Vintage Card Of The Month: 1933 Goudey Sport Kings Duke Kahanamoku

 

This month’s VCoM comes from one of the most amazing sports sets ever, the 1933 Goudey Sport Kings Gum set. The 48-card set was released throughout 1933 and 1934 in packs of Sport Kings gum by Goudey.

Goudey did an amazing job with an awesome checklist, which was a complete necessity to get children to part with their pennies in the midst of the Great Depression and included athletes from a large variety of sports. Along with baseball, basketball, football and hockey there are also summer and winter Olympians as well as a number of outdoor athletes. Some of the big names are Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Red Grange, Jim Thorpe, Walter Hagen, Gene Tunney, Johnny Weissmuller and Bobby Jones.

Now you may remember a couple of years ago where I posted about purchasing a fake version of this card as part of a collection, last year I finally added a real one to my collection and I can tell you that visually the cards are night and day and you can tell which is real. I am very excited about adding this to my collection.

Do You Know Anything About 1933 Sport Kings?

If you have a card that you are uncertain of its origin or even if it is authentic is it ok to sell as long as you list the card as a reprint?

 

I ask because I purchased some vintage cards earlier this year with the intent of going through and adding some to my collection while others were to be sold or traded. When I received the cards they went in to a binder without scanning them or even taking a second look. The binder was packed away to get ready for my move and now that I am settled I am pulling cards out to scan them in and once I saw a close up scan of this vintage card I have begun to have questions. Sadly, I purchase these cards over 6 months ago so contacting the seller and asking for a refund is well out the window.

 

I have been sitting on the edge between just accepting my screw up and holding on to the card so it does not return in to anyone else’s hands who might purchase it believing it to be real (like me) or re-selling it but listing it specifically as a reprint.

 

I know I can submit it to PSA or Beckett for verification but I have a strong belief that it is fake and I find it hard to spend more money on top of what I spent to purchase the card just to back up my belief of a fake.

 

I have since listed the card stating that I do believe it to be a reprint but to leave the decision up to the potential buyer but I am feeling stressed over it because I am worried that someone may turn around and sell as real. I considered marking the card as reprint but if for some reason the card is real that would damage it and ruin any future potential sale but if I don’t it may be misrepresented.

 

If there is someone out there that can help in any way it would mean a lot to me and help me make a decision on the cards future.

 

I own other 1933 Goudey baseball cards but this is the only Sport Kings that I have so can not compare it straight across but base it versus a baseball card. It appears to be the right size and paper type, similar weight, aging and expected damage. The ink seems to be consistent too. The back also seems legit, besides the copyright logo.

 

Now, here are my concerns:

1. The front has a sort of coating over it that is reflective where none of my baseball cards between 1933-35 do not have that kind of coating.
2. While it is not visible to the eye, when the card is scanned there are lines that appear on the face and arm which in other Sport Kings I have viewed online this should be a smooth and creamy coloring.
3. The marks on the chest are visible to the naked eye and to me seem like printer lines, again it should be creamy in color.
4. The black border around the Sport Kings Gum logo is almost a perfect stroke, something you wouldn't expect in 1933.
5. The copyright on both the front (Bottom right) and back (Bottom right) is blurred and should be clear