Polar bear back Cobb

[jcmtiger]

How scarce is a Cobb portrait red with a polar bear back? Thanks joe

[53toppscollector]

depends on your definition of scarce.

Here are the PSA numbers:

* PSA has graded 2,313 Cobb Red Portraits in total. It is the most graded T206 card by a huge margin (next highest is 1600)

* Of the 2,313 examples graded, 245 are Polar Bears, so 10.6%.

* The 245 Polar Bears are by far the highest number of any of the Cobb Red off backs. The next closest is Old Mill, with 94 graded examples.

* The 245 Polar Bears are by far the most of any subject in a Polar Bear back. The next closest is Chance Yellow Portrait (also a super print) at 145. For comparison, the Chance Yellow has been graded 1,332 times, so the 145 Polar Bears would be 10.9% of its total population

So, if we are talking Polar Bears, the Red Cobb is the most graded example. It is also the most common off back Red Cobb. That said, there are 499 Piedmont Red Cobbs and 582 SweetCap Red Cobbs, so the Polar Bear back is twice as rare as those.

[icurnmedic]

PSA pop shows 245 being graded. I assume a similar number thru SGC, but IDK .
In contrast Sov 350 has 30.

To me PB is not a rare back.

[53toppscollector]

Originally Posted by icurnmedic

PSA pop shows 245 being graded. I assume a similar number thru SGC, but IDK .
In contrast Sov 350 has 30.

To me PB is not a rare back.

Some Polar Bears are actually quite rare.

For the Cobb Red, the total distribution looks like this (PSA only)

Piedmont 499
Sweet Cap 582

Polar Bear - 245
Old Mill - 94
Tolstoi - 41
Sovereign 350 - 30
AB 350 - 16
EPDG - 15
Cycle 460 - 10
Cycle 350 - 7
Carolina Brights - 8
Lenox Black - 8
Hindu Red - 6
Sovereign 460 - 4
Drum - 2
BL 350 - 1

Piedmonts are 21.5% of the total population, SweetCaps are 25.2%, so those two account for 46% of all the Red Cobbs. Polar Bear comes in at 10.6%. Now, if you compare those 245 to the 2 Drums, then sure, Polar Bear isn't that rare. But 10.6% is more than half of the number of Piedmonts or Sweet Caps. Its scarce, but scarcity is relative.

Larry Doyle Portrait has been graded 457 times and there are only 10 Polar Bears. Nichols batting has been graded 324 times, only 7 Polar Bears. I'd say those PBs are rare.

[icurnmedic]

Originally Posted by 53toppscollector

Some Polar Bears are actually quite rare.

.

Referring to the Red Cobb only.

[MR RAREBACK]

The polar bear is also a fan favorite

[puckpaul]

Every thread needs a card? Here is my polar bear bat off Cobb. Anyone have the stats on the scarcity of that Cobb?

[jcmtiger]

Thanks for the answers. Joe

[joshleon]

I have a red cobb PB at SGC right now so add 1.

[Ronnie73]

I would say, not rare. Print Group 4 Polar Bears are more difficult and neither Cobb is in that group. I'm lacking the Red Background Cobb with a Polar Bear back, but only because of cost. I own the Red Cobb with other backs, like Tolstoi and a couple others, so I'm not in a rush to get a Red Polar Bear Cobb. One day the right one will come along and I'll have the right cash and or trade cards available.