T207 Lowdermilk
 

Posted By: <b>Anonymous</b><p>Is this really a rare card?<BR><BR><a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4129930527&category=57 993&sspagename=STRK%3AMESSE%3AIT&rd=1" target=_new>http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4129930527&category=57 993&sspagename=STRK%3AMESSE%3AIT&rd=1</a>

T207 Lowdermilk
 

Posted By: <b>Tim Newcomb</b><p>You've asked the $1526 question (high bid on this card as of now).<BR><BR>It has always been assumed to be one of the three toughest cards in the set, commanding prices in the thousands. <BR><BR>But the research I've done on the set (which will be concluded shortly in the next issue of VCBC) suggests that Lowdermilk actually seems to be MORE common than most Broadleaf-backed T207s, and that two dozen or more cards are significantly scarcer. <BR><BR>It'll be interesting to see if the article changes future selling prices at all. I suspect it won't change Lowdermilk's much, but it may drive up the prices of some of the scarcest cards.<BR><BR>Regards, <BR><BR>Tim

T207 Lowdermilk
 

Posted By: <b>TBob</b><p>does scarcity in a major set count for as much as perceived and legendary status. Ward Miller is much, much tougher than Lowdermilk but the prices would never show it. Then you have the example of the rare "scarce" card, Mike Donlin vs. the tough "scarce" card, Louis Lowdermilk, in the T207 set. Based on collector demand, Donlin should be much pricier than Lowdermilk, about 5 times as much, but the opposite is true.

T207 Lowdermilk
 

Posted By: <b>Andrew</b><p>What's the brief synopsis as to why the Lowdermilk carries a premium? I read previous posts that confirm it is a tough card and possible key to the set, but other cards that don't have similar premium maybe even tougher. Thoughts? Anonymous as I've been receiving too much spam mail after joining various boards so I'm trying to find the source, I'll register in due time. Thanks.

T207 Lowdermilk
 

Posted By: <b>Bill Cornell</b><p>Andrew-<BR><BR>I share your concern about having your email address found by spammers, but this is not a problem on Network54. To quote from the FAQ's here: "Your email address is not vulnerable to harvesting by spammers. Network54 purposely obfuscates all addresses; you can see this by looking at the HTML source." I wrote that and can vouch that it's true.<BR><BR>The T207 Lowdermilk rarity is like the T206 Plank broken plate: a hobby urban myth.<BR><BR>Bill

T207 Lowdermilk
 

Posted By: <b>scott brockelman</b><p>bill,<BR><BR>with all due respect, i don't think your comparing apples to apples, you are correct lowdermilk is not the key card or a rare card in the T207 set, BUT, i think most would agree that the T206 plank is both rare and the 2nd most important card in the T206 set, behind only the wagner. <BR><BR>i think what you may have been referring to is the fable behind both, which is basically correct.<BR><BR>scott

T207 Lowdermilk
 

Posted By: <b>Bill Cornell</b><p>Right - Plank's a (very) tough card, but the broken plate story doesn't hold water. More likely, Gettysburg Eddie shared Wagner's sentiment: he wanted to get paid for the use of his image.

T207 Lowdermilk
 

Posted By: <b>Andrew</b><p>Thanks Bill, I will create a logon. I read the last few replies: so why does the Lowdermilk have a premium? I know it's not due to a broken plate. Thanks guys, great site.

T207 Lowdermilk
 

Posted By: <b>Bill Cornell</b><p>It's scarce because it's one of roughly 50 T207's that only appear with a Broadleaf, Cycle, or Anonymous back. Lew Lipset's encyclopedia has much more info - <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=641&item=413078020 9&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW" target=_new>http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=641&item=413078020 9&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW</a>.<BR><BR>In Keith Olbermann's 1986 SCD article on T207's, he mentions that when Lowdermilk filled out a survey asking if he'd play baseball again if he had the chance, he said "I think not". He thought he had been mistreated as a player.

T207 Lowdermilk
 

Posted By: <b>scott brockelman</b><p>andrew,<BR><BR>welcome to the board.<BR><BR>the t207 set is a very complex issue(aren't they all). most of the problem lies in very limited distribution on the part of different cigarette companies 90 years ago, but also the part of baseball card collectors 30-40 years ago.<BR><BR>certain brands were either more expensive or less widely distributed, either way they occured less often, and then could be further compromised by the fact players were either traded or released and were not popular with the kids(whom were the primary collectors). some of these issues were put out over a number of years, further complicating things.<BR><BR>back to the T207 set, for decades, advanced collectors considered the lowdermilk and also the ward miller and lewis cards to be the toughest. this was due to the fact most went to local flea markets and later on card shows. these cards just didn't show up!.<BR><BR>fast forward to present day and PSA/SGC pop reports but more importantly Ebay, all of a sudden the entire population of cards extant became evident. some thought to be rare were acutally fairly common, others thought to be common were actually pretty rare. this is 2 fold, one a product of printing, the other of survival. to this day you will find collectors of certain sets that are steadfast on their belief of the rarest card of the set, but there judgement is based on sightings of each card, which can be affected by all of the above. i have searched for a card for years, finally found it and found 2 more the next month, wasn't that rare after all, but i sure thought it was for a while.<BR><BR>i will leave the T207's to the board, but having the set i certainly feel that there are a few tougher than lowdermilk or others.<BR><BR>scott

T207 Lowdermilk
 

Posted By: <b>prewarsports</b><p>I read a recent biography of Honus Wagner which had a first hand account of the T206 story a few years back. Supposedly the American Tobacco company paid all players $10 each through an agent, and the agent also got $10 for signing each player. Wagner refused, but he knew the agent and Wagner sent him a check for $10 to make sure he wasn't losing money by him not signing a contract with the tobacco company. This agent did not cash the check and displayed it for years and told the story to thousands of people.<BR><BR>This story may be a little off on the exact facts since I do not have the book in front of me, but I know the amount was $10 and I read it in the Wagner biography which was recently published by 2 Pittsburgh area scholors by the University of Pittsburgh. Sounds to me like the Wagner myth has been solved long ago so why do people still refer to it as an open question?

T207 Lowdermilk
 

Posted By: <b>warshawlaw</b><p>in the 1970s when it was repeated (without evidentiary support) in various publications. Collectors like me read everything we could find on cards, memorized the lore as fact, and the Lowdermilk became one of those "look out for this one" cards. It is only with ebay and modern computer tracking and communication capabilities that these canonized card legends are being explored.

T207 Lowdermilk
 

Posted By: <b>dan mckee</b><p>I agree, lowdermilk is common, I am buying all of them at $200 each, please write me. Dan.

T207 Lowdermilk
 

Posted By: <b>Andrew</b><p>Just purchased the Encyclopedia of BBcards, don't know if I paid too much, over retail, etc., doesn't really matter. For those of you who followed the 1977 Jackson Orioles proof (I know, it's from 1977), it was at $2700 with 15 seconds to go, I placed a $6k bid, then was sniped hard by a hobby big hitter with 15 seconds to go. At least it ended up in the hands of someone I respect. I'm debating the Lowdermilk. Slowly venturing into pre war, so the book will be a big help. Will probably focus on Worldwide Gum since I'm currently an OPC collector.

T207 Lowdermilk
 

Posted By: <b>Jimmy Scott Elkins</b><p>I remember in the early 80's reading a big article on proof cards in a trade magazine. I always wanted the Jackson and 67 Maris Yankees Proof back then myself! I have since given up on these new cards, since I started collected vintage cards - I did own a 67 Maris Proof around 5 years ago, but sold it in a major auction to buy t and e cards! As for the Lowdermilk - everyone is right - not as scarce as others in the set and the price. However, it, like the Wagner etc., were popularized early on in Hobby publications. I remember in the 2nd grade reading about the Famous T206 Wagner and Plank and T207 Lowdermilk cards in Hobby books - seemed like the "BIG THREE" rarest and most valuable cards in the world according to early publications.<BR><BR>This early hype caused all three of these to be more valuable than their rarity would indicate! The T206's just skyrocketed b/c of their attractiveness and availablility, or you would see the Lowdermilk selling for Plank prices! Too bad early writers didn't know the really rare cards, or we might be hailing a T210 Joe Jackson as the "King of Cards" instead of a T206 Wagner!