It doesn’t get nearly the attention of the more famous Honus Wagner card from the same set but the T206 Ty Cobb card with a brand of tobacco carrying the former hit king’s name is even rarer. The latest example, a fresh to the hobby copy consigned to market early this year, sold for $432,000 in Heritage Auctions’ Spring Sports Card sale.
The T206 Cobb with Cobb back was graded Good (2.5) by SGC just a few months ago.
Only about 25 authenticated copies are known to exist.
The card’s scarcity stems from the fact that it was distributed–perhaps as a premium–with a short-lived product with Cobb’s name attached to it. Sold in tins that are also popular with collectors today, the back calls the product “King of the Smoking Tobacco World.” That message isn’t found on any other back in the T206 set. The Cobb Tobacco backed cards also have a slightly glossy appearance.
The lone PSA 4 copy of the M101-5 Sporting News Blank Back Babe Ruth rookie was also among the more popular lots in the auction and closed at $348,000.
Other icons whose most popular cards sold included a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle PSA 6 that realized $204,000 and a 1986-87 Fleer Michael Jordan rookie card that reached $210,000.
Nearly every lot in the auction found at least a bidder or two, with the auction generating over $10 million. More than 2,450 bidders worldwide participated, according to Dallas-based Heritage.
In all, a dozen single cards sold for over $100,000. One of three PSA 10 copies of the 1969 Topps Nolan Ryan rookie card netted $180,000 during the first of the two auction segments.
“That Cobb came to us having never been graded or having been to auction, and it was bound to steal the headline in this auction given its significance and specialness,” remarked Chris Ivy, Director of Sports Auctions. “But in many ways, the story of this auction is the strong prices across the board – the four-figure cards that hit five figures this weekend, the climbers up the ranks of the record-holders.”
The auction also featured one of the best examples a signed 1951 Bowman Willie Mays rookie card. What makes this PSA VG-EX 4, PSA/DNA Auto 8 so exceptional is its backstory: There are a scant 31 signed copies in PSA’s registry, but he wrote on this one while still a young player. The card with decades-old ink headed to a new home for $126,000.
Unopened material remains in demand among collectors, such as the 1967 Topps Football cello box and 1970 Topps baseball (Mixed Series) cello box that each realized $81,000.
The best-known example of the ticket stub from Jackie Robinson’s 1939 UCLA football debut was also offered. Graded PSA EX-MT 6, it shattered pre-sale expectations to realize $22,800.
Is it still worth going to estate sales to see if anything awesome turns up? It was for one collector who purchased a box full of hundreds of vintage postcards for $400.
Inside were eight postcards from the rare 1914 Lawrence Semon issue, including Ty Cobb. In all, the collection sold for $50,370.
Complete auction results can be found here.
Related Stories:
Newfound Example of T206 Cobb with Cobb Back Hits Auction Market
National News & Notes: Crowds, Consignments, Autographs
Rare, High-Grade Ty Cobb Tobacco Tin up for Auction
Notes: All-Star Auction Still On; Trout on SuperFractor Sale, More
Clean Sweep Auction Includes Herpolsheimer Ruth Rookie Card
Ruth and Jordan Rookie Cards, Vintage Unopened Top Heritage Sale
Mistaken Identities Update: 1969 Topps All-Stars Hall of Fame Discovery
Notes: Mays Cards Pace Auction; Ruth-Wagner Auto Relic; Downtown Snafu; New Euro Market for Cards
