Posted By:
Mike PAaron suggests above
http://www.network54.com/Forum/153652/message/1156207296/
"My speculation is this: Someone stole the card from the lawyer and promptly sold it to these guys for $1,800"
Neat hypothesis, but probably not workable.
The Newport attorney James Kidney reported his Honus reprint stolen August 2002, according to the Kentucky Post
http://www.kypost.com/2002/aug/21/card082102.html
But MW in another VBC Forum thread says
http://www.network54.com/Forum/153652/message/1154991589/
"I recall both of these individuals showing up in 1992 at a card show held at the Cincinnati Convention Center....One of the two guys purchased a reprinted T206 Wagner..."
And Michael O'Keeffe writing in the Daily News on Nov 20, 2005 says:
"Steve Wolter, owner of Sports Investments, a card and memorabilia business in Cincinnati, examined the card 'eight or nine years ago [1996 or 1997],' and says he determined it was a reprint."
So it would seem that Cobb & Edwards had the card well before Kidney reported his stolen -- and they probably paid a lot less than $1800 for it.
In this thread, john/z28jd posts scans of his Honus Wagner reprint and says
http://www.network54.com/Forum/153652/message/1156097025/
"Heres the same reprint they have.I recieved the card from a dealer getting out of cards in 1991 and at that time the card looked old,so i could see it being a reprint from the 70's. Is anyone fooled by the front of this card?"
It would be interesting to know if the details of John's purchase (where, how much, any story) would shed light on Cobb & Edwards' Cincinnati buy. John?