What's the rarest card you own?

[CobbSpikedMe]

Originally Posted by chiprop

Attachment 495313

Wow, excellent Ruth Lections with no hole punches. That's a beauty!



.

[Aaron Seefeldt]

Originally Posted by chiprop

Attachment 495313

Sweet friggen’ Lections Ruth, DK! Show us more! Show us Mr Blue e92!

[Exhibitman]

Warren Spahn RC (1947), uncut sheet.

[glchen]

So many great cards in this thread.

[ullmandds]

Originally Posted by glchen

So many great cards in this thread.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by glchen

So many great cards in this thread.

Nice card. It is NOT hand cut and doesn't appear to be altered....though there could be an unseen alteration. Idiot TPGs.....effing idiots.

.

[molenick]

Leon's post prompted me to post this one (formerly of the Luckey collection). It was sold twice by Heritage so there is a better scan there (it is best enjoyed with a magnifying glass or as a scalable image).

[pete zouras]

One half of a stereoview scene

[molenick]

Love it. Here's one where you can kind of make out a boy pitching to a woman.

[yanksfan09]

Love that W503 Ruth!! Nice 1947 Spahn! Haven’t seen that!

[LincolnVT]

This one is rare.

[akleinb611]

My collection is all over the place, so I probably have a lot of pieces that are pretty rare - although in my defense, I don't really think in those terms. Maybe the fact that I don't own any graded cards keeps me from thinking in terms of pop numbers or registries.

Anyway, one item I have that may be one of a kind comes from the criminally under-collected M113/M114 set, the Baseball Magazine premiums. Fellow board member Doug Goodman and I seem to be the only collectors of this set who are making a run for a complete set - and I do have one piece he acknowledges he's never owned or even seen.

I attended the third National, the one held in Parsippany NJ and organized by Lew Lipset. That was back in 1983. While there, I ran across a dealer who had a number of M113's (the oversized ones that are usually found trimmed), all of which had been glued to poster board and trimmed close to the picture borders. I think I paid about $20 for a group of six, which included several very nice Hall of Famers (McGraw, Jennings, and the magnificent "Walter Johnson's Pitching Arm). Also included were a few commons, including Vic Saier.

For those of you who don't closely follow Dead Ball Era baseball, Vic Saier was a slightly above-average first baseman with the Cubs in the years leading up to the First World War. His career was essentially over by the time he was twenty-five, but he had a couple of good years that would have explained his inclusion in the M113 set in 1913.

Except that no checklist, no review of the set, no compilation of the issue, has EVER referenced or uncovered the issuance of a Vic Saier photo in the M113 set.

Except for the one that I have.

It's probably not all THAT valuable, given how few people collect this set seriously. But I do take a certain pride in having an item that nobody else has (apparently).

Alan Kleinberger

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by Leon

Nice card. It is NOT hand cut and doesn't appear to be altered....though there could be an unseen alteration. Idiot TPGs.....effing idiots.
.

Such a great early action shot!

[rsst206]

s74 white series

[ValKehl]

A few 1922 cards that appear to be 1-of-1s per the pop reports:

[glchen]

Originally Posted by Leon

Nice card. It is NOT hand cut and doesn't appear to be altered....though there could be an unseen alteration. Idiot TPGs.....effing idiots.

.

Thanks everyone for the compliments!

To be fair to PSA, the card actually is accurately graded. The Authentic/Altered grade is because the card is recolored. For some reason, someone tried to color in the crease with a pen.

On the other hand, as Leon said, the W503s are not hand cut, but factory cut, so definitely an error by PSA on that point.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by rsst206

s74 white series

Fantastic silks Ron. What are the backs on the other four Cobbs?

[Leon]

Originally Posted by glchen

Thanks everyone for the compliments!

To be fair to PSA, the card actually is accurately graded. The Authentic/Altered grade is because the card is recolored. For some reason, someone tried to color in the crease with a pen.

On the other hand, as Leon said, the W503s are not hand cut, but factory cut, so definitely an error by PSA on that point.

If it is recolored then the grade is accurate not the hand cut designation on the flip. PSA and SGC both put "hand cut" on every W575-1 and W503. That is not accurate. How many strips of W575-1, or W503, has anyone seen? There might be a few but that isn't how they were distributed, unlike many of the W5xx series of strips.

As shown before, twenty W575-1 cards came in this pack I acquired. All were almost perfectly cut and the same size. They are not hand cut.

[rsst206]

Hi Bob,
tried loading the back picture but file to big so i cropped the Helmar since it is my rarest back. The other 4 are 2 Oldmill and 2 Turkey Red non boarder.

Br
Ron

[BobC]

Originally Posted by rsst206

Hi Bob,
tried loading the back picture but file to big so i cropped the Helmar since it is my rarest back. The other 4 are 2 Oldmill and 2 Turkey Red non boarder.

Br
Ron

Hey Ron,

So both your Turkey Red - Cobbs were without the border. Have you ever seen a Turkey Red - Cobb with the border then? I don't think I ever have, and just wondered if one even exists. I know the SGC pop reports show they've graded 12 Turkey Red backed white Cobb silks in total, but it doesn't specify if they are with or without the borders. And don't you have a Red Sun backed Cobb as well? Always figured you to be the person to complete the entire back run for white silks of Cobb one day.

I know there aren't a whole lot of Helmar and Red Sun backed white silks of Cobb out there. I always figured it may be possible to have two complete Cobb back runs, as I'm only aware of two Helmar backed Cobbs in existence. Your raw one one, and then the single graded one on SGC's pop reports. And then I'm only aware of two Red Sun backed Cobbs, both of which show up on SGC's pop reports. Let me know what you think. Thanks.

[rsst206]

Hi Bob,
I don't think I have ever seen a Cobb with a Turkey Red border either.
I do not have a Red Sun Cobb. I have seen a few most recently the Blue print on EBAY that recently sold for 16K. That would have fit nicely into the master set. The one on EBAY didn't have the fold line like most and was graded by SGC 84 NM.
best regards
Ron

[BobC]

Originally Posted by rsst206

Hi Bob,
I don't think I have ever seen a Cobb with a Turkey Red border either.
I do not have a Red Sun Cobb. I have seen a few most recently the Blue print on EBAY that recently sold for 16K. That would have fit nicely into the master set. The one on EBAY didn't have the fold line like most and was graded by SGC 84 NM.
best regards
Ron

Thanks Ron,

I'm wondering now if Cobb silks ever got released with Turkey Red backs with a border. I guess it is possible they did not after all. That is a shame. Let me know if ever even see one.

Also a shame you don't have a Red Sun backed Cobb, I sure thought you did. I saw the SGC84 NM one you were talking about just sold on Ebay a month or so ago. It was listed with a BIN of $18K I think, but looks like you're saying it went for a Best Offer of only $16K? There's only two Red Sun Cobbs listed on SGC's pop reports. The SGC84 NM one you and I have been talking about, and then there's an SGC30 GD I believe, that if memory serves, was sold by REA back in August of 2020. Have you ever seen a raw, ungraded Red Sun Cobb, or do you think the two graded by SGC are it?

Regardless, I can't believe that SGC84 NM Red Sun Cobb only went for a best offer of $16K then. That is one of the rarest early Cobbs there is, and is the highest graded of any S74-1 white silk in existence. I can't believe the silks are still doing this poorly against all the regular cards out there.

Anyway, I'm only aware of there being two Helmar backed Cobbs, your raw one and the SGC40 VG one listed on their pop reports. Curious if you've seen or even heard of another Helmar backed Cobb silk. I feel pretty confident those may be the only two Helmar Cobbs, but wouldn't be too shocked if there are some other Red Suns Cobbs out there in addition to the two graded by SGC. Let me know what you think.

All the best,
Bob

[Pat R]

Originally Posted by BobC

Thanks Ron,

I'm wondering now if Cobb silks ever got released with Turkey Red backs with a border. I guess it is possible they did not after all. That is a shame. Let me know if ever even see one.

Also a shame you don't have a Red Sun backed Cobb, I sure thought you did. I saw the SGC84 NM one you were talking about just sold on Ebay a month or so ago. It was listed with a BIN of $18K I think, but looks like you're saying it went for a Best Offer of only $16K? There's only two Red Sun Cobbs listed on SGC's pop reports. The SGC84 NM one you and I have been talking about, and then there's an SGC30 GD I believe, that if memory serves, was sold by REA back in August of 2020. Have you ever seen a raw, ungraded Red Sun Cobb, or do you think the two graded by SGC are it?

Regardless, I can't believe that SGC84 NM Red Sun Cobb only went for a best offer of $16K then. That is one of the rarest early Cobbs there is, and is the highest graded of any S74-1 white silk in existence. I can't believe the silks are still doing this poorly against all the regular cards out there.

Anyway, I'm only aware of there being two Helmar backed Cobbs, your raw one and the SGC40 VG one listed on their pop reports. Curious if you've seen or even heard of another Helmar backed Cobb silk. I feel pretty confident those may be the only two Helmar Cobbs, but wouldn't be too shocked if there are some other Red Suns Cobbs out there in addition to the two graded by SGC. Let me know what you think.

All the best,
Bob

This one sold on ebay in 2016.
0 S74 Cobb.jpg

[BobC]

Originally Posted by Pat R

This one sold on ebay in 2016.
Attachment 496137

Thank you Pat! Definitely don't remember seeing that one up for sale. Wish I had though.

These silks are still so unappreciated by many collectors IMO, especially with the ad-backed white version silks. You have three separate and distinct ink colors used on the front images, and four different tobacco brands shown on the advertising backs, including two versions of the Turkey Red backs (with and without the border/frame), so you have five total advertising backs they come with. So there are a lot of variations to this set, somewhat along the lines of the T206 set with all its variations, just not as many. But there are some true rarities in the silks, including a precious few known proofs, that can blow away most anything in the T206 universe as far as how few examples of something are still known to exist.

And one of the great side benefits of the silks is there aren't likely going to be any fakes or reprints out there you have to worry about either.

[rsst206]

Hi Bob,
On the Helmar backs Leon had the brown print, I have the red print and i believe the one graded is blue print. picture from Leon"s website. So it is possible to have all 3 different prints of Helmar.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by rsst206

Hi Bob,
On the Helmar backs Leon had the brown print, I have the red print and i believe the one graded is blue print. picture from Leon"s website. So it is possible to have all 3 different prints of Helmar.

To be clear those are from my previous collection...I own 1 of them now. (I realize you used past tense but for others)

Here is my only S74 currently.. It is the one from my previous collection.

.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by rsst206

Hi Bob,
On the Helmar backs Leon had the brown print, I have the red print and i believe the one graded is blue print. picture from Leon"s website. So it is possible to have all 3 different prints of Helmar.

Hey Ron,

I remember when Leon (Hi Leon!) used to post that picture, great silks. But I'm pretty sure that Leon's old brown ink Helmar-Cobb silk is the only graded one on SGC's pop report. I'm almost positive it was graded when sold with the rest of his collection through Heritage, back in 2017. That was why I was curious if you knew of any other Helmar-Cobbs besides yours and Leon's old one. I'm only aware of those two, in the brown and red/rust ink colors.

And still curious to see if there are more than two Red Sun-Cobbs in existence as well, in addition to the two of those on the SGC pop reports.

And on a sad note, most people must really not like the S-74 silks. Couple posts about them, and apparently it killed this rarest card thread. This was a great thread.

[Brian Van Horn]

.

[Exhibitman]

1906 Sunday American flip-book

[tedzan]

1871 Troy Haymakers

Well, this 1871 Troy Haymakers scorecard isn't quite old enough to be among the first BB cards; but, it sure is rare.
Ten scorecards were issued in 1871 - 1872 portraying players on this National Association team.

William "Clipper" Flynn (1871 - 1872)







TED Z

T206 Reference
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[mrreality68]

Originally Posted by tedzan

1871 Troy Haymakers

Well, this 1871 Troy Haymakers scorecard isn't quite old enough to be among the first BB cards; but, it sure is rare.
Ten scorecards were issued in 1871 - 1872 portraying players on this National Association team.

William "Clipper" Flynn (1871 - 1872)







TED Z

T206 Reference
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Great piece and I love the advertising

[t213]

I love T214

[Rhotchkiss]

Ted, that is amazing. Regarding scorecards:

Here is a scorecard from Joe Jackson's last game in the minors with the New Orleans Pelicans (same team he plays for in his T210 card). The AH (not Lelands) said it was the only one they had seen.

Awesome T214 Bender. I literally just consigned one of the other know T214 Benders to Heritage (it will be in their March auction). T214s are so cool and so so tough

[kkkkandp]

Originally Posted by Rhotchkiss

Ted, that is amazing. Regarding scorecards:

Here is a scorecard from Joe Jackson's last game in the minors with the New Orleans Pelicans (same team he plays for in his T210 card). The AH (not Lelands) said it was the only one they had seen.

Awesome T214 Bender. I literally just consigned one of the other know T214 Benders to Heritage (it will be in their March auction). T214s are so cool and so so tough

Great item!

Joe looks so happy to be posing, doesn't he?

[tedzan]

Originally Posted by Rhotchkiss

Ted, that is amazing. Regarding scorecards:

Here is a scorecard from Joe Jackson's last game in the minors with the New Orleans Pelicans (same team he plays for in his T210 card). The AH (not Lelands) said it was the only one they had seen.

Awesome T214 Bender. I literally just consigned one of the other know T214 Benders to Heritage (it will be in their March auction). T214s are so cool and so so tough

Ryan

Thanks....and, so is your New Orleans Pelicans scorecard amazing.

Here is another 19th Century scorecard (circa 1890). Not as rare as the Troy scorecard; nevertheless, a very colorful one.










TED Z

T206 Reference
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[pbspelly]

Probably this. I also have a Plow Boy, but I think these are rarer.

[Dead-Ball-Hitter]

Originally Posted by LincolnVT

This one is rare.

That is beyond cool!!! Love the late 1800's cab cards. Thanks for showing.

[aelefson]

I am amazed at the incredible cards and other items shown in this thread! I do not have any traditional cards that are considered rare, but here is a cool early stereoview. I am sure there are more examples of this team (I do not even know what team it is), but probably not too many.

Alan

[tedzan]

1865 Currier & Ives lithograph of Elysian Fields where the first organized game of Baseball was played on June 19, 1846 in this ballpark in Hoboken, NJ.
This 90-year old copy of the original Currier & Ives Litho was replicated by the Sidney Z. Lucas Gallery in NYC (circa 1930). It's nearly impossible to find
original 1865 copies of this Currier & Ives print.
This picture (23" x 15" cardboard) is the decorative centerpiece in my office, surrounded by my various uncut sheets of BB and FB cards (1927 to 1961).






----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- v---- Henry Chadwick (Baseball Journalist)




TED Z

T206 Reference
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[Fred]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

1906 Sunday American flip-book

Is that flip book complete? That would be too cool to flip through it.

If you really want to drive collecting purist nuts, you can un-staple it and sell the individual pages.

[x2drich2000]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

1906 Sunday American flip-book

Adam, very cool flipbook. Do you know is it the same images/pages used in the Winthrop postcard? It looks quite similar to me. Also, is there anything specific such as a copyright about it that definitively links it to 1906? Have you ever seen another one?

[ValKehl]

Originally Posted by t213

I love T214

Andy, I'm with you!

There aren't any examples of this T214 in the pop reports:

[molenick]

Looks like this is the only Meyers Catching on either the PSA or SGC reports (although SGC has two Meyers cards listed with an unspecified pose).

[t213]

Great Victory Val!

[Yoda]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

1906 Sunday American flip-book

What a difference 100 plus years makes in our culture. These days it would be, "Digitally Impaired Brown".

[Brian Van Horn]

Forgot this one:

[brianp-beme]

Originally Posted by Brian Van Horn

Forgot this one:

Always nice to see a card I haven't seen before...thanks Brian.

Brian

[Brian Van Horn]

Brian,

My pleasure.

[Leon]

Here is a 1 of 1.

[KCRfan1]

Amazing cards everyone!

Spending Saturday morning looking at cards in the thread.