The $1,000 Question
 

For what looks like a very cold couple of days coming, let's go with a hypothetical premise to see what everyone comes up with... here are the parameters:

You have $1,000 to spend
You own no vintage cards but want to buy a vintage (pre-1942) card
You must spend the $1,000, or as close to it as possible, on just ONE card
You have your choice of any vintage card ever made - BUT - you must pick a card that would realistically sell and be available for $1,000 (or less)
It can be any grade but it has to realistically be available for purchase at the $1,000 price (so, for example, a PSA 1 T206 green Cobb or a PSA 1 M101-4 Ruth wouldn't be options)

With those ground rules, what card would be your choice to buy?

T206 Red Cobb 1.5

5 or so 1939 Play Ball DiMaggio.

A T206 Red Cobb graded SGC Authentic that has been slightly trimmed and has back damage. That would let the front have great eye appeal for the price.

1941 PB Ted Williams SGC 60/PSA 5 with best centering you can realistically find

If a $1000 Red Cobb T206 could be purchased these days that had any sort of presentable characteristics, I'd give that my vote. Given what I've been seeing, I'd vote for a 1933 or 34 Goudey Gehrig, PSA or SGC 1.

I guess it would be fun to play "Best $1,000 card on eBay right now"

This is a fun question. I’d agree with Brendan...a low grade T206 red Cobb would be my first choice. A close second would be 1928 Yuengling’s Gehrig. I love Yuengling’s beer, and the the story of how they stayed in business peddling ice cream during Prohibition is really cool. A PSA 3 or maybe 4 would fit into the price requirement, and you’d have a really neat early Gehrig that is much less common than the Cobb.

1992 Little Sun Derek Jeter Auto card. 225 were made and is very desirable as his stuff will only gain in value.

M101 Ray Chapman

Question was pre-42. And where are you getting them for 1000, this one sold recently for 7K.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1992-Little...gAAOSw1jpcH8pe

Fun card, Jay, but not vintage...

give me any number of upper middle grade Hornsby's from '28-'36

This one recently sold for $1050 so they can still be found.

That's not too bad...

this would be decent as well

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1934-Goudey...!-1:rk:29:pf:0

Oh, this is a fun game. I'd buy either one of these (both of which have recently sold on ebay for under $1000):

Attachment 342579

Attachment 342580

R309-1 Goudey Premium Babe Ruth - best-presenting “1” or “1.5” that I could find.

The most famous baseball player, and in a classic photo. Instant recognition even from many non-baseball fans.

http://www.milehighcardco.com/mobile...entoryid=54977

Today I'll go with a poor/fair E107 Monte Cross.

There's a Yuengling's Gehrig on eBay now, but it's SGC 50 and $2,500, so that would be out unless you could find it in a lower grade and the price came way down.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1928-F50-Yu...RscL:rk:1:pf:0

I wouldn't use buy it now to gauge costs.

I like this

Probably the nicest 33 or 34 goudey Gehrig I could find. Although that t206 matty looks like a good option as well.

No offense, I love pre-war but this thread is an example of why for the most part I have to stay away. $1K will get you a trimmed or "A" T-206 Cobb? No thanks. I'm just imagining what that money could buy me in a post-war vintage. I'd go for a '68 Ryan, PSA 6.5 maybe, or a '55 Clemente RC in a 3 that's presentable.

I guess my main point would just be that I can get nicer condition superstar cards for the same money with post-war. I totally get why. But I have nowhere near the budget to do "mid-grade" 3-5 range cards for T-206 or anything like that. The real problem of course is I was born at least 20 years too late to have gotten a start on pre-war in the 1970's...

Fair point. But I do think you can get a pretty good vintage card for $1,000 in a lower grade that is still presentable. And we've seen some examples already here.

Since I'm working on the set, I'd get the 1933 Sport Kings Ruth card.

All that being said, I forgot the most important thing - I would probably buy the nicest '67 Seaver RC I could find for $1,000.

hands down....
 

t206 cobb.....no brainer

A low grade, PSA 1 Bat On Cobb

I like the Cobb route, but I'd go with the best looking E101/e102 leaning on bat. Might only be able to an authentic one at that price point, but for a first prewar card, that would be my choice. I guess I really should think about upgrading mine at some point.

http://net54baseball.com/picture.php...ictureid=16568

My ultimate $1,000 card fantasy is buying an old scrapbook for $999.99 buy-it-now, free shipping, that has a T206 Wagner pasted on one of the pages, but with all of the card cut off except for a small part of his face.

Then I carefully soak it off and send it to a master paper conservator to reconstruct the card from scraps of other T206 cards.

I then take the frankencard, consign it, and watch the bucks roll in. $$$ :cool:

A T3 Chief Bender. I'd gladly retire from the hobby after buying that one. :)

Old Judge Sam Thompson

Can you get that for a grand?

I was going to say a PSA 1 Delong Gehrig but it doesn't appear you can do that anymore.

I'll go with W590 Gehrig or 1926-29 Exhibits Babe Ruth (Pose) PSA 1.5.

I'm winning so far. I "bought" by far the most high end card for $1,000.

I would buy a Honus Wagner Carmel Card, a presentable 1 or A. E95 would be my 1st choice, but E92 are pretty easily available for 1k.

1939 Play Ball Ted Williams in poor condition.

Psa3 T202 Cobb/Jennings

+1

FIRST CHOICE - 1933 Delong Gehrig
I'll bet with some patience a PSA 1 could be had for $1,000?

SECOND CHOICE - T206 Speaker
I think this is an underappreciated card, could possibly score a PSA 4 for $1,000? Or, PSA 3/3.5 with an uncommon back?

T206 ty cobb

Mid grade T206 Lajoie portrait

E92 Dockman Wagner (throwing pose)

1000
 

T206 Cy Young Portrait

Looks like Jay and I might be after the same card (nice pick Jay).

Well, if only one card it would have to be a Detroit OJ.

1st Pick = Lady Baldwin or Barney Gilligan

If not available (rarely surface), I defer to these easier Detroit HOFers:

2nd Pick = Sam Thompson

3rd Pick = Dan Brouthers

The nicest example of any one of these issues.

T206 red Cobb
T206 Cy portrait
T206 WaJo portrait
T206 Matty portrait
Nicest late 20's exhibit Ruth
Late 20's Gehrig

I have to agree with this choice. It's my favorite Cobb pose and if I could only have one card, it would be a Cobb.

Nice looking lower grade e107 common

problem with this card/pose is I don't think you can find a recognizable example for $1000 anymore?