Newer to T206 Collecting, seeking advice...

[lloydchristmas]

Hi everyone,

I'm newer to T206 collecting and before spending too much $$$, I was curious to know if there were any other books or references I should check out besides The T206 Collection: The Players & Their Stories? Any other online resources? I'm currently reading as many threads here as I can.

I appreciate any and all advice, so thanks in advance!

Oh! Separately, does anyone have a favorite card I should keep a look out for? Maybe you like the player, portrait, pose, etc.

Ryan

[njdunkin1]

Hi, Ryan!

Welcome to the boards and to T206--been collecting since '09, but only got into T206 about 2 years ago. Been hooked since!

I would suggest just scanning through pictures online and finding fronts/backs that you would like to go after. I find N54 and eBay to be the best resources for buying. Information-wise, LukeLyon's blog thatt206life.com is excellent for updates and cool photos.

Collect what you like, not what is hype. Let you tell you what you like, not necessarily other people (though other people can certainly inspire you! :))

Personally, I love portraits and Hindu backs, particularly cards in the pink/red/purple color scheme!

Have an awesome time collecting, and welcome to N54!

-NJ

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4333/36727547112_275efd1546_z.jpg
http://i65.tinypic.com/161m2xx.png

[MVSNYC]

Hi Ryan-

Bill Heitman's The Monster

http://brockelmanauctions.com/lot-10545.aspx


Lew Lipset's Encyclopedia of Baseball Cards

https://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Baseball-Cards-Volumes-Combined/dp/B003U8ZHNE

[commishbob]

Ryan...last things first: there was a thread in the last week in which many members posted their favorite T206s and most related the story behind the choice. The thread is here:

http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=252602

I'm not even remotely an expert on this wonderful set but that doesn't stop me from appreciating it. I came to the realization long ago that attempting to collect it in full, or even a significant portion of it was an impossible dream.

What I did instead was pick up cards that I enjoyed or had some significance to me. I started with a Christy Mathewson and added a couple of other affordable Hall of Famers, Rube Marquard and Jack Chesbro. I also found a few common and minor leaguers that had colorful cards that struck my eye and were within my budget at the time.

I added nice but affordable examples of the famous Cubs DB trio of Tinker, Evers and Chance. I had that framed in a little custom display for my office.

Over the years I picked up the nine Eastern League Baltimore players in the set. (Sidebar: I was originally using an old 70s era checklist that only had six listed. I found my mistake early this year).

And lastly I have recently picked up two of the three Chief Bender cards. He has long been an interest of mine. I'm going to add his 'portrait' T206 in the near future.

I'm now at 20 cards. A minuscule total for sure but they all fit my collection. I enjoy each of them. Good luck and welcome.

[the 'stache]

Hi Ryan,

Kudos on dipping your toes in the T206 pool. The set is a lot of fun. There are so many different ways to collect it: you can focus on individual players, teams, Hall of Famers, Southern Leaguers, poses (portrait or action cards), specific backs, runs of one player with all the backs, ghosts, scraps, proofs, etc. The ways of collecting the Monster are pretty much limitless. Once you find your niche, run with it!

Both of the books listed by MVSNYC are must haves, in my opinion. I have them, and refer to them constantly when I am working on my collection:

Hi Ryan-

Bill Heitman's The Monster

http://brockelmanauctions.com/lot-10545.aspx


Lew Lipset's Encyclopedia of Baseball Cards

https://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Baseball-Cards-Volumes-Combined/dp/B003U8ZHNE

I would also download Scot Reader's Inside T206 (http://www.oldcardboard.com/t/t206/InsideT206-Centennial-edition.pdf) pdf. It's free. Just click the link.

You'll find a good number of sites devoted to the Monster. I use http://t206resource.com/ quite often. That's a really great resource.

There are a few good periodicals that have had really interesting articles about the T206 set (among other pre-war sets). I've subscribed toOld Cardboard (http://www.oldcardboard.com/subscriptions.asp), and have bought several of the back issues. Great publication that really gets you in the mood for pre-war cards in general, not just T206. That link will take you to the page where you can get profiles of each issue that's been published; some will go into T206, but they're all great reads, regardless.

I also highly recommend the old Vintage & Classic Baseball Collector magazines. They're no longer published, but you can find the back copies on Ebay. Search by VCBC. I have several of these, also.

As for jumping into the set, my recommendation would be to start small. The BST here (buy, sell, trade) has a specific sub-forum for T206 cards. I'd get one or two commons, in lower condition, and ungraded. When you start getting into the more expensive cards, likely most of them will be slabbed. But starting out with a few commons that you can hold in your hand, look over under magnification, feel and smell...will give you an idea of what is typical for the cards. Get used to the card stock, how the lithography looks under magnification, what a factory cut edge looks like, and how it differs from a trim under magnification. You really want to spend some time getting used to the variations that can come with these cards. Unlike modern cards, there will be some slight size variance. Don't always assume a card has been trimmed because of this. One example is the American Beauty (http://t206resource.com/Card%20Dimensions.html) advertising back. Also, depending on where a card was located within a sheet, you might have one border that is slightly larger than the other three. If you're not sure of what you're seeing, ask the members here.

If you've not built a "starter kit", you should do so. This will help you look over your cards close up, as well as detect alterations that may have been done to the cards (trimming, bleaching, adding paper, etc). These are the tools that all vintage and pre-war collectors have.

Items you need:

A good ruler.
A high-quality jeweler's loupe
A black light

You might also purchase a 50 x portable microscope

One other book I highly recommend is David Cycleback's Judging the Authenticity of Early Baseball Cards (https://www.amazon.com/Judging-Authenticity-Early-Baseball-Cards/dp/0615196519/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8). David is one of the members of this forum. The knowledge you'll glean is applicable to any older set you might collect, and will go a long way to protect you when buying from dealers you might not know (you should always try to buy from reputable dealers/individuals if at all possible). His website (http://www.cycleback.com/) also has a wealth of information on forensic analysis, which will come in handy when examining not only baseball cards, but currency and historical documents, as well. This article (https://cycleback.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/forensic-light-guide.pdf) on forensic light is fascinating, and useful to collectors.

Lastly, if you are unsure of something, ask! The members of this forum are incredibly knowledgeable, and very helpful, in my experience. Be a discerning buyer, and listen to your instincts. But most of all, have fun!!

[Santo10Fan]

One of the most interesting things about T206 was the random way it was produced and distributed. There were spurts. A lot more is known now than there was say, 40 years ago. A lot of what Topps has done in the past two decades, with parallels, short prints, etc., were inspired by this very set. One important thing I look for is the color registration. I'll give you an example below. If you can spot the differences and notice one face is much clearer than the other, this is the type of stuff you want to be patient and seek out. These cards were meant to be state-of-the art color pictures, so if you see any cards that display that level of clarity these are the ones you may want to give further attention to.

T206 Resource has all the back variant info, along with other stuff
http://t206resource.com/Article-T206Resource-Revisiting-T206-Back-Multipliers.html

[iwantitiwinit]

I agree.....

Use the link provided above to download Scot Reader's Inside T206 pdf. It's free. Just click the link.

[bbcard1]

The biggest thing is just figuring out how to differentiate a real one from a fake one. It's actually pretty easy, but takes a little time. While it is not directly related to the card, the Glory of Their Times and the companion audiobook are essential to gaining a context to the set.

[MVSNYC]

I would also download Scot Reader's Inside T206 (http://www.oldcardboard.com/t/t206/InsideT206-Centennial-edition.pdf) pdf. It's free. Just click the link.

You'll find a good number of sites devoted to the Monster. I use http://t206resource.com/ quite often. That's a really great resource.



Agreed, these as well.

Also, Derek at T206 Society does a great job capsulizing overviews on rare backs and player history.

http://t206society.com/

[h2oya311]

Agreed, these as well.

Also, Derek at T206 Society does a great job capsulizing overviews on rare backs and player history.

http://t206society.com/

Holy cr@p! You guys have your own society?? I need to push for a HOF Rookie collectors society a little harder! We will probably have membership of about three.

[lloydchristmas]

Thank you all for the advice and recommendations!

I’ve bookmarked and purchased as many resources as I could in the last 24 hours. There’s definitely a lot to look for when it comes to these vs. most other series. One thing I didn’t consider so much was the color registration, so thank you, Ben. I’ve seen differences among a grouping of similar cards, but assumed it was just a shortcoming most put up with.

Separately, may I ask how old most were when they started collecting this set? I’m 31 at the moment, feel like I have a lot more ground to cover than most.

[sreader3]

Hi Ryan,

You may want to read my e-book:

http://www.oldcardboard.com/t/t206/insidet206-centennial-edition.pdf

and check out my website

t206insider.com

Enjoy the chase.

Scot Reader

[BruceinGa]

I rely heavily on Scot's website, T206insider.com Hi Scot :D

[vintagechris]

The Books Deadball Stars of the American League & Deadball Stars of National League are great books to learn about the players that are on the cards. Each book takes the teams and has individual biographical write ups on the players. I learned many interesting facts about the players when I read those books.

[Sean]

Separately, may I ask how old most were when they started collecting this set? I’m 31 at the moment, feel like I have a lot more ground to cover than most.

I was 46 when I began collecting T206s. I got to 522 cards in about 4 1/2 years, but the I started on backs and back runs, upgrading key players, adding related issues (Coupons, Victorys, Red Crosses and a Pirate), and picking up various scraps and oddballs. The search is never quite over. :o

[Santo10Fan]

Hi Ryan,

You may want to read my e-book:

http://www.oldcardboard.com/t/t206/insidet206-centennial-edition.pdf

and check out my website

t206insider.com

Enjoy the chase.

Scot Reader

Scot, thanks for the research you've done

[sreader3]

Thanks for the kind words Bruce and Ben.

(Sorry — I don’t mean to hijack the thread).

[MooreCubs]

I'm pretty new into the t206 collecting and your website has been a huge help for me. I always use it as a pricing reference point before buying. Thanks!

Hi Ryan,

You may want to read my e-book:

http://www.oldcardboard.com/t/t206/insidet206-centennial-edition.pdf

and check out my website

t206insider.com

Enjoy the chase.

Scot Reader

[orly57]

One other book I highly recommend is David Cycleback's Judging the Authenticity of Early Baseball Cards (https://www.amazon.com/Judging-Authenticity-Early-Baseball-Cards/dp/0615196519/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8). David is one of the members of this forum. The knowledge you'll glean is applicable to any older set you might collect, and will go a long way to protect you when buying from dealers you might not know (you should always try to buy from reputable dealers/individuals if at all possible). His website (http://www.cycleback.com/) also has a wealth of information on forensic analysis, which will come in handy when examining not only baseball cards, but currency and historical documents, as well. This article (https://cycleback.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/forensic-light-guide.pdf) on forensic light is fascinating, and useful to collectors.

Is David Cycleback a Nome De Plume, or is the guy's last name really Cycleback?

[lloydchristmas]

Hi Ryan,

You may want to read my e-book:

http://www.oldcardboard.com/t/t206/insidet206-centennial-edition.pdf

and check out my website

t206insider.com

Enjoy the chase.

Scot Reader

Scot, awesome resource! I will definitely read it and have already begun scouring the site.

Thank you!

The Books Deadball Stars of the American League & Deadball Stars of National League are great books to learn about the players that are on the cards. Each book takes the teams and has individual biographical write ups on the players. I learned many interesting facts about the players when I read those books.

On order, thanks!

One other book I highly recommend is David Cycleback's Judging the Authenticity of Early Baseball Cards (https://www.amazon.com/Judging-Authenticity-Early-Baseball-Cards/dp/0615196519/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8). David is one of the members of this forum. The knowledge you'll glean is applicable to any older set you might collect, and will go a long way to protect you when buying from dealers you might not know (you should always try to buy from reputable dealers/individuals if at all possible). His website (http://www.cycleback.com/) also has a wealth of information on forensic analysis, which will come in handy when examining not only baseball cards, but currency and historical documents, as well. This article (https://cycleback.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/forensic-light-guide.pdf) on forensic light is fascinating, and useful to collectors.

Is David Cycleback a Nome De Plume, or is the guy's last name really Cycleback?

Awesome, thank you!

[frankbmd]

I’m surprised that no one has mentioned the requirement of having a Monster Number.:D

[Rhotchkiss]

Ryan, I notice you are in Baltimore. A handful of us mid-Atlantic guys are getting together in Crofton, MD on April 28, to show off cards, trade, and have fun. I know a good number of us will have t206s (some major and rare stuff that’s fun to see; for example I have an example of every t206 back except the Ty Cobb back) as well as other Pre war and post war cards. Shoot me an email at rhotchkiss@horizonlandco.com is you are interested and I can get you the details.

Ryan (another MD Ryan)

[T206Collector]

Separately, may I ask how old most were when they started collecting this set? I’m 31 at the moment, feel like I have a lot more ground to cover than most.

I picked up my first two T206s summer of 1997, when I was 24. Still have them (now SGC 60 Matty White Cap and SGC 50 Bender Portrait).

I started collecting signed T206 cards in 2003 or 2004 when four signed Marquards made their way on to eBay. I bought them all and still have two of them.

I got to 520 by the time I was 34, in 2007, but then sold virtually all of them to buy Lionel Carter’s T206 Plank in a Mastro auction (sold it about 8 years later), and a slew of additional signed T206 cards that started popping up on eBay that year - part of The Great Pittsburgh Find of Signed T206 Cards.

I got back to 518 last year, but then have sold off most of those already to fund other card purchases. Not sure if I’m going to make another run any time soon. But, I will always pursue signed T206s — that is my life’s calling.

Remember, The Monster wants you to quit — don’t listen to it!

:D

[edjs]

Go slow. Take your time to pick out the next card you want, then wait until you find the exact one that you want, don't buy it just for the sake of having it, find the perfect example for you. I used to collect the set, and jumped in with both feet, and blindfolded. I burnt out, even though I had some really nice cards. I lost interest, but am finding my focus on other series, but it is taking me awhile to sell off the cards I had acquired. I wish I had been more patient. Focus on small subsets, complete those, then move to another. And remember, you will never be done.

[lloydchristmas]

Go slow. Take your time to pick out the next card you want, then wait until you find the exact one that you want, don't buy it just for the sake of having it, find the perfect example for you. I used to collect the set, and jumped in with both feet, and blindfolded. I burnt out, even though I had some really nice cards. I lost interest, but am finding my focus on other series, but it is taking me awhile to sell off the cards I had acquired. I wish I had been more patient. Focus on small subsets, complete those, then move to another. And remember, you will never be done.

Yes! I almost went full bore last night to make use of the 15% eBay bucks deal and was going to settle on a few “okay” cards. I’m glad I somehow resisted. I do want to do this right and have nicely centered, near/full registered color cards.

[Ronnie73]

Hi Ryan, Welcome to the T206 collecting world. It's never too late to start collecting something that you enjoy. The key is to have fun collecting. As your starting out, I'm assuming that your first major goal would be to collect the basic 520 card set with no importance to card back brand. If this is the case, there is no need to rush the set. The nice thing about T206's is if card back scarcity is not an important factor at the moment, there are always many cards to choose from and new one's being added daily. So take it slow. Wait for the right card with perfect centering or bright colors, or whatever might be most important to you to show up. Lastly, wait on a fair price. If you see something you like, make an offer, it never hurts to try. Most importantly, educate yourself. If you don't know the answer, ask us. We probably have one of the largest amounts of T206 collectors/experts in one place. Looking forward to future posts on your progress of collecting and learning.

[Leon]

I’m surprised that no one has mentioned the requirement of having a Monster Number.:D

A real travesty. All board T206 guys need to be in the Monster Thread.

[Ronnie73]

A real travesty. All board T206 guys need to be in the Monster Thread.

I better start counting my cards. I don't think I'm on the list. I might need 24 different set counts, with all the different front/back combinations. Honestly, I think I'm just embarrassed to have so many T206 front/back combo's but still be 7 somewhat simple cards away from a 520 set. In my defense, getting to 520 was honestly never a goal. I just knew that it would eventually happen at some point. As I mentioned in an earlier post to Ryan, no need to rush into a purchase. Wait for the right card and price to come along. I'm still waiting for the right card and price to come along on my final 7.

[lloydchristmas]

This is already proving to be really tough. Scouring eBay, nicely centered, good color/registration examples are few and far between. That, or collectors snap up those graded 4, 5, and 6’s really fast.

[deucetwins]

Any N54 post by Tedzan is also well worth the read. He's also done extensive research on the set. So much so that he's almost narrowed it down to which forest the trees used to make the paper were cut from.