Jon Canfield's Baseball Related Cigarette and Tobacco Packs

Issued in 1911 by the American Tobacco Company, this set was the second of the great tobacco sets to be issued. These cards are commonly called “Gold Borders" because of their distinctive gold borders around the outside edge of the card. The T205 set featured three different types of designs on the front. The set consists of 219 cards. Eleven different cigarette companies inserted these cards into their packs. The cigarette brands of this set include American Beauty, Broadleaf, Cycle, Drum, Hassan, Hindu, Honest Long Cut, Polar Bear, Piedmont, Sovereign, and Sweet Caporal. Because of the multitude of brands used in the distribution of the T205 set, the types of packaging used in the distribution, as well as their rarity and value, varies greatly. As such, I have detailed each brand used in the distribution below.

American Beauty: T205's bearing an American Beauty back advertisement were packaged in 10-count slide & shell boxes of American Beauty Cigarettes. The cigarette boxes depict a beautiful graphic of the Battleship Maine on the front. Once thought of as one of the most difficult cigarette boxes to obtain, a recent fine of 25 or so NM+ unopened American Beauty boxes dating between 1905 and 1907 has put the estimated population of this cigarette box at around 30 (however I have yet to see an American Beauty cigarette box dated to the years of T205 distribution). Estimated value of an American Beauty cigarette box is $350.00.

Broadleaf: T205's bearing a Broadleaf back advertisement were packaged in 10-count slide & shell boxes of Broadleaf Cigarettes. Broadleaf cigarette boxes are one of the big four in terms of rarity (along with Drum, Hindu and Uzit). Since 1995, I have only been able to document the existence of six Broadleaf cigarette boxes. Of those six, one is a 20-count, two are 15-count, and two date to 1917 and 1918 respectively. Only one of the six is a 10-count box dating to 1910. In short, a Broadleaf cigarette box would be the cornerstone of any collection. Estimated value of a Broadleaf cigarette box is $1250.00+.

Cycle: T205's bearing a Cycle back advertisement were packaged in 10-count slide & shell boxes of Cycle Cigarettes. Cycle cigarette boxes remain one of the more difficult boxes to obtain although are occasionally offered for sale. Estimated value of a Cycle cigarette box is $150.00+.

Drum: T205's bearing a Drum back advertisement were packaged in 10-count slide & shell boxes of Drum Cigarettes. To date, only 2 Drum cigarette boxes from what is believed to be the correct era are known to exist. The one pictured above belongs to long-time collector Leon Luckey. It should be noted that Drum-backed T206's were not packaged with Drum tobacco pouches which are occasionally for sale. While the tobacco pouch was made by the American Tobacco Company as a companion piece to Drum Cigarettes, the tobacco pouches were not utilized in the distribution of cards. Drum cigarette boxes are extremely rare. Estimated value of a Drum cigarette box is $1650.00.

Hassan: T205's bearing a Hassan back advertisement were packaged in 10-count slide & shell boxes of Hassan Cigarettes. These boxes, while still a slide & design, are flat and wider than the other slide & shells. Hassan boxes can usually be found for sale without much challenge. Estimated value of a Hassan cigarette box is $75.00.

Hindu: T205's bearing a Hindu back advertisement were packaged in 10-count slide & shell boxes of Hindu Cigarettes. To date, I have not been able to confirm the existence of a Hindu cigarette box although the styling and graphics of the box are known due to advertisements placed in Louisiana newspapers in 1909 depicting T205 cards being pulled from a Hindu cigarette box. The image above is a close-up of that cigarette box. Estimated value of a Hindu cigarette box is $1300.00.

Honest Long Cut: T205's bearing a Honest Long Cut back advertisement were packaged in paper scrap pouches of Honest Long Cut smoking tobacco. Along with Polar Bear, Honest Long Cut was the only non-cigarette distributor of T205 cards. Honest Long Cut pouches are not terribly difficult to locate and are frequently offered for sale. Estimated value of a Honest Long Cut pouch is $75.00.

Piedmont: T205's bearing a Piedmont back advertisement were packaged in 10-count slide & shell boxes of Piedmont Cigarettes. Piedmont cigarette boxes are one of the easiest of all T205 brands to locate and are relatively inexpensive. Estimated value of a Piedmont cigarette box is $100.00.

Polar Bear: T205's bearing a Polar Bear back advertisement were packaged in paper pouches of Polar Bear scrap tobacco. Along with Honest Long Cut, Polar Bear was the only non-cigarette distributor of T205 cards. Polar Bear scrap tobacco pouches are periodically offered for sale and I would estimate their rarity as being mediocre. Estimated value of a Polar Bear tobacco pouch is $350.00.

Sovereign: T205's bearing a Sovereign back advertisement were packaged in 10-count slide & shell boxes of Sovereign Cigarettes. Sovereign cigarette boxes are one of the easier brands to locate and are relatively inexpensive. Estimated value of a Sovereign cigarette box is $110.00.

Sweet Caporal: T205's bearing a Sweet Caporal back advertisement were packaged in 10-count slide amp; shell boxes of Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. Along with Piedmont, Sweet Caporal cigarette boxes are one of the easiest of all T205 brands to locate and are relatively inexpensive. Estimated value of a Sweet Caporal cigarette box is $100.00.

BACK TO CIGARETTE BOXES & TOBACCO PACKS