Description:

This basketball themed S110 "premium pillow top" as described by J.R. Burdick in The American Card Catalog, measures 23"x23". It has "No. 8" indicated in the lower right corner of the pillowcase. This particular example was added to the collection in March, 2004. The S110 premium pillow top could be obtained only by mail in exchange for coupons packaged with Helmar and Turkey Red tobacco. The S110 set was part of the same promotion as the T3 Turkey Red cabinet-card set, the S81 large silk premiums, and the L1 leathers tobacco-premium issue. Of course, none of these are basketball related. Some claim the S110 was the ultimate prize of the promotion, requiring the most coupons in exchange (100 coupons were needed to get a pillowcase). However, there are coupon examples that suggest that only 50 coupons were required. Others claim 150 coupons were required. Who right? I don't know. However, the large number of coupons required helps explain why S110s are so rare. Variations are seen in the number color (blue or black) and also in the shading on the women's costumes (blue or green).