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The Collector's Bible
Eckes v. Card Prices Update (1984)
Charge: Copyright infringement - newsletter allegedly copied a price guide's list of premium baseball cards (suit against the newsletter)Court: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second CircuitDocket: Double Play
Is the selection of 'premium' cards in a price guide protected by copyright, and was it copied?
The facts
Two authors published a price guide listing about 18,000 baseball cards and singling out roughly 5,000 as 'premium' cards worth more than common ones. Months later, a newsletter publisher began a monthly guide listing substantially the same premium cards. He admitted the guide was the hobby's 'bible' but denied copying. His newsletter had identical prices and pictures and even repeated the guide's misspellings and mistakes. A trial court found no infringement. The authors appealed.
You have the facts the court had. Guilty or not guilty? Call it in the game with your friends, then see what the court actually decided. Wrong call, you drink.
Citation: Eckes v. Card Prices Update, 736 F.2d 859 (2d Cir. 1984)
Read more at case-law.vlex.com. The source reveals the outcome.