1923 E123 Curtis Ireland Eppa J. Rixey PSA 5 EX

Eppa Rixey

(b. May 3, 1891 - d. February 28, 1963)

Eppa Rixey was a very good pitcher for some not very good teams, winning 266 games while losing 251. A workhorse and a master of control, Rixey won in double figures in 14 seasons and won 20 games four times. In 1922, his best season, he went a league-leading 25-13 for Cincinnati.

Inducted in 1963

1923 E123 Curtis Ireland Eppa J. Rixey PSA 5 EX


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Comments: I first purchased a 1980 TCMA #99 of Rixey as a temporary placeholder tribute card until I found an issue contemporary to his career that I liked. It was submitted to PSA and graded MINT 9 in July, 2002. In March, 2004 I won an eBay auction for a raw 1925 Exhibits card. The card was submitted to PSA, graded EX, and sold in March, 2005. I subsequently purchased a 1922 Exhibits card in September, 2004. The card was submitted to PSA and graded NM 7. Here's the card:

I also had umpires Bill Klem and Billy Evans representing the 1922 Exhibits issue so I was open to finding a different Rixey card. In December, 2007 my records show I traded away the 1922 Exhibits PSA 7 straight up for a beautiful NM 1927 Exhibits card. I didn't have the 1927 Exhibits issue represented in the collection. I just don't recall with whom the trade was made. Here's the 1927 Exhibits card:

I'd love a E123 Curtis Ireland Candy issue for Eppa but have only been able to track down a single copy (the owner doesn't want to sell).

UPDATE: After years and years of searching for the elusive E123 Curtis Ireland Rixey card, an example finally showed up on eBay in 2023. The price was a little higher than I wanted to pay but it was also a matter of finances. I just didn't have the funds to make a deal. The seller would periodically lower the price and it finally reached a point where I couldn't pass up the opportunity. I tried reaching the seller off eBay but couldn't make a connection. My searches for contact information came up short until I found some information on Net54. After several attempts we finally corresponded via email and reached a reasonable price. I sent off a check and the seller sent me the card. I opened the box on the way up to mountains for a family ski trip and all of four of us (me, wife, and two kids) took turns reading the back advertisement and thinking about children turning over dozens of "pictures" in exchange for Official Spalding National League baseballs. Glad this one wasn't turned in as part of the redemption offer!

Note the "P" on Rixey's hat in the E123 issue and missing from the Exhibits examples. Obviously, the Exhibit Supply Company wasn't licensed to tie their product to MLB-Philadelphia Phillies but the Curtis Ireland Candy Corp had exclusive rights to the photo. It's a great example of leveraging early "Photoshop" technics to hide the truth.


Card Details Below:
Year(s):	1923
ACC Set Designation:	E123
Set Name:	Curtis Ireland
Country:	United States
Description:	This set, identified in the ACC as E123, was issued in 1923 by the Curtis Ireland Candy Corp. of St. Louis and was distributed with Ireland's "All Star Bars". Except for the backs, the Ireland set is identical to the Willard Chocolate V100 set of the same year. Measuring 2-1/4" x 2-1/16", the cards feature sepia-toned photos with the player's name in script on the front. The backs advertise a contest which required the collector to mail in the cards in exchange for prizes, which probably explains their relative scarcity today.