Random Card of the Day

Nice non-sports card.

This is a very intresting card.

With all respect paid to Billy. I believe the hobby may assign the numbers. Like T206, T205.  I may be wrong but the title at Beckett for this set is "1911 Heroes of history T68".  Believe me I realize Beckett sometimes does it the lazy way, but on the vintage they are usually right.

The numbers come from the American Card Catalog. This was created by Jefferson Burdick, who was the first trading card collector to publish any material about the hobby. The numbers are nothing more than the numbers he assigned to them in his collection, not unlike how musuems catalog the items in their collection. (Usually by writing it directly on the item! I don't believe he did that, fortunately) The numbers do not denote anything created by the card companies, are not in any sort of order related to chronology- I believe they are numbered in the order he added them to his collection, but I am not 100% sure on that- and are completelty random. Some sets, presumably those he didn't have in his collection- do not have an ACC number. 

Burdick also did not care about variations or wholly different releases with the same subject, and has been known to give cards from different companies the same number if they are similar. 

Beckett simply copied what came before them. We bend over backwards to not mirror them in any way, yet we DO bend over backwards TO copy Jefferson Burdick. Why is it ok to copy Burdick and not Jim Beckett? I suspect because Beckett is still alive and likely to sue. Both of them are just guys who published a book about trading cards. The only difference is the era in which they lived, and the fact that Burdick favored non-sports while Beckett favors baseball. 

What we are doing with those cards numbers would be no different than if I were to publish a book and numbered each set in my collection. (I display a slightly outdated, numbered list, here) And then somebody comes along and changes, for example, 1995-96 Fleer to 1995-96 Fleer K87. Just because I published a book and it's the 87th set listed doesn't mean K87 has any true relationship to the 1995-96 Fleer set whatsoever. 

Putting those numbers in the set titles flies against everything else the Database stands for. It might even be copyright infringement, if Burdick's heirs have maintained the rights on his book. That, I do not know. 

I understand Billy, but you can't expect to change the hobby ID's,  the Hobby decides that is just the way it is and has been for too long to change it now. T206 by any other name would be what?

Edit: comment removed because I just don't care that much

Also, for consideration of Admin's Ironic RCOTD list: this discussion is taking place on Honus Wagner's birthday!

The thing is, the sets DO have names. They ALWAYS DID. People have chosen to ignore the real names in favor of something completely made up. I'm beginning to understand why so many people refer to others as sheep. 

Sorry, Billy. Not with you on this one. Mr. Burdick was the first to create a comprehensive catalogue of trading cards. And he made up a system for that catalogue to make sense. I have no problem using the shorthand he created. That some of that shorthand has overtaken the actual names of the sets doesn't really bother me. I like to collect American Tobacco Gold Border cards. I suppose I could say that all the time. Or I can just say T205s. Either way. I don't think it means I'm somehow dishonoring or disrespecting the original names of the cards. Or being a sheep. I'm crediting the guy who spent the time and effort to put some organization into this. If you come up with a system for the new cards, and give them numbers, and it catches on, more power to ya!

v3 

I'm actually leaning Billy's way on this one.  Now I don't have any older cards (my oldest I think is 1958), but I remember having a thread on here about listing the card how it was presented on the packaging and on the card.  I don't see the T68 anywhere on the card.  I could be overlooking it, but if its not on there should it be listed in the name?

Also just asking is there a card number on the card?  I didn't see that either.