategorized

Sponsor Links

  • Sports Card Forumopens in a new window
  • Buying Vintage Sports Cardsopens in a new window
  • Championship Rings For Saleopens in a new window
  • Autographed Baseballsopens in a new window
  • Vintage Graded Baseball Cardsopens in a new window
  • Sports Collectors Storeopens in a new window

Pages

Ending on eBay Soon
  • Baseball Card Auctions on eBay Ending Soon
  • Basketball Card Auctions on eBay Ending Soon
  • Football Card Auctions on eBay Ending Soon
  • Hockey Card Auctions Ending Soon on eBay
  • Vintage Sports Memorabilia on eBay Ending Soon
Top 100 on Ebay
  • Top 100 Most Watched Baseball Rookie Cards on eBay
  • Top 100 Most Watched Basketball Rookie Cards for Sale on eBay
  • Top 100 Most Watched Hockey Rookie Card Auctions
  • Top Authenticated Vintage Unopened Sports Card Boxes, Packs on eBay
Most Watched on eBay
  • 100 Most Watched Graded Rookie Cards for Sale on eBay
  • 100 Most Watched Tom Brady Card Auctions on eBay
  • 50 Hottest Hobby Boxes at Auction on eBay
  • 50 Most Watched Golf Trading Cards on eBay
  • 50 Most Watched Wrestling Trading Cards on eBay
  • 75 Most Watched Bowman Chrome Cards
  • Most Popular Bobbleheads on eBay
  • Most Watched 1/1 Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Basketball Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Complete Baseball Card Sets at Auction on eBay
  • Most Watched Football Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Football Rookie Card Auctions
  • Most Watched Goudey Baseball Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Hockey Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Racing Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Soccer Cards for Sale on eBay
  • Most Watched Sports Autographs on eBay
  • Most Watched Sports Jerseys on eBay
  • Most Watched Unopened Sports Card Boxes, Packs on eBay
  • Most Watched Vintage Sports Memorabilia on eBay
  • Hottest Panini National Treasures Cards on eBay
  • Hottest PSA 10 Cards for Sale on eBay
  • What’s Hot on eBay
Sports Memorabilia
  • Sports Card Bargain Bin
  • Sports Memorabilia Auctions Ending Soon on eBay
About Sports Collectors Daily
  • Advertise with SC Daily
  • Contact Us
  • Get Sports Collectors Daily via EMail
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
Sell Your Cards
  • What’s It Worth
  • Where Can I Sell My Baseball Cards?

Copyright © 2023 SportsCollectorsDaily.com | Web Design by Wickam Groupopens in a new window