As trading cards go, the 1912 Hassan Triple Folders are unique. Long, rectangular pieces of art, they are actually three cards in one, with colorful T205-like player portraits on each end and a black-and-white action photograph in the middle. Perforations allowed for separating them but collectors have long preferred they remain in one piece. Their age, dimensions and those tempting perforations have left the hobby with few truly high-grade examples but a recent discovery will add to that tally.
Wheatland Auction Services of Lancaster, PA, has uncovered a group of 21 Triple Folders—and another group of 29 1910 E93 Standard Caramel cards, many in high grade, through a remarkable discovery.
“The consignor’s father was a cabinet maker in New York State,” said Wheatland’s Stacey Whisman. “He was given a roll top desk many years ago by a customer, and these cards happened to be in one of the drawers. He left them there, and told his family about them. After he passed about 20 years ago, his daughter kept the cards in that same drawer, untouched and unexposed to light, and she decided they were ready to sell now.”
The technical grades may not scream it because of the occasional printing imperfection or centering but the cards present virtually mint with borders appear as white as they day they were printed. The Triple Folders group includes cards featuring Ty Cobb, Christy Mathew
son, Walter Johnson, Frank Chance, Fred Clarke and other notables of the era. The E93 group includes PSA 7 examples of Nap Lajoie and Addie Joss, a PSA 5.5 Cy Young, a 4.5 Honus Wagner and a PSA 2 Cobb.
The auction, which is now open for bidding, also includes thousands of other pre-and post-War baseball card stars (graded and ungraded) including several 1922 E121 American Caramel cards, 1920s strip cards including Ruth, Cobb, Speaker and Hornsby and numerous 1930s Goudey cards. There are also singles, sets and lots from other sports, many at levels that should be friendly to budget-conscious collectors.
Dozens of autographed pieces are being offered including a basketball signed by Kobe Bryant while he was a Pennsylvania high school standout, a LeBron James signed Cavs jersey, a 1951 Yankees partial team signed baseball including Mickey Mantle, a signed and professionally framed Bobby Orr jersey, a variety of Muhammad Ali signed memorabilia, a Jimmie Foxx Leaf Executive Collection cut autograph card and signed HOF postcards from Ray Schalk and Satchel Paige.
Bidding continues through Sunday, August 28 at WheatlandAuctionServices.com.
Related Stories:
E93 Standard Caramel Cards A Unique Issue
Nap Lajoie: Beyond The ’33 Goudey
Walter Johnson: Buying The Big Train On A Small Budget
Buying On A Budget: Christy Mathewson
T202 Hassan Triple Folders Set a T205 Redux
Hal Chase E93/E98 Source Photo up for Auction
Huge Find of 1914, 1915 Cracker Jack Cards Consigned to Auction
10 Affordable Vintage Ty Cobb Cards
The Story Behind T206 Hal Chase “Trophy Card”
E95 Philadelphia Caramel – An Underrated Pre-War Gem
