It’s pretty rare these days to find a T206 print oddity that we’ve never seen before. A few weeks back, T206 collector Jay Kaplan made just such a discovery. The above lot of seven cards was sold on eBay via auction, which ended April 24, 2018. The listing flew under the radar and sold for the very reasonable price of $175.42. As I type this, I am still kicking myself for not noticing the card in question. I was the under-bidder on the lot, as I was interested in the two Sovereign 150s and the Magee. I scanned the backs and just thought the Bransfield had some back damage or tape, etc. When you collect rare backs and oddities, you get used to competing for cards, and losing auctions is a part of it. It always takes a bit of the sting out of it when the winner is a buddy and you know they are excited to get the card.
I talked with Jay about his new acquisition, and here is an excerpt from our conversation:
When did you realize the back of the Bransfield was something special?
When I bought the lot I had no idea on the Bransfield. I bought the lot for the Sov150’s and the 649 overprint. Just thought it was a normal common with tape on the back. It wasn’t until Scott Russell made a thread on net54 that I figured anything out. He zoomed way in on the back, and it was very clear that the imprint was not tape, but was ink.
I know you have quite the back collection. Do you collect print oddities as well?
I do not collect print oddities. Honestly, they scare me. There are too many, and there isn’t nearly enough information for me to feel like I can be an intelligent buyer. I do appreciate them for their coolness value though.
Do you know whether you’ll be hanging onto it, or selling/trading it?
I’ve gone back and forth on this. Originally I was dead set on selling it, but it’s grown on me. It was so cheap it’s definitely something I could throw into my collection as a type card. But, I really like trading, so if someone made me an offer on something I liked a lot I’d definitely trade it.
