One of the best known examples of the T206 Honus Wagner card is coming to auction next month. Robert Edward Auctions will offer the card in its upcoming spring auction with a starting bid of $100,000 but if past sales are any indication, the winner will pay more than $1 million.
The card was unknown to the collecting world for nearly 100 years until it was discovered, along with hundreds of other early tobacco cards, in an Oceanside, New York home in 2008.
The entire collection of cards, saved for generations in the family of the original owner, was presented as part of a New York-based estate auction, where it sold for $791,000 via Philip Weiss Auctions. At the time of the sale, the card was graded ’40’ (VG) by SGC, but in the years since, the buyer opted to have it graded by PSA to 
match the balance of his collection. REA says SGC has since adjusted its population report accordingly so as to not double-count a card of such strong importance.
No more than four dozen individual graded examples of the Wagner card are known to exist and this one is among only a few with a short, but strong chain of custody. While others have been circulating in the hobby for many years and changed hands on multiple occasions, the buyer of what REA calls the ‘Oceanside Wagner’ will be only its third owner.
The card shows even corner wear with a single small crease present in the top right corner that is light enough to barely break through to the back, which carries a centered and unaffected Sweet Caporal ad.
The card is one of only four in PSA 3 holders with three others graded Very Good by SGC.
The auction will open April 6 and conclude April 25 at RobertEdwardAuctions.com.
Related Stories:
A Honus for the Rest of Us: A Handful of More Affordable Wagner Cards
Over $3 Million Bid on First Day of REA
6,000 Bids in 24 Hours for REA Auction
REA to Offer T206 Wagner
Notes: REA Prez to Retire; SGC Moving; NFL Exhibit at SFO
T206 Wagner Brings $1.32 Million
T206 Wagner Soars Past $1 Million on Opening Day of Bidding
