The T212 Obak minor league card series spans from 1909-11. During those three years, four distinctively different sets were created. According to the Standard Catalog of Baseball Cards, there are 466 cards in the four sets. Here are five of the best cards to own from the issues.
Buck Weaver 1911 T212 Obak
Buck Weaver is often considered the top prize in the four Obak sets among collectors. Most famously, he is known for being one of the eight White Sox players banned from baseball after the 1919 World Series gambling scandal. Weaver’s card was printed in the final set in 1911 and is often heralded as his rookie edition by many collectors willing to consider minor league issues as rookie cards. As you might imagine, his card is a pricey one. An SGC graded 40 (3) sold last year for more than $1,300 at auction.
You can see a couple of Weavers on eBay here.
Roger Peckinpaugh 1911 T212 Obak
Also in that 1911 T212 Obak set is a card of Roger Peckinpaugh. Today, Peckinpaugh’s name doesn’t carry a ton of weight. At the time, however, he was one of the better defensive players in his era. He was one of the minor league players that made it to the majors and he eventually starred there, winning the 1925 American League Most Valuable Player Award with the Washington Senators. A defensive specialist, he led the league in double plays turned as a shortstop in six seasons and helped the Senators to the 1924 World Series title.
His career didn’t end there, however. Peckinpaugh would later manage and won exactly 500 games during his career. Despite that success, his card is affordable starting around $100 for a lower-end mid-grade card.
Chick Gandil 1909 T212 Obak
While Weaver’s card is heavily pursued, the card of teammate Chick Gandil’s is essentially right there with his. Gandil was also one of the eight banned members of the ‘Black Sox’ team and he makes an appearance on an Obak card as well. Gandi’s card is already heavily desired as he was seen as a key member of the organization of the 1919 World Series fix. However, the interest in his card is even higher since it appears in the first Obak set in the entire series.
The 1909 cards are considered some of the scarcer ones of the four releases and that contributes a little to the expensive pricing. A PSA 4 Gandil recently sold for just over $2,000.
Roy Castleton 1910 T212 Obak
Who?
Roy Castleton is a virtual unknown today but was once one of the top pitching prospects in the game. He once threw a no-hitter in the minor leagues and was signed by the New York Highlanders (now, Yankees). Unfortunately, after a bout of typhoid fever, his arm was never the same and he was quickly out of the league.
Castleton is also heralded as the first Mormon player in the major leagues and that has led to interest in his cards as well. And considering that he wasn’t around very long in the majors, his T212 Obak cards (he is found in both the 2010 and 2011 sets) are among the few that he has. Castleton cards are popular but can also be found at reasonable prices. An SGC 50 sold for only about $50 last year.
Ten Million 1911 T212 Obak
Looking for the most unusual name in the Obak series? You’ve got it. Ten Million was not a nickname but apparently the real name of this baseball player. Legend has it that his grandmother picked the name as she wanted it to be unusual.
His strange name is mostly the reason his card has become so popular since he never really made it as a player. While he played several seasons of minor league ball, he never played a game in the majors. His card is one of the more expensive ones in the set and a PSA 3 fetched more than $700 recently.
You can see over 500 T212 Obak listings on eBay here.
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