Here is a 1933 Goudey card of Hall of Fame player
Mel Ott (nice game face!) The 239 card set was issued
in Goudey bubble gum packs, each card measuring
2 3/8 by 2 7/8 inches.
Goudey was the first American company to issue baseball
cards with each stick of gum, though they had been available
with cigarettes and certain lines of candy for many years.
There are two series in the 1933 set, Mel being from
series two. The first series cards have a red band
across the bottom with the words "Big League
Chewing Gum." Interestingly, or oddly, enough, the
1938 set picked up in numbering where the 1933 set
left off.
Unfortunately, the 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth is a commonly
forged card: some estimate that over half of the 1933
Ruth Goudeys in circulation are counterfeits. There are
ways to spot the fakes, however.
If the 1933 you're looking at has a glossy finish on the front,
that's a bad sign--these cards should appear matte. Next,
check the text on the back of the card, looking at it under
magnification. If the printer's ink appears dotted rather than
solid, that's another sign of a reprint. Also, many cards have
been artificially aged, so don't let a few creases, a short dip in
a cup of tea, and some sandpapered edges fool you! I've
read that the 1933 Goudeys won't fluoresce under a black
light, but as most of us don't routinely carry one of those,
rely on your common sense when buying in person, and a
reputable grading company when buying on-line.
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