Ty Cobb's four cards in the popular T206 set are among the most desirable pre-war baseball cards out there. Sure, there are plenty more expensive (and rarer) issues. But Cobb's T206 cards are a heavily desired in the marketplace. The cards, much like other issues of Cobb's in recent years, have skyrocketed in value. It wasn't too long ago that low-grade Cobb T206 cards could … [Read more...] about Head to Head: Comparing Ty Cobb’s T205 and T206 Baseball Cards
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The Wayback Collector: How Are Collectors Tackling The T206 Monster?
The T206 baseball card set (aka, the Monster) has always been a popular target for collectors of vintage sports cards. With a grand total of 524 cards, it's one of the most daunting set builds that collectors can undertake. Many have tried and eventually given up before completion. These days, most collectors pursuing the set will chase either a 520-card set (the set minus … [Read more...] about The Wayback Collector: How Are Collectors Tackling The T206 Monster?
Pre-War Baseball Card Holiday Gift Ideas for Any Budget
The holidays are here and if you're still looking for some last-minute gift ideas for fellow collectors--or give yourself a well-earned present for a challenging year-- I've got you covered. Just about all of these are easily attainable and while most are inexpensive, we've broken them down by the price ranges you can probably expect to pay. Under $25 1880s Baseball Comics … [Read more...] about Pre-War Baseball Card Holiday Gift Ideas for Any Budget
Welcome to the Card Collecting Craze of 1909 (Part I)
Baseball cards had been issued since the 1860s but starting in 1909, things sort of went haywire. While there were a number of sets issued in the early 1900s, 1909 is the year when the card collecting craze of the 20th century really took off. Numerous sets were printed that year and those issues still remain popular today. 1909 kicked off a new era in collecting and helped to … [Read more...] about Welcome to the Card Collecting Craze of 1909 (Part I)
5 Key T206 Southern Leaguers
Among the many challenges of completing the T206 set is the subset of nearly 50 players from the Southern Leagues. The majority of these minor league players are not well known by collectors. Despite that, they are not necessarily cheap by comparison. While other low-grade T206 commons can be purchased starting around $20 or so, finding Southern Leaguer cards under $75 or $100 … [Read more...] about 5 Key T206 Southern Leaguers
Selling Packs with T206 Cards in 1909 Was Sometimes Hazardous
Eventually they would be sold with more kid-oriented products like caramels and bubble gum but 110 years ago, if you wanted a picture of a professional baseball player (and who wouldn't before color magazines, TV or even radio?), you had to have access to tobacco, or at least someone who used it. When the American Tobacco Company's massive promotion began in 1909, word … [Read more...] about Selling Packs with T206 Cards in 1909 Was Sometimes Hazardous
Diving into Population Reports of T206 Hall of Famers
Population reports from grading companies can tell us quite a bit about baseball cards. While they are not perfect, they certainly give us an inside look on things like perceived rarity of certain issues compared to others. T206 is arguably the most famous baseball card set of all time. The set's popularity is such that it is even collected to some degree by those that do … [Read more...] about Diving into Population Reports of T206 Hall of Famers
Bargain Hall of Fame Baseball Cards of the 1900s (Part I of IV)
Many collectors don't realize how affordable some vintage baseball cards truly are. Collectors don't even have to settle for cards of lesser known players, either. While many issues depicting Hall of Famers are pricey, plenty of bargains exist, too. Over a four-part series, I wanted to take a look at some of the more affordable pre-war Hall of Fame cards available to … [Read more...] about Bargain Hall of Fame Baseball Cards of the 1900s (Part I of IV)
The Wayback Collector: Pre-War Collectibles a Sizable Chunk of Sports Memorabilia Market
The Wayback Collector is a weekly look at important news in the hobby as it relates to pre-war and vintage collectibles. This week's topic takes a look at their place in the market with regard to recent news. In case you missed it, a recent study estimated that the sports memorabilia market conservatively consisted of approximately $5.4 billion. That study, performed by Dave … [Read more...] about The Wayback Collector: Pre-War Collectibles a Sizable Chunk of Sports Memorabilia Market
Shortprints in Pre-War Sets Cause Collector Headaches
Collecting pre-war cards is generally a challenging pursuit. Often, these cards are more than 100 years old and are difficult to track down. And even in the cases where cards are plentiful, it can still mean an expensive activity. Adding to the difficulty in assembling pre-war sets are shortprinted cards. These shortprints are even rarer than the regular cards and can make … [Read more...] about Shortprints in Pre-War Sets Cause Collector Headaches