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{{short description|Trading cards found with tobacco cigarettes}}
{{Notability|date=June 2009}}
{{Infobox toy
⚫
'''Mecca Double Folders''' were a type of tobacco [[trading card]] also known as a “T” card. They were issued in packs of cigarettes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and feature color drawings of professional baseball players. The set was issued in 1911 by the Mecca cigarette company. The ‘T201’ designation comes from the [[American Card Catalogue]], an authoritative guide to trading cards issued prior to 1951. (In other words, before the [[Topps]] company began to dominate the industry.) The set features a total of 50 cards measuring 2-3/16 inches x 4-3/4 inches. The 100 players pictured include a number of Hall of Famers, such as [[Ty Cobb]], [[Christy Mathewson]], and [[Tris Speaker]].
| name = T201
| image = Mecca card back.jpg
| image_size = 250
| caption = Mecca Cigarettes logo and slogan<br> displayed on cards back
| othernames =
| type = Illustrated [[baseball card]]
| inventor = [[American Tobacco Company]]
| company = American Tobacco Company
| country = [[United States]]
| from = 1911
| to = 1911
| materials =
| features =
| slogan =
| website =
}}
⚫
'''T201'''s, also known as '''Mecca Double Folders''', were a type of [[cigarette card]] issued in 1911 by the Mecca Cigarette Company, then part of the [[American Tobacco Company]]. The collection featured color drawings of professional baseball players. The ''T201'' designation comes from the [[American Card Catalogue]], an authoritative guide to trading cards issued prior to 1951. (In other words, before the [[Topps]] company began to dominate the industry).{{Cn|date=September 2022}}


The set consisted of a total of 50 cards measuring {{Convert|2+3/16 x 4+3/4|in|cm}}. The 100 players pictured include a number of Hall of Famers, such as [[Ty Cobb]], [[Christy Mathewson]], and [[Tris Speaker]].<ref name=cbc>[http://www.vintagecardtraders.com/virtual/t201/t201-cl.html T201 #1–50 checklist]</ref>
⚫
T201’s were called Double Folders because of their innovative design. Each card featured two players, one in a full picture on the front and one on half of the back. The other half of the back featured player statistics (one of the first baseball trading cards to do so) and an ad for Mecca. The cards were designed so that, when they were folded appropriately, the player on the back would appear on the legs of the picture on the front. Topps borrowed this idea in designing its 1955 Doubleheaders set.


== References ==
==Overview==
{{multiple image
{{unreferenced|date=June 2009}}
|align = right
<references>
|direction = horizontal
</references>
|total_width =200
|perrow =
|header =
|image1 = Hartzell blair card 01.jpg
|caption1 =
|image2 = Hartzell blair card 02.jpg
|caption2 =
|footer = Example of front and back T201 card, featuring players Hartzell and Blair of the NY Yankees
}}
⚫
T201s were called ''Double Folders'' because of their innovative design. Each card featured two players, one in a full picture on the front and one on half of the back. The other half of the back featured player statistics (one of the first baseball trading cards to do so) and an ad for Mecca.<ref>[https://www.cardboardconnection.com/t201-mecca-double-folders-baseball-cards 1911 T201 Baseball Cards] on CardBoardConnection</ref> The cards were designed so that, when they were folded appropriately, the player on the back would appear on the legs of the picture on the front. Topps borrowed this idea in designing its 1955 Doubleheaders set.<ref name=cbc/>

The name ''Mecca'' chosen for the cigarette brand was related to an increasing demand for [[Turkey|Turkish]] tobacco at the beginning of the 20th century, so Arabic names helped increase sales (''Hassan'' or ''Fatima'' were other brands used by the company by then).<ref name=cbc/>

Like other tobacco sets, such as the famous [[T205]] and [[T206]] issues, T201s were not numbered. Checklists generally list the cards alphabetically by the last name of the player pictured on the front of the card. Card pairs generally combined teammates, most of them Hall of Famers.<ref>[https://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/t201-mecca-double-folders-set/ T201 Mecca Double Folders Set is a Pre-War Bargain] by Anson Whaley on Sports Collectors Daily, 30 Nov 2016</Ref>


== See also ==
== See also ==
[[Cigarette Cards]]
[[Cigarette card|Cigarette cards]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.vintagecardtraders.com/virtual/t201/t201.html Gallery of complete T201 set] on Vintage Card Traders
*{{Commons category inline|T201 (Mecca Double Folders)}}

{{Sports cards}}
{{American Tobacco Company}}


[[Category:Baseball cards]]
[[Category:Baseball cards]]

Latest revision as of 02:22, 2 April 2024

T201
Mecca Cigarettes logo and slogan
displayed on cards back
TypeIllustrated baseball card
Inventor(s)American Tobacco Company
CompanyAmerican Tobacco Company
CountryUnited States
Availability1911–1911

T201s, also known as Mecca Double Folders, were a type of cigarette card issued in 1911 by the Mecca Cigarette Company, then part of the American Tobacco Company. The collection featured color drawings of professional baseball players. The T201 designation comes from the American Card Catalogue, an authoritative guide to trading cards issued prior to 1951. (In other words, before the Topps company began to dominate the industry).[citation needed]

The set consisted of a total of 50 cards measuring 2+3⁄16 by 4+3⁄4 inches (5.6 cm × 12.1 cm). The 100 players pictured include a number of Hall of Famers, such as Ty Cobb, Christy Mathewson, and Tris Speaker.[1]

Overview

[edit]
Example of front and back T201 card, featuring players Hartzell and Blair of the NY Yankees

T201s were called Double Folders because of their innovative design. Each card featured two players, one in a full picture on the front and one on half of the back. The other half of the back featured player statistics (one of the first baseball trading cards to do so) and an ad for Mecca.[2] The cards were designed so that, when they were folded appropriately, the player on the back would appear on the legs of the picture on the front. Topps borrowed this idea in designing its 1955 Doubleheaders set.[1]

The name Mecca chosen for the cigarette brand was related to an increasing demand for Turkish tobacco at the beginning of the 20th century, so Arabic names helped increase sales (Hassan or Fatima were other brands used by the company by then).[1]

Like other tobacco sets, such as the famous T205 and T206 issues, T201s were not numbered. Checklists generally list the cards alphabetically by the last name of the player pictured on the front of the card. Card pairs generally combined teammates, most of them Hall of Famers.[3]

See also

[edit]

Cigarette cards

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c T201 #1–50 checklist
  2. ^ 1911 T201 Baseball Cards on CardBoardConnection
  3. ^ T201 Mecca Double Folders Set is a Pre-War Bargain by Anson Whaley on Sports Collectors Daily, 30 Nov 2016
[edit]
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