Rare AND Obscure
 

The Cobb/Cobb discovery thread got me to thinking about how many cards are out there that are really rare but obscure to the point where they are nothing close to the value of a Cobb/Cobb, a 52 #311 Mantle, etc. What is it about an issue of a first-rate HOFer that makes it a marquee card as compared to another rarity of the same guy?

I don't know the answer to this. I wish I did, because I have always been drawn to collecting non-mainstream cards. Sometimes they prove to be very good investments, other times not so much. I know that I enjoy them but I have no clue as to whether this Ruth or that Cobb will face a soaring demand some time down the line relative to another.

Here's a couple for thought, although both are big time HOFers, these cards are one of one. The first would probably bring less than it's better known counterparts of the same issue, the second one would think would be 10X's or more the more common version.

E107 Type II Delehanty w/ Breisch-Williams Co. Overprint(plate card in Lew's book). The type does not even bring close to what the type I does, how much does the overprint help? who knows

T204 Ramly Walter Johnson T.T.T. back the only one ever confirmed. Obviously the Johnson in this grade is 50K+ now days, what is the one of one back worth? Highly speculative as it will probably never be sold, so that does not help establish any price point as well.

Any of the 1921 Herpolsheimer's cards......there is only one existing of each!

I knew a guy who had an ULTRA rare mid-1800s cloth tintype-- a tintype photograph on cloth instead of metal. I knew they theoretically existed but had never before seen one. He had an impossible time selling it for a fair price because it was so obscure people didn't understand what it was. I recommended he donate it to a museum.

impossible selling it because he refused to give a fair price or other way around


he could of given it to heritage etc and let the market decide

1886 Hancock Clothing. Each of the three known subjects is unique. That probably qualifies.

Probably had a hard time selling because to most people it would be an unknown sort of object. One that didn't make sense to them historically and might be presumed to be some sort of modern fake.
Care of it would be different than care of a tintype too, perhaps outside of what most tintype collectors would know how to do. Tintypes are pretty easy to care for, one on cloth? Whole different thing.

Add in that most people try to fit their collecting into fairly tight niches.. I have a friend who collects pretty much only two things. He finishes most of Brimfield in 2-3 hours, I'm probably just getting to the second or third field by then. I don't go to antique shows in the same car with him anymore.

That TTT Ramly Johnson is 100% awesome. If it ever went up for sale, it would go for a small fortune

It's hard to put a price on a one of a kind card. It may be a little too well-known to be truly obscure.

Attachment 309057

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Diamonds have the 4 C's: Color, Clarity, Cut, and Carat

Since its all a gamble, I propose my acronym for Cards is CRAPS:

Condition: Condition relative to rarity. Gem mint tens in junk era don't mean as much as a mid grade 2014 Cracker Jack.

Rarity: Rarity relative to Popularity of player. Demand and Supply. There are tons of 52 mantle's but because of the popularity of the card/player, there isn't enough to satiate demand.

Attractiveness: Relative popularity/beauty of the Type or Image. T206, Cracker Jacks, Goudey. Popular for a reason....beautiful cards.

Player: Probably 1 or 2 in importance with rarity.

Story: Every cards needs a story to be sold. Wagner has a tobacco issue until he decided to pop up on a 48 leaf card with it, Lajoie was a customer relations card, Babe the pitcher was a Red Sox curse...

End of the day, all a game of craps...