Fun game...
 

Step into the auctioneers shoes!

Just got an email from a widow whose husband left cards behind in a safe deposit box. Below is her list emailed to me. They are ungraded, grades are her estimates. What do you think I'll really find?

Christy Matthewson American Caramel E90-1 1909 4
Paddy O'Connor American Caramel E90-1 1909 7
Biff Schlitzer American Caramel E90-1 1909 7
Honus Wagner (Batting) American Caramel E90-1 1909 7
Honus Wagner (Throwing) American Caramel E90-1 1909 6
Cy Young (Glove Shows) White Border T206 1909 4
Cy Young (Portrait) White Border T206 1909 1
Cy Young (Portrait) White Border T206 1909 7
John McGraw White Border T206 1909 2
Joe Tinker (Bat Off Shoulder) White Border T206 1909 2
Ty Cobb (Bat On Shoulder) White Border T206 1909 6
Johnny Evers (With Bat, Chicago on Shirt) White Border T206 1909 4
Johnny Evers (With Bat, Chicago on Shirt) White Border T206 1909 1
Jimmy Collins (Minneapolis) White Border T206 1909 7
Fred Clarke White Border T206 1909 3
Addie Joss White Border T206 1909 5
Willie Keeler White Border T206 1909 1
Joe Kelley White Border T206 1909 1
Iron Man McGinnity White Border T206 1909 5
Christy Mathewson White Border T206 1909 6
George Brown White Border T206 1909 3
Jake Beckley White Border T206 1909 4
Mordecai Brown White Border T206 1909 2
Frank Chance White Border T206 1909 6
Walter Johnson (Portrait) White Border T206 1909 1
Clark Griffith (Portrait) White Border T206 1909 1
Clark Griffith (Holding Bat) White Border T206 1909 5
Owen Wilson American Caramel E90-2 1910 5
Dots Miller American Caramel E90-2 1910 5
Fred Clarke (Pirates) American Caramel E90-2 1910 5
Walter Johnson Gold Border T205 1911 6
Christy Mathewson Gold Border T205 1911 3
R. Hoblitzell Gold Border T205 1911 4
Cy Young Gold Border T205 1911 5
Frank J. Chance Gold Border T205 1911 7

Just seems odd to me that this correspondence would to come to you with someone's estimated grades for each and every card. And with specific variation info. Like someone else (a son, a neighbor) much be involved in the process? And they are being shopped around looking for a quick purchase? Just guessing.

I will play.:D

Since all cards are not NrMint or better I think she done an excellent job and should be a full grade off at the most. To me guessing with in a full grade is spot on.

It's a toss up Scott. Definitely something you should pursue as an AH. Depending on what else she said, you never know.....

https://luckeycards.com/t206matty.jpg

What is encouraging is that there are some commons in there. Also some low grade stuff. I think you might have a good find.

Sons helped with the process, good call, though they aren't collectors either. The variation info isn't complete, T206 Chance, T205 Hoblitzell etc. She is looking to consign.

Maybe the list came from her husband?? I hope they are real! Are you traveling to see the collection?

I love that 2.

List did NOT come from husband but I am hoping if he was savvy enough to have them in a safe deposit box they are, at a bare minimum, real. Next on the wish list is untrimmed. Based on the info I have I will be going to look at them.

Definitely one of the details that makes me hopeful.

Good luck.

Guessing the grades will be way off. Everyone thinks that their 3 is a 7. (Heck, I think Leon's 2 is a 4 and it's not even my card!)

The commons are very encouraging.

Hopefully untrimmed, but if they're real, even trimmed this would be a nice find.

Hoping to get some T206 back information today. Another tidbit that could be a game changer.

Just go see em!!
 

Part of the business - 10 fruitless trips for the 1 gem! This could be it...

I just flew to Oklahoma rented a truck and drove back across the country picking up collections along the way. I think if I was one for 10 I'd find new work! But this one could be one of the special ones that I've been lucky enough to come across a few times now.

This would be awesome. I wish I could do this.

Sounds like a great collection. Early on in LOTG, I had a person approach me with a similar list, turned out to be a fantastic collection of about a thousand N172s, T-cards, and some strip cards, with lots of Cycle backs on the T205, 6, and 7s. Wound up netting them about $60K. I hope it's something that cool - good luck!

-Al

1000 N172's? I might lose consciousness at the mere sight of that all in one place!

This is an odd mix of a boyhood collection of 60's stuff in VG and the pre war stuff he got into as an adult. Only a total of about 1000 cards, but no commons in the post war, he only kept the stars and HOF'ers. Apparently there's a lot of tobacco and caramel commons not on the list yet including a chunk of T201's.

Keeping my finger's crossed! I was worried about the encore to the last Pre War auction, this would go a long way to easing those concerns!

No, no, no, lol - 1,000 N172s, T-cards and strip cards. A thousand cards altogether. There were something like 20 N172s, but almost all of them were HOFers.

-Al

oh, my heart was having issues just at the thought of 1000 N172's lol. Still very cool!

Good luck. Can't wait to see pics

I need to get to know more widows.


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Let's hope we get that far! If we do get the collection rest assured there will be a paid post advertising it with lots of pictures!

My guess is the cards are authentic and unaltered, but the grades are off.

However, the assigned grades include low numbers, including ones, so perhaps they are more or less acurate.

A non-collector told me her card was "very good," unaware that that was a technical term.

Maybe the late husband graded them
 

How sure are you he didn't leave a list with the grades? But, if she's a card grader tell PSA to snap her up.

I know 100% that she and her sons have been the ones to try and grade them.

My guess is that the lower condition ones (Poor to Good) are fairly accurate in their grading, while those in better condition are probably off a grade or more.

Brian

Since he seems to have lots of mid and some high grades with a mixture of low grade I would not be surprised if some of the 1s and 2s are rare backs.

At least that's what my collection looks like.

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OK so finally saw some pictures.

1. They are real

2. They are not grossly altered (nothing that jumps out from amateur camera phone pics)

3. The grading (as Brian guessed) seems pretty spot on in the low grades but the 6's and 7's look more like 4s and 5's.

4. That's not a bad thing! The Cobb Bat off might be a 5. I'd be pretty happy with that!

5. There are at least some Tolstoi and Cycle backs but I don't know what cards they belong to.

Looks like I'm headed to see them in a couple weeks!

That is exciting, good luck Scott.