1909 W555 Strip Card Set

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Fast Facts

Year(s) Issued: 1909

Set Designation: W555

Number Cards: 68

Card Size: 1-1/4″ x 1-1/4″

Common Card Value (Good Condition): $35

Scarcity Rating: (1 to 10, 10 scarcest):  8

Full W555 Checklist

W555 Strip Card Set

Keys For Collectors

• Smaller, square cards that were cut from the bottom of a box of ‘Base Ball Snap Shots’, believed to have been issued by Jay S. Meyer Confectioners of Philadelphia. (source)
• Thus, while Jefferson Burdick had the cards cataloged as ‘Strip Cards’, likely more of an E or Early Candy and Gum Card Issue
• The card images closely resemble many early caramel issues, such as those in the E93, E94, E97, and E98 sets, confirming the likelihood of a candy relationship.
• The box, with the cards, was intended to be folded up to resemble a toy camera.
• The 68-card set features some of the biggest names of the era, early in their playing career, including Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Cy Young, Christy Mathewson, and Eddie Plank.
• The cards are somewhat scarce; PSA has graded only ~160 cards from the set. 

W555 “Strip Card” Set – A Unique Early 1900’s Baseball Issue

The W555 ‘Strip Cards’, were misidentified by Jefferson Burdick in The American Card Catalog as strip cards, with later year discoveries confirming that the cards were a part of a box, issued by a candy company – Jay S. Meyer Confectioners.

The cards were a part of a unique box designed for kids to replicate a camera.

Thus, while the cards technically had to be cut, they were not a part of a strip, as initially believed by Burdick.

The cards might be the ugliest of all the W cards, just because the print of the player image is dull, and the cards are thick cardboard squares.

Still, despite being hard to look at it, the appeal comes from the huge star power in the set.  

Believed to have been issued in 1909-1910, these cards represent a relatively affordable way to own cards of some of the best to ever play the game.

It’s not to say these cards won’t set you back some dollars, but the cost pales compared to any of the same-era tobacco (T205, T206) cards or any other early caramel issues.

Cy Young has two cards in the set – one a ‘Portrait’ issue and another noted as a ‘Standing’ issue. The ‘Portrait’ card is a photo of Irv Young, which was eventually figured out and corrected in the set.

W555 Cy Young…err Irv Young, an uncorrected error card

These aren’t super easy to find, but occasionally, you can find some of the bigger stars, ungraded, on eBay for a decent price. Just beware, there are fakes out there on these cards, especially on the Wagner, Cobb, and Cy Young.

W555 Cards for Sale on eBay