News and Current Events – Page 3

Auction Report: Memory Lane Spring 2017

Luke May 11, 2017

The latest Memory Lane auction concluded on Saturday evening/Sunday morning. It was absolutely loaded with T206s. It appears that an entire set was auctioned off, one card at a time. Many of the cards were in high grade, and the ones that weren’t had scarce backs. Let’s get right to the recap.

Wagner PSA 2 sells for a cool $600,000
You know it’s a special auction when there’s a Wagner up for sale. The grade is a bit of a head-scratcher, but the card is a beauty regardless. Congrats to the new owner!

Plank PSA 4 sells for $76,800
An absolutely beautiful centered copy with a flawless surface. I love this card and I bet the new owner does as well.

SGC 60 Magie Error sells for $40,800

Cobb Bat Off Lenox SGC 40 sells for $41,249
A week after the PSA 6 Uzit Cobb sold in REA for $106k, this copy finds a new home as well. It’s a very strong card for the grade. One of many absolute monster cards in this auction.

Speaker Drum PSA 1 sells for $26,534
One of the top 10 combos in my humble opinion, this card was in the middle of a spirited bidding war. When the dust settled, the hammer was a healthy $26k. In much the same way that the Wagner does not look like a “2”, this card doesn’t look like a “1”. It’s a beautiful card for the grade. The rounded corners and creases above his head don’t detract from the overall eye appeal much.

Carolina Brights Mathewson Dark Cap PSA 3 sells for $12,113
This card is an absolute beauty. The colors are incredible, the surface and back are clean and the centering is solid.

Tinker Bat Off Shoulder Lenox PSA 3.5 sells for $11,011
Another extremely tough card that looks amazing for the grade.

Hindu Johnson Portrait PSA 2 sells for $6,060
Yet another example of a scarce front/back combo in this auction where the eye appeal far exceeded the technical grade. This card looks like a 4 to me, and it looks like the bidders agreed.

Hindu Lajoie Portrait PSA 2 sells for $5,918
Like the WaJo Hindu, this one looks much nicer than a “2”. The price was pretty hefty. I’m surprised that Lajoie went for essentially the same price as the WaJo, especially considering that the WaJo looks like a slightly nicer card in terms of eye appeal.

Autographed Crawford with bat Polar Bear sells for $4,903
This card is an absolute beauty. The signature is clean and the card looks to be in a clean VGEX. The Polar Bear back adds to the appeal of this rare specimen.

Broad Leaf 460 Baker SGC 10 sells for $3,110
It doesn’t get much better than a Hall of Famer with a Broad Leaf 460 back. This card has some obvious issues, and they no doubt kept the price down. This feels to me like a good deal for the winner. It’s definitely not every day you get a shot at a BL460 HOFer.

Kelley Broad Leaf 350 PSA 1 sells for $2,147
Kelley is one of the more scarce BL350s, and the price reflected that. This is a pretty nice looking card for the grade and it could be a long while before another copy comes to market.

Auction Report: REA Spring 2017

Luke May 4, 2017

Another incredible REA auction is in the books. As usual, I’ll be focusing on the T206s that were sold, but they were just a tiny percentage of the amazing offerings in the auction. This auction had a little something for almost everyone. There were pristine Cobbs and rare backs for the high-rollers, and lower grade rarities for the collector-grade folks. In this wrap-up, I’ll try to spotlight a selection from both ends of the spectrum.

Cobb Bat Off Shoulder Uzit PSA 6 Sells for $108,000
This card is absolutely stunning. A high-grade copy of one of the toughest and most sought after rare backs.

Cobb Green Portrait SGC 60 Sells for $9,000
Yet another mid-grade Green Cobb hit the market and did quite well. This one is a beauty.

Four 150-350 Series Proofs Sell for $7,200 – $8,400

Bates $8,400
Alperman $8,400
Jacklitsch $7,800
Wagner $7,200

I was a little surprised that the Alperman didn’t sell for more than the other three. As the only one of the quartet to not feature a name caption, it has much more appeal to me personally. Apparently the guys who actually have the money to bid on these don’t feel the same.

Magie Error PSA A Sells for $5,400
A nice looking card with a slight trim from top-to-bottom.

Cobb Green Portrait PSA 2 Sells for $5,400
Quite the strong price for this one. It’s either a case of someone buying the card, rather than the holder, or someone thinking they can remove the tape residue on the back of the card and elevate the grade to a 3.5 or 4.

Bell Lenox SGC 50 Sells for $3,600
A beautiful example, this one sold for about what you’d expect.

Arellanes Broad Leaf 350 SGC 50 Sells for $3,300
This card is amazing. Love the baby blue background and the back is clean and looks great.

Pelty Horizontal Hindu PSA 5 Sells for $2,700

Stovall with Bat Lenox SGC 30 Sells for $1,920
Another tough Lenox back, this one has great eye appeal for the grade. The only flaws are the spots of paper loss on the back. Luckily, they don’t affect any of the text.

Young Portrait El Principe De Gales PSA 3 Sells for $2,280
This is very strong “3” and it sold for a strong price. Seeing this result makes me wonder what a nice PSA 3 Old Mill or Hindu would fetch at auction.

Dougherty Portrait Hindu SGC 60 Sells for $1,560
Waddell Portrait SGC 40 Sells for $1,320
Walsh Hindu SGC 40 Sells for $1200
Tinker Hands on Knees Hindu SGC 20 Sells for $1,080
I thought these Hindus were a nice value for the new owners. All are really solid examples with great eye appeal.

Magee with Bat Red Hindu Sells for $1,440
This was the only Red Hindu in the auction, and it’s a beauty. I personally value cards of guys like Magee who were stars at the time more than a similar card of a player who had a less notable career. This card seems to have gone for a strong price, and I wonder if his status as a guy who just barely missed the Hall of Fame might have something to do with it.

Brown Chicago on Shirt Piedmont Factory 42 Sells for $840
This was one of my personal favorites in the auction. It’s a great looking “3” and it’s not every day you can find this pose with a tough back.

Auction Report: Love of the Game Spring Premier Auction 2017

Luke April 23, 2017 2 Comments

It’s been a couple weeks since the most recent Love of the Game Auction came to a close. In the future I’ll try to be a little more prompt with my auction summaries, but better late than never I figure. As always, Al had a little something for everyone.

Red Hindu John McGraw PSA 3mc sells for $1,560
Two things stood out to me about this McGraw Red Hindu. First, it has a crazy, somewhat distracting diamond-cut. Second, it has one of the deepest red backs I’ve ever seen. The back is just incredible. I thought this went for a very reasonable price, and I bet the new owner is stoked to own it.

Carolina Brights Bill Abstein SGC 40 sells for $1,599
Continuing the recent upward trend for the higher tier backs, this Abstein achieved a strong hammer price. Like the McGraw, the back on this one is exquisite. The card is also very nice for the grade, without any signs of a crease or wrinkle.

Ty Cobb Green Background Portrait SGC 20 sells for $2,160
Green Cobbies continue to be red hot. This one has solid eye appeal for the grade and sold for a strong price.

Broad Leaf 350 Tris Speaker PSA A sells for $615
I remember seeing the title of this listing and getting really excited. But, then I saw the card. I can’t help but feel a little sad when I see a rare and significant front/back combo like this that is so badly mangled. On the bright side, I’m definitely happy that it survived all these years.

Cycle 460 Cy Young SGC A sells for $510
I thought this card went for a reasonable price. Cycle 460s are under-appreciated in my opinion, and the premium paid for this one was only about 2x the price of a similar condition common back.

Brown Hindu Nap Lajoie portrait goes for $400
Another rare back with back issues, this one is a bit different than the Speaker above. The buyer no doubt thought that most of the paper loss/addition was the latter and that the card’s appearance could be much improved by a soak. I had this thought and was actually in on the bidding early but dropped out without making a serious run at it. For the condition this one is in, I feel $400 is a strong price that the consignor should be pleased with.

Piedmont Factory 42 Admiral Schlei batting sells for $366
Keeping with the theme of this auction, the back on this card is amazing. It’s a deep, bold blue, probably the nicest Piedmont 42 back I have ever seen. The slight mis-cut probably kept the price down because people who prefer PSA know that the card won’t cross over with the MC qualifier. Still, an incredible card and a nice deal for the buyer.

An Interesting Double Stamped T206 Sweet Caporal Back

Luke April 8, 2017 April 9, 2017

I recently came across this beauty. Since my most recent article concerns the printing process for T206s, it seemed fitting that I write up a little post about it.

At first glance, it looks like the back has a Wet Sheet Transfer from another Sweet Caporal back. However, if that were the case, the transfer would be reversed and the words would be backwards. I’m not 100% sure what caused this. But, the fact that the second, lighter printing is aligned in the same direction and slightly offset leads me to believe that it was printed at the time of production. My best guess is the backs were printed once as normal, and then printed again, except that the ink on the blanket was mostly gone and just shows up as a faint shadow on the card above.

I haven’t seen another card like this one, but it does remind me of a pair of double stamped Sweet Caporal 350 factory 30 backs I have seen in the past. I once owned this McCormick. I also know of a Matty McIntyre with the same double printed back. I believe both are from the same sheet.

The obvious difference is that it appears the McCormick back was actually fully printed twice, as the ink is almost as dark on the second printing (slightly above the first).

If anyone has seen any similar cards, I’d love to hear about it. Please shoot me a message via the contact link at the top of the page or via email at luke@thatT206life.com.

On the Psychology of Collecting

Luke March 30, 2017

These are some of the cards from my first try at collecting the entire T206 set

I’ve had a really busy last couple weeks with family stuff and haven’t been able to devote the amount of time that I normally do to the site. I don’t have a new article ready to go for today, so I figured I would write a little blog post. A recent post on net54baseball.com caught my attention. Titled “Collecting: The Journey or the Destination?”, it examined our motivations as collectors (click here to read it). It’s a topic that I have thought a lot about and find quite fascinating.

About 7 years ago, when I got back into collecting, I asked myself a lot of questions about what I wanted to collect, and why. I found a handful of T206 that I had acquired as a teenager and pretty much fell in love with them immediately. I spent a lot of time researching the set online. As I scrolled through posts on net54, I kept seeing incredible cards and collections posted by the members of the site. I felt some jealousy, but mainly I felt discouraged. I remember thinking, “Why should I even start collecting these cards, when I have no chance of ever having a collection like xxxxxxx on net54?”

As I was thinking about how I should proceed, I realized that I was feeling jealous and deflated just because of looking at some scans of cards online. Then it occurred to me, “Do I even need to own the cards? Why? Could I just collect scans?” If scans could make me jealous, maybe I could just assemble the greatest scan collection of all-time? After some more thought, I decided that it really wasn’t about scans or what cards other people owned. It’s about the connection to the game I love, and a bygone era. The scan collecting idea was a little bit tongue-in-cheek, but I am an analytical person by nature, and I’m used to trying to look at something from all angles in order to understand it. When you do that, collecting sure seems like an odd activity (especially when you look at it from the perspective of someone who doesn’t collect). There is a lot of joking amongst collectors that we all have a touch OCD, and there is probably some truth to it.

It seems that most collectors are all about the hunt. In other words, searching for the cards they want is what brings the most happiness and satisfaction. It’s very common for someone to spend a long time putting together a set, only to sell it soon after in order to work on a new project. A smaller percentage of collectors enjoy owning their cards more than searching for the cards they need.

When I first started collecting, I was all about the hunt. I was working on a lower grade T206 set and was trying to complete it as quick as I could. One day, I realized that approach was not working for me. I was searching ebay for new cards every evening after work and placing some bids. The problem was that on my desk, about a foot away from my mouse, were two bubble mailers. I knew that the mailers contained a John McGraw finger in air in Fair condition and a Bob Groom in similar condition. In the two weeks they had been sitting there, I hadn’t felt the inclination to open up the packages and look at them. At that point I knew my priorities were not in line with what would actually make me happy. I sold off the majority of the lower grade cards I had acquired just to check a card off my checklist and took a break. I still loved T206, but I wanted to find a new focus that I would enjoy more.

This is one of my favorite cards in my current collection

For me, back collecting ended up being what I was I really passionate about. Over time, as I built my new collection (I sold all but about 10 cards from that first collection, keeping the ones with sentimental value) I began to enjoy the actual owning of my cards more and more. Now, I enjoy looking at my cards much more than searching for new ones (though I still enjoy that too). In my opinion the reason for the change is threefold. First, I made a point of trying to align my collecting focus with what actually appeals to me, rather than trying to collect the set in a way that may work for other people, but didn’t for me. Second, I made a conscious effort to find ways to enjoy my collection more. I researched the players, I dove into all the old threads on net54 to learn as much as I could about the set. And most importantly, I spent more time enjoying the cards I already owned than I had in the past. The third reason inevitably follows the first. Over time, my collection improved and as it did, it was more fun to look through and enjoy. I imagine this occurs with all new collectors. It takes a little while before your collection feels substantial and exciting. I imagine that advanced collectors with huge, impressive collections spend a lot more time enjoying the fruits of their labor than searching for new items. That’s just a guess though. Maybe some day I’ll find out.

Why Don’t T206 Collectors Care About Hand-Cut Cards?

Luke February 16, 2017 February 16, 2017

Ever since I started collecting T206s, I’ve always been intrigued by cards that are clearly hand-cut. Oftentimes such cards also have blank backs or are missing colors, but sometimes they look pretty normal. This Stovall above is a good example of a card that clearly was cut from a sheet by hand (the bottom border is much wider than any factory-cut cards), but looks just like any other Stovall portrait otherwise.

I’ve always been drawn to these cards and I don’t really understand why collectors don’t seem to care for them. Though the market has been down recently, collectors still clearly covet Blank Backs and cards that are missing multiple colors passes. It makes sense that the most unique examples of Printer’s Scrap would be the most valuable. However, there is a ton of demand for other semi-scarce T206s, so the lack of demand for cards like my Stovall seems odd. For example, a PSA 3 Snodgrass with Tolstoi back just sold for $106 via ebay auction. Between PSA and SGC there are 14 copies of this front/back combo graded. A PSA 3 with Piedmont back would probably sell for about $40, so the Tolstoi back was worth for a 2.5x premium. This Stovall might be the only copy that was hand-cut, and I’d probably struggle to sell it for $30.

I can hypothesize a few reasons for the lack of demand. Maybe the fact that you can’t really “prove” these cards were hand-cut plays a role in the tepid response from collectors. Perhaps people find the wavy borders distracting. And maybe there just isn’t enough variation visually between a factory-cut copy and my Stovall for people to take notice. I do find it odd that T206 collectors hunt scarcity and perceived scarcity in many different ways, but will show little or no interest in certain scarce cards or variations. I believe that a lack of interest in a certain T206 niche will often breed more disinterest. It’s fun to show off your new cards and share new pickups with friends. When you’re the only person collecting a certain thing, it can feel pretty lonely after awhile.

What do you think about hand-cut cards? Do you like them? Would you pay a premium for them? Would you rather have the Leifield above, or a normal looking Leifield batting with a semi-tough back like Old Mill? Please leave a comment and join in the conversation.

Auction Report: Memory Lane

Luke January 26, 2017 January 19, 2017

Memory Lane’s winter auction came to a close on Saturday night. Among the offerings were a group of T206 rarities that attracted some spirited bidding. It looks like a Chicago Cubs collector consigned a large group of cards to this auction. A majority of the significant T206s sold here featured Cubs players on their fronts.

Red Hindu Evers SGC 60 – $6,225
This is the second-highest graded copy of Evers Red Hindu, and it is a stunner. It seems like a strong price to me based on the POP numbers, but the same card sold for $10,158 two years ago in Heritage, so I’m sure the buyer is thrilled.

Chance Lenox PSA 4 – $3,037
This one was a great deal. The same card sold for $8,888 via REA in 2012. It’s the highest graded copy in either pop report and a nice looking card. If it had been in a shiny new holder with “Lenox” on the flip, I bet it would have sold for more. A very nice buy for the new owner.

Chance red portrait EPDG PSA 5 – $1,951
This is the highest graded copy at PSA, and it fetched a strong price. A front/back combo that’s sneaky tough to find, this one was definitely not ignored by collectors.

Evers portrait Hindu SGC 50 – $1,319
The new owner has to be excited to snag this card at such a great price. It’s a bit of a weak 4, and that, as well as the myriad other tough Cubs cards in the auction, may have depressed the price.

Tinker bat off shoulder Blank Back – $1,244
This is my pick for best deal of the auction. Printer’s Scrap and Blank Backs continue to see their values fall, but this price seems ridiculously low. I imagine a lot of back collectors will regret letting that one go for such a low price (I already do). The fact that this is Tinker’s least popular pose may have been partially responsible for the low hammer.

Evers Broadleaf 350 SGC 30 – $1,128
Another card that went a lot lower than I would have expected. In retrospect, I wish I had gotten in there. Besides being a very scarce front/back combo, this one also has tremendous eye appeal for the grade. No paper loss, and the lone crease is not too distracting.

Evers Cubs on Shirt Sovereign 150 SGC 40 – $580
This front/back combo is tough to come by, and there were clearly 2 or 3 bidders who really wanted this one. It’s a strong return for the consignor and a fair price based on the scarcity of the card.

Auction Report: REA

Luke November 17, 2016 October 31, 2016

Another fun REA auction has come to a close. Tons of amazing T206s are going to new homes. Let’s take a look at some of the most notable cards that sold last night:

Ty Cobb Red Portrait with Ty Cobb back goes for $192,000

The Fall edition of REA ended last night. This Cobb from the recent Lucky 7 find was the headliner as far as T206s go. Not everyone agrees that this card should be cataloged as a T206 however. There has long been a debate amongst T206 historians as to whether it should be included under the T206 umbrella, or given a slightly different distinction. The main reason for this is that Red Cobbs with Ty Cobb back all have a glossy finish on the surface of the cards. Whatever you want to call it, this is a spectacular card and I imagine the new owner is very pleased.

Burch 150 series proof goes for $10,200

There were two proofs from the 150 series in this auction. This Burch and Red Kleinow, which went for $8,400. Both are amazing cards, but the Burch in particular is stunning. There have been a few proofs on the market recently, and these two went for right about what I would expect.

Broad Leaf 460 Willis SGC 50 goes for $8,400

I thought this one went for a bargain price. Some similar BL 460s have sold for more recently. A Danny Murphy SGC 55 sold for $10,200 in last year’s Fall REA auction. I’m a little surprised, but not completely. Collectors don’t seem to care (or maybe even notice) that Vic Willis is in the Hall of Fame. I’ve thought for awhile that he doesn’t get the respect he should, and this is another example.

Sovereign 150 Cobb bat on shoulder PSA 8 sells for $54,000

A stunning card in all respects, I think this one went for a very strong price. The tough back probably played a part in that. Certainly one of the finest Cobbs in existence.

Drum Purtell SGC 82 sells for $10,200

This was one of my favorite cards in the auction. It would have been mine if only I was rich. I think the buyer got a nice deal, but I’m not too surprised. Recently, on net54baseball.com, Purtell was voted the ugliest card in the T206 set. If this had been another player, the price may have gone a bit higher.

Red Hindu Baker PSA 7 goes for $7,200

The new owner of this one has to be thrilled. While I can’t say that this was a bargain, it is an absolutely beautiful card. Hall of Fame examples with Red Hindu back don’t come up for sale very often. The “Exclusive 12 Subjects” are an exception to that rule. Wheat, McGraw and Duffy are fairly easy to find with Red Hindu backs.