I ran across a rare item in Ron Oser Enterprises’ April 2001 catalog described as a 1966 Exhibit card uncut sheet from the last year that exhibit cards were issued. But I don’t know that the description was accurate!
My understanding is that the 1964-66 Exhibit cards don’t have ‘Printed in USA’ on the fronts and have blank backs, and it looks like the Berra batting card has that text on the bottom right. I’ve also read that this late series has 32 cards that were reprinted from the 1963 Stat set with blank backs (the ’63 set has 64 cards in the checklist), but Adam Warshaw has the best book on exhibit cards, Exhibit and Related Sports Arcade Cards, and he wrote, “As ESCO declined it issued a series of cards in 1964-66 that are substantially short printed and sell for a lot more than similar cards.” He went on to say that “the postwar run also yielded a key error card. Barney McCoskey is the corrected-common; Barney McCaskey is the error.” And I don’t see that card on the sheet. I also have seen 1963 Stat back checklists, and they don’t include a Mantle Portrait, which is included on the sheet and which Warshaw mentions as a key item in the late series. I’m so confused!
It looks to me like the exact same 1947-66 Exhibits uncut sheet that REA sold for $450 in the summer of 2019. They described it as a “32-card uncut production sheet.” They also wrote, “It is a virtual certainty that this sheet originates from the dispersal of The Exhibit Supply Company archives. Long ago, when the company was no longer in business, many of the photos, uncut sheets, and various advertising materials from the archives of the Exhibit Supply Company were scattered to the four corners of the collecting world.”
So, is this a late series sheet? Does the late series have 32 or 64 cards, and what’s their design makeup? Let me know if you know!
Here’s a really cool item from Mastro’s Classic Collector Auction in June 2006: a 1947-66 Exhibit Baseball unopened partial cello box of 25 packs.
The catalog didn’t include any lot descriptions, but the pack on the right has Ernie Banks’s Bat on Should card on top (he also has a portrait variation), and the pack on the left shows Gil Hodges.
Also, while these arcade cards historically were meant for vending machines, Adam S. Warshaw, in his book Exhibit and Related Arcade Sports Cards, wrote that for a short time in the 1960s, ESCO tried to sell cards in cello packs, noting that the unopened materials are worth far more than the cards inside them.
The box shows that ESCO also had cello boxes with T.V. Cowboys, Jet Planes, Recording Artists, and Sport Cars.
Also, ESCO may have distributed these boxes with paper promos. Lelands sold a nearly complete cello box (28 packs) in December 2005 for $2,289, which included a “Jumbo Baseball Trading Cards” example.
A little over a month ago, I published a piece about the Exhibit Supply Co. checklist cards. I highlighted slicks as being particularly important to this hobby niche. I then shared some vending machine header sign examples with slicks pasted on them.
Well, how cool is this display of 1948-1952 Exhibit Supply Co. football card machine-front advertising display pieces that was offered for sale back in December 2005?!
The consigner arranged a group of seven different W468 football machine-front ads into a single, incredible, wood-framed, 32’’ x 43’’ display piece. The minimum bid in December 2005 was $300, but unfortunately, I don’t know what this lot sold for. The cards were all described as paper-thin (slicks) and adhered to the cardboard. And the upper-left example includes a super rare checklist printed on the image of Chuck Bednarik. There are just a handful of these checklist cards in the hobby.
I also can’t say I’ve ever seen an Exhibit machine sign with yellow or green text either, AND the cards in the lower-left example appear to be attached (i.e., a partial uncut sheet of sorts)!
Here’s Mastro’s complete description:
The products of Chicago’s Exhibit Supply Company were designed to be sold in amusement parks and penny arcades. A lot of noisy excitement took place in those establishments, however, and a means was needed to divert customers toward the mute vending machines standing quietly ready to accept pennies and nickels in exchange for cards. The assembled layouts here offered were used on machine-fronts to draw attention and promote sales of Exhibit’s W468 football subjects, and the gridiron greatness depicted in this group of 7 different, very scarce pieces is astonishing in its scope. Featured among the placards’ depictions are key Hall of Famers, short-printed subjects, and the Exhibit collector’s most sought-after piece: the very rare Check List. Each layout consists of thin-paper Exhibit cardfronts adhered to cardboard or paper backings, with titles and graphics added; the layouts have been nicely arranged and matted within a wooden-framed surround (32″ x 43″ total dimensions). The items’ overall display quality is at least EX (some individual components are lesser), with most faults limited largely to fragile, once-exposed corners and surfaces. Includes: MACHINE-FRONT DISPLAYS (7) 12-1/2″ x 19″ panel 1) “Football Stars” display, 9 subjects w/ Young/Baugh/Lujack/Harder/Check List SP/Motley/Graham/Layne/Christman. (Check List SP with text overprinted on the image of Chuck Bednarik-is apparent EX/MT.) 8″ x 12-1/2″ panels 2) 3-subject, 2¢ display w/ McColl/Connor/Barwegan; 3) 3-subject, 1¢ display w/Morrison/Sitko/ Tripucka; 4) 3-subject, 1¢ display w/ Turner/Hirsch/Dudley; 5) 3-subject, 1¢ display w/ Mastrangelo SP/Wedemeyer SP/Coulter SP; 6) 3-subject, 1¢ display w/ Trippi/Motley/Schlinkman SP; 7) 3-subject, 1¢ display w/Ratterman/Younger/Conerly.
From 1921 to the 1970s, Exhibit Supply Co. (ESCO) of Chicago, Illinois, released over 14,000 different cards. While there are numerous articles I could write about “Exhibits” here on the blog, covering various aspects of the company’s history, including the postcard-like design style, distribution and machines, and key sets/cards, there’s a select group of cards that are particularly scarce, about which very little is known in a topic I’m genuinely passionate about, Checklist cards!
Before I delve into Exhibit’s wrestling, football, baseball, and boxing checklist cards, I want to address a few important points.
Firstly, I want to clarify that I’m not an exhibit expert. These cards have a poorly documented history that’s challenging to unravel, and there are some hot debates about some of them in the hobby. However, my interest in learning more about them has been growing over the years. The topic of checklists, in particular, has been on my mind for some time. I decided to take the plunge and share my thoughts, hoping that fellow collectors might reach out to me and engage in conversations or provide additional insights. So, please don’t hesitate to contact me if you notice any errors or have more information to share.
Next, kudos to Adam Warshaw and his book, Exhibit and Related Sports Arcade Cards. I’ll reference it throughout this post; it’s an awesome resource.
Exhibit and Related Sports Arcade Cards – By Adam S. Warshaw
Lastly, before diving into the cards, you should be aware of one critical Arcade/Exhibit-related topic – slicks. Slicks are paper versions of the cards produced on “slick” glossy paper. They served as exact replicas of the typically thick postcard-like cards and were designed to be affixed to headers on the front of exhibit vending/arcade machines. Adam pointed out that ESCO likely produced them because paper is more cost-effective and lighter than cardboard. When manufacturing and mailing tens of thousands of these each year, every penny saved matters.
To illustrate, here’s an example of a vending machine with a header sign with a bunch of slicks pasted on it, advertising “Baseball Stars” and “Football Stars.”
Exhibits Vending Machine With Baseball and Football Stars Header
This is a different sign, but notice the glue on the back of each one.
Exhibits Baseball Stars and Football Stars Header/Slicks
Exhibit Wrestling Checklist Card
The following Exhibits “Wrestlers” checklist card was sold in a lot of 34 items by Robert Edward Auctions in April 2023 for $1320. REA described the checklist as “extremely rare” and having a typed address on reverse, but otherwise in fair condition. I’ve also read that the postcard is not on standard Exhibit card stock.
Exhibit Wrestling Checklist Card – Front
Exhibit Wrestling Checklist Card – Reverse
A scan of the same card appears in Warshaw’s book (with a photo of a boxing and baseball checklist). He wrote that the checklist cards from the 1950s are “actually salesman samples, as proven by the example addressed to arcade owners.” However, he only shows the back of the wrestling card, which has sale information, so I think we can call, at least this known example, a salesman sample checklist card.
I also think there may be another pair of 1955-59 Exhibit Supply Company Wrestler series advertising checklists featuring Lou Thesz. One has Don Eagle on the list, and the other does not. Both were supplied with each order of 1000 cards and only exist without cardboard backing and have blank backs.
Exhibit Boxing Checklist Card
Here’s a scan of the Exhibit Prize Fighters checklist card from Warshaw’s book.
Exhibit Boxing Checklist Card – Example 1
And here’s another I found on Google Images. I think they’re the exact same item, given some of the wrinkles.
Exhibit Boxing Checklist Card – Example 2
Because I haven’t seen a scan of either back, I’m unsure if they’re slicks or a salesman sample item/postcards. Also, Warshaw explains that even though Jake LaMotta and Rocky Marciano are both listed on the card, they were part of different sets/series, with La Motta being part of the Salutations series from the ’40s while the Marciano card came out years later in another series. I’ve also seen folks date the boxing checklist card to 1950 (just like the wrestling card).
Exhibit Football Checklist Cards
Things start to get even more complicated when it comes to Exhibit Football checklist cards.
First, there’s definitely a slick version. Sports Collectors Digest shared a pair of machines with headers, one of which features both a Joe DiMaggio baseball and Chuck Bednarik football checklist.
Arcade Machines – Baseball and Football Stars Checklist Slicks
Next, Robert Edward Auctions sold a lot of Exhibit football cards in April 2015 for $2700; its title was 1948-1952 W468 Football Exhibits Complete Set (59) Plus Rare Checklist. They describe the checklist as “paper thin” and in fair condition due to “adhesive on reverse.” So, I think it’s safe to call it a slick.
W468 Football Exhibits Plus Rare Checklist
REA also wrote that the football cards were released between 1948 and 1952, black-and-white between 1948 and 1951, and sepia-toned in 1952. However, Warshaw thinks the cards may have been issued on an ongoing basis from 1948-1955, with certain cards being replaced over time. He also shares that the checklist card is interesting because it specifies which cards were made in the particular year of its creation (cards were issued in 32 card series). He writes that the checklist card is undated and wasn’t mailed, so we can’t conclusively say it’s a 1950 card.
Tuff Stuff says the cards were released in three groups of 32 in 1948, 1950, and 1951, with the 1951 series being the easiest to find. They also wrote that the checklist was produced in 1950 in black-and-white and green – they also mentioned a nine-card ad display with the Bendarik checklist. Beckett online also says the checklist was produced in 1950 in both black-and-white and green and lists 32 players from the 1950 set on the front.
Speaking of, I pulled this black-and-white exhibits football checklist from TCDB. It could be a black-and-white photo of a green/sepia-tone card, but the back shows glue, implying a slick.
Exhibit Football Black-and-White Checklist Slick
Last, I ran across this photo in Google Images. I can’t quite tell if it’s thick like a normal W468 card, but this thread on net54 implies there’s a Bednarik checklist that’s not a slick.
Exhibit Football Checklist Card
SGC shows three 1948-52 Exhibits (W468) checklist cards with Chuck Bendarik pictured in its Pop Report.
Exhibit Baseball Checklist Cards
I know of two 1947-66 Exhibits baseball checklist card variations. One has ‘Yogi Berra Listed First,’ and one has Al Evans listed first.
Here’s the SGC-graded example of the one with Yogi Berra listed first.
1947-66 Exhibits Checklist Yogi Berra Listed First
The SGC Pop Report also lists two cards with the description ‘Joe DiMaggio Pictured,’ including the following example – but note that it has Al Evans listed first. I’m unsure if the other SGC-graded example is the same as this one – but if you look above, the Yogi Berra Listed First card also features Joe DiMaggio.
1947-66 Exhibits Checklist Joe DiMaggio Pictured – Al Evans Listed First
Let’s discuss the ‘Yogi Berra Listed First’ copy. It’s a slick, given the tape residue on the back of the card. Robert Edward Auctions sold the pictured SGC-A card in August 2022 for $840, and I regret not bidding more for it! They noted that it was the first of its kind that they had seen but were aware of the existence of others (I presume they are referring to the variation with Al Evans listed first). REA mentioned the glue residue showing on the blank back. By the way, that Sports Collectors Digest arcade find I referred to earlier, with the baseball and football checklist, the baseball one is a ‘Yogi Berra Listed First’ slick.
The SGC graded Exhibits baseball checklist I shared, with Al Evans listed first, was sold by Heritage Auctions in a lot of 182 Exhibits for $1135.25 in May 2012. Here are a few other cards from that lot.
Heritage Auctions Exhibit Lot With Checklist Card
Heritage explained that they were calling them 1940s to 1960s Exhibits, but they may be something more unique. Given the previously unknown checklist, they thought their origin could be Canadian, and a few of the Salutation series subjects included in the lot suggested a unique circulation apart from the massive distribution in the United States.
In a 2013 auction for 42 and a 2015 auction for 44 more similar Exhibit baseball cards, Heritage wrote, “NOTE: The primary origin of these cards appears to be Canada and one find even yielded a checklist card. The print quality of these cards matches that of the accepted Canadian color tinted baseball exhibit cards. Third party graders still do not accept these and simply write them off as reprints. Please take this into consideration when bidding.”
There was a 64-card Canadian Exhibit baseball set (two 32-card sets), often referenced to 1953, but its checklist doesn’t match the checklist card. The Canadian Exhibit baseball cards are also numbered. PSA writes, “Cards tinted green or red number from #1-32, while cards #32-64 were printed in blue and reddish-brown. Strictly printed in 1953, the cards possess action or portrait style photographs with the player’s name seemingly hand-printed at the bottom of each with the year’s issuance printed below as “53”. The grey stock cards are numbered in the upper right corner.”
Also, the Al Evans checklist lists the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies who played in the 1950 World Series, but the Phillies are crossed off, and New York Giants are written in, who the Yankees played in the 1951 World Series.
Warshaw dedicates some time to the team cards in his book. He wrote that from 1949 to 1957, except for 1953, ESCO issued a team card for each pennant winner. Noting that a card that says “1955 World Champions” wasn’t made for the 1955 print run. It had to be made after the September/October 1955 World Series.
Therefore, Warshaw references the Al Evans listed first checklist card as one for the 1951 print run (Yankees vs. Phillies in the 1950 World Series).
Wrap-Up and Further Reading
Again, if you have any more information or photos of these cards, please get in touch with me via e-mail, in the comments, or on Twitter. And if you’re into Exhibits, be sure to pick up a copy of Warshaw’s book Exhibit And Related Sports Arcade Cards. I’m super excited to learn more about this hobby niche and suspect there is still a lot to uncover about Exhibits.
Happy collecting!
PS, I think there’s a chance the Exhibit Supply Co could have printed the baseball and football slicks for a 1955 revised release as wrestlers, prize fighters, baseball stars, and football stars all appear together on the following catalog page with a note to “Combine In One Machine” (and there is that arcade machine with both the baseball and football checklist card slicks on it).
This lot of 342 Exhibit Supply Company photos is a genuine piece of hobby history. It was originally purchased at the time of ESCO’s liquidation in 1979 upon the owner’s retirement. Mastro offered it in their April 2003 Sports Premier Catalog Auction.
I can’t get a clean scan of the lot’s description because the catalog is so thick, so I’ve re-typed it:
Presented is the absolutely unique hoard of 342 original photographs and artist’s proof pieces that were used to construct Exhibit Supply Company’s baseball-themed arcade cards from 1939 to 1966. The importance of these images cannot be overstated. They were the foundations for some of the hobby’s most cherished collectibles, and every illustration is a one-of-a-kind origin item behind the production of an industry favorite. The long span of years covered allows a flight of fancy through the game from its early 20th Century Hall of Famers to the more recent superstars we watched in action during the 1950’s and 1960’s. This is an unbelievably compelling assembly of material! Many of the stars are presented in multiple poses (since they appeared in more than one Exhibit set) and the array of talent included is simply incredible. The original images for the much sought-after Exhibit “team” cards are here also. A tiny sampling of the players represented, mentioning just a fraction of the stars included, reveals: Hank Aaron, Grover Cleveland Alexander, Ernie Banks, Yogi Berra, Roy Campanella, Mickey Cochrane, Ty Cobb, Dizzy Dean, Bill Dickey, Joe DiMaggio, Johnny Evers, “Jimmy” Foxx, Frankie Frisch, Lou Gehrig, Henry Greenberg, Carl Hubbell, Walter Johnson, Connie Mack, Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Christy Mathewson, Willie Mays, Joe Medwick, Mel Ott, Satchel Paige, Jackie Robinson, Babe Ruth, Warren Spahn, Tris Speaker, Joe Tinker, Rube Waddell, Honus Wagner, Ted Williams (including ‘number 9 showing’), Cy Young, 1949 Yankees, 1950 Yankees, 1951 Yankees and many, many others. (Only space constraints prevent the listing of dozens more from this mind-boggling roster of baseball giants.) These photographs are b/w glossies of 8” x 10” or smaller dimensions, or have been fashing as “paste-up” grafted likenesses. Almost all have artist’s or editor’s working specification notes attached. A number of the images are actual “wire photos,” with news service attributions stamped on the reverse sides, and most of them display an enhanced definition of appearance that made them suitable for quality reproduction on cards. Overall condition is EX to EX/MT. This breathtaking archive was purchased at the time of Exhibit Supply Company’s liquidation in 1979 (upon the owner’s retirement), and has been preserved in full, intact form. An LOA, from the industry veteran who obtained the items directly from Exhibit Supply Company, accompanies. This amazing assembly includes an unbelievable wealth of key rarities and stars, and offers phenomenal “break” value!
The minimum bid was $2,500. If anyone knows the final price, let me know in the comments.
