Prized cards of your collection?

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Posted By: Ben 

I'm sure this thread has been done before, but for those who would like to contribute, great!

I'm only 21 years old, but I've been a collector for 10+ years, and have managed to amass a decent vintage collection. I was either a smart or a very lucky 10 year old...I wasn't interested in the flashy new cards, I prefered the simple beauty of older cards. Anyways, here are my most prized cards I've accumilated over the years.

T206 Walter Johnson Portrait
T206 Cobb red portrait
1933 goudey Lou Gehrig (in poor shape)
1952 Topps Mays
1953 Topps Satchel Paige

Hopefully the ebay auction I won for the Joe Jackson W-514 works out (I still haven't heard back from the seller). If it does, then that will definitely be the centerpiece of my collection! How about you guys? (I know my list is going to be blown out of the water, but I'm still young!)

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Posted By: David

As I don't collect cards, I have to answer the question differently. My favorite item by far is a 1951 National Girl's Baseball League Gold & Diamond Championship ring, which I wear. I make no appologies for wear it, because it's cool.

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Posted By: Julie Vognar

Mayo Nichols
Old Judge Radbourne (not portrait...yet)
Fan Craze Ned Hanlon (what a supercillious smile!)
(not a card) '55 Dodgers World Series press pin
'49 Bowman Paige
Conlon photos of Gleason, Landis
Unknown photographer photo of Cicotte and Weaver fooling around in the dugout
Little yellow background careful drawing of Nomura Japanese card (Japanese best catcher, hit over 600 home runs).
A35 Kelly
'53 Bowman Mantle (awww)
5 1947 Homoginized Bond Bread Jackie Robinsons
vignette cabinet of Caruthers, (photgrapher of Brooklyn)
S.F. Hess Ewing
Gee, makes me feel good.

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Posted By: ty-cobb

Welcome to the board Ben! When I was your age
I had a triumvirate of T206 Cobb's that I prized
above all. I've accumulated numerous T206 rare
backs over the years, but with collecting you
always want what you don't have!
There's an electric feel to that Shoeless Joe
isn't there? I get the same charge looking at
Leon's T207 Red Cross Weaver, or looking at
Dad's 1962 Oil Kings Memorial Cup team photo.

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Posted By: QHN

Ben you are smart. When I was in jr high I was reading about Lajoie n Speaker n Cobb but buying Griffey Jr. and Gregg Jeffries RCs (ack!!!). Now that I'm collecting these pre-war players, I would love to get a decent Cracker Jack Shoeless Joe, or the elusive e90-1. To be honest if you hadn't BIN the W514 strip I would've taken the plunge myself.

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Posted By: Dan Mathewson

I collect only Matty cards, but I do have a few that are favorites...

A Nadja Caramels that I recently picked up.
A 1913 Fan For a Fan.
A couple PSA-8 T206 White Borders.
I have both Sporting Life M-116's (the pastel is an 8, the blue is a 5). I love the depictions of Matty on these...visually one of my favorite cards.
(2) PSA-5 1951 Connie Mack All-Stars (cool cards if you can find ones that aren't punched out).
A nice T-205 (7) that has no edge chipping.

I'm outta state, and too relaxed to remember everything, but these are a few that I really like. But, like Ty-C says, we always seem to want the ones we don't have yet. Like the Breisch Williams, several of the rare Cigarette maker backs, and so on. And, that makes the collecting way fun, Bro.

Awesome thread, and Welcome to the Board!

-dan

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Posted By: leon

Almost all of the "old" gang of folks on the board know what I have because I am not the classic "old time" collector. I am the "new age" that likes to help people and catalogue/discover stuff, and hopefully not seeming bragadocous (sp?) as I have been very luck(e)y. I also think there are some of the more advanced collectors that are coming around to being more helpful. That is great. I will state why I collect again. 1. "Collecting" is in my blood and I love baseball cards and baseball. 2. I like the comeraderie. 3. I like helping folks get stuff they need...regardless if I don't make a profit or even lose a few pennies every once in a while. (what comes around does go around and my spurts of kindness have resulted in other good things)....don't take this as me being a pushover as I don't think I am. 4. Lastly, and leastly, these little jewels are not for profit but I'll be dang if they haven't done a lot better than the stock market over the last 5 years. Now with all of that being said I will say that I am an average, middle aged collector, that had a few good years in computer sales and diverted (thank goodness) some of my savings to cards. There will be many on the board with a little bit less and many with a lot more than my quaint type collection.....so, for the newbies my favorites (regardless of price) and not in any particular order:
1. 1869 Peck and Snyder
2. 1886 Lone Jack Commisky
3. 1886 H812 Smiling Mickey Welch
4. 1887 Buchner Gold Coin Kelly (SGC 92)
6. 1912 T207 Red Cross Weaver
7. 1888 E223 G & B Connor
8. 1911 T217 Mono Daley (SGC 80)
9. 1910 E221 Bishop LA Team-purple
10 1911 E94 Byrne (Oh You Fan!) overprint
11 1888 Yum Yum Orourke batting (SGC70)
12 1911 T205 Johnson (PSA7)
13 1887 Four Base Hits Kelly (and ya'll thought I would leave him out)

and a few others could have made my top list as on any given day I like one card more than another....type collecting is cool.....best regards all

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Posted By: Julie Vognar

I'm 67, oldest Forum member (I think!), but have only bren collecting for 23 years. When I was your age, I had never SEEN a baseball card.

Also, I had to sell nearly all my cards in 1988, so I really started all over again.

Welcome!

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Posted By: jay behrens

Like Julie, I restarted collecting again. I sold off everything back 1991 to buy a house. That turned out to be a major mistake as the housing market crashed in my area and I ended up getting divorced right at that time and sell to the sell the house at a major loss.

Once I get them in my hands, the w514 Risberg and Ruth will be my prize cards for quite some time. I'd have to also include my e92 Nadja Oakes and all my e90-3 Cubs.

Jay

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Posted By: warshawlaw

About three years ago I ended my automatic investment plans and simply started pooling cash into my accounts. I was mystified by the whole bubble. I got hit when the crash hit (mostly because I held on too long to my mutual funds) and had the big "capitulation" sale in June. I still have some $$ in play and I watch it shrink daily. ARGHHHH!!!!

Thank God for my cards. The good picks I've made just stay nice and steady in value. Besides, I'd rather stare at a T206 Cobb than a Schwab statement any day.

But I digress. My favorites from my collection:

1920's PC back Exhibit Babe Ruth sitting portrait(I used to have a poster of this pose on my wall in the dorms-- didn't get me many girls BTW)
1922 Exhibit Harry Heilmann (GREAT picture--same as E121(?) but many x larger)
1921 Exhibit Walter Johnson
T206 Cobb Bat Off (what great colors)
T205 Jack Barry (amazing colors)
1954 Aaron
1955 Ted Williams
1963 Sandy Koufax

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Posted By: jeff s

but there is one that stands out among them all, which must be seen to be believed.

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Posted By: Brian C Daniels

as an answer Leon but then I got to thinking about the 52 topps of Gus Zernial where he is juggling baseballs and decided that in psa 9 is the prize possess....although the N508's & N48's both you and I both have leon of A&G backed Women's baseball players from 1888 are pretty cool as well! The batting pose of Cy Young in the E-93 set is very cool as well!

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Posted By: David

Obviously, my true prized possesion is the card-sized Henry, who has probably walked by more baseball photographs and autographs that any dog alive (at least any dog 5lbs and under).

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Posted By: Glen V

As a type collector I prize each type. The most prized at any moment is usually whatever I just won. Otherwise favorites include the cards that were the hardest for me to find, like the T208 Fireside and E221 Bishop & Co Team, or that I like the look of, like the N43 Allen & Ginter or S81 Silk.

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Posted By: dan mckee

After seeing Leon's list, I wasn't going to post because why bother seeing mine but since I have some oddball stuuf, here goes:




1910 Washington Times Walter Johnson

T206 Plank

Orange borders Wagner

gypsy queen buck ewing

1969 topps Frank Robinson

1933 Eclipse Import R337 set

1933 George C Miller set



This is a cool thread! All of you have posted some really neat items. And the fact that we treasure them makes it the best.

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Posted By: Andy Baran

Dan,

Since none of the Alpha's made your list, how about selling the McGraw to me

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Posted By: Brian Weisner

Great Thread!

T201 Mecca Set psa Registry
5 T206 Cobbs including a Psa 7
Partial Set(29) Of Southern Leaguers in PSA 6 OR HIGHER with 10 8's
1951 Bowman Mantle
T206 Elberfeld Wash Portrait Psa 6
Lots of Rare backs including Drum and Uzit
T206 Kleinow Boston SGC 86 with Pied 42 back
E125 Diecut Hartsell
1953 Bowman Reese

I've got a bad T-card habit.
Hi Dan, send me a scan of your Plank.

be well brian

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Posted By: Brian H.

My favorites (for the moment at least) are:

T202 and T205 sets (well almost) I'm always looking for upgrades;
My near HOF set including: Hanlon Gypsy Queen; Wright Kalamazoo Bats and other 19th century cards that I must have been stalking for years.
7 of 8 Black Sox including: 1914 CJ Shoeless Joe and
T207 Buck Weaver (Cycle)
(I guess this tells you that I am a set builder of sorts)
Funny its nice to think about the cards I have rather than the ones I "need" for a little while. I should do this more often.

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Posted By: Dan Mathewson

Criminy...! I hear you there, Brian. If I spent more time enjoying the ones I have rather than wringing my hands over the ones I need (ok, ok... want...) Maybe I could eat less rice and have a steak now and then.

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Posted By: QHN

Nothing wrong with rice, I eat it everyday...sometime with a steak...and also nothing wrong with dreaming about the cards you want...mine would be a high grade e94 Lajoie, or any high grade caramel cards. So vibrant and rich in color.

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Posted By: jverri01

Nice thread, Ben.

First - I'll take everything on Leon's list, and a side of fries.

I am essentially a t206 back collector, although I do dabble in type collecting, lately, as well.


I don't necessarily collect what is most valuable. Being a trained graphic artist (although I work in the computer field now) I tend to judge by what I perceive as beauty, or art, in cards. For example, my most prized cards tend to be (at this minute, anyway) my high-end Hindu brown cards. When these cards are clean - they are just amazingly appealing visually. They may not be super rare - but, to find them ultra-clean, centered, and with a popular player (like my Clarke, batting example - for example) is very uncommon. I also have a Johnson, portrait Hindu card, among many others.

Carolina Brights, Drum - gorgeous. I have many Lenox backs, but, strangely, find them essentially dull. Same with UZIT. They're tough - but, something about the design is just too "block-style".

E cards are amazing. Talk about art. E93's, E95's, E105's - true art. T204 Ramly - Turkey Red - Talk about a sophistication in both the design and production process. Wow.

To me, cards from the turn of the century epitomize our fascination with the sport of baseball, and clearly reflect our admiration for the legends of that era.

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Posted By: Albie O'Hanian

Wow, it is always nice to read about people owning cards that are on the top of most collectors wish lists. My top ten for pre-war baseball that I own, not based on value:
1) T206 Carolina Brights Back Joe Mcginnity
2) T206 Walter Johnson with glove
3) 1915 Cracker Jack Connie Mack
4) 1904 Fan Craze red Roger Bresnahan
5) T201 Mecca Double Folder Evers/Chance PSA 5
6) 1907 W555 Rube Waddell
7) 1939 Playball Mel Ott PSA 8
8) 1936 World Wide Gum Dizzy Dean
9) 1910 E98 Mordechai "Three-Finger" Brown
10) T206 Ty Cobb Red Background Portrait

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Posted By: Jay Miller

Hi Ben, welcome to the Board. I have more limited collecting interests than most of the folks here---I only collect Goodwin & Co. issues with photos(N172s, N173s, Gypsy Queens) and Kalamazoo Bats. My favorite cards are Irwin with the Wilkes Barre team and Collins with the Lowell team, both in the Old Judge set.

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Posted By: Kenny Cole

I have a fairly heavy HOF and Cuban bent. In no particular order, my favorite cards from my collection are:

E90-1 Jackson;
T207 Weaver (Broadleaf);
E90-2 Wagner;
N172 Radbourne (portrait);
Ramly Burkett (oval);
N162 Anson;
N29 Ewing;
Aguilitas Segundas of Charleston, Lloyd, Mackey, Torriente, Mendez and Lundy;
Billiken Oliver Marcelle;
Tomas Gutierrez Album;
1951 (?) Puerto Rican League Leon Day;
Propagandas Montiel Dihigo;
Acebo Ray Dandridge

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Posted By: Andy Baran

Since so many are willing to share, I thought I would do the same. In no particular order:

1869 Peck & Snyder Red Stockings CDV
E107 Wagner & Mathewson
M101-5 Ruth
N172 Delahanty
Gypsy Queen Kelly
T204 Johnson
Tomas Guiterrez Oscar Charleston
E135 Hornsby
Alleghany Brown
W555 Cobb
E90-1 Jackson

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Posted By: stutor

I enjoy reading about collecting interests/favorite cards of those who post on this board. While my collection pales in comparison, here's a list of my current favorites.

t206 Johnson (glove shows) - my first vintage card
e97 B/W Moore and Bransfield
t206 Lajoie (batting) with Uzit back
t205 Lennox with Hindu back
t206 Southern Leaguers with Hindu backs

Great thread!

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Posted By: Jaime Leiderman

Not collecting cards (just 19c photography) but still have some types.

Some of the cards I own or owned in the past

E300 Plow´s Candy Cobb
E300 Plow´s Candy Hauser
N370 Foutz (sold)
Just So Virtue (traded)
T215 Pirate Meyers (traded)
N167 Connor (sold)
W590 Ruth
E92 Nadja Bresnahan

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Posted By: Andy Baran

Jaime,

Do you have any idea where that N167 Connor is today, and if you think it may ever be available for sale?

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Posted By: Julie Vognar

Kenny, if you ever think of selling the Radbourne portrait...

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Posted By: dan mckee

Hi Andy! They only didn't make my list because I don't like advertising them. You know they are my die hard favorites! I don't consider them cards anymore, they replaced my wife and both girlfriends!

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Posted By: Kenny Cole

Julie,

I don't foresee selling the Radbourne portrait in the near future, but you never know. If I decide to, I'll give you first crack at it.

Kenny

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Posted By: Jaime Leiderman

Don't really know where the card is right now...
I'll try to find the card scan and the contact of the original buyer.
The card was in G condition, and not graded at the time I sold it. (1999-00)

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Posted By: Keith O'Leary

in no particular order, and yes, its nice to see what the group has stashed away.

1. T200 St. Louis A (I believe this to be harder to
find then the NY A)
2. T3 Cobb
3. T9 Johnson (with "no addess" back)
4. N28 Anson
5. N28 Dempsey (SGC 88, only 1 of 2 N28 88s I own)
6. N29 Ewing
7. N43 Ray (SGC 86)
8. N162 Kelly
9. N184 Henderson (SGC 80)
10. 1880s Duke Cameo Cigarettes Imperial cabinet card

happy hunting all, Keith

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Posted By: runscott

1890's card-sized "in action" albumen cabinet featuring a left-handed catcher with a fingerless catcher's mitt.
t205 Ed Reulbach printers scrap - blank-backed with another image.
t206 Jacklitsch proof (real one Pete)
1955 NM Tom Landry
1915 Cracker Jack HR Baker

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Posted By: Tom A

Dang, i am so envious of everyone who has posted so far. Wishing my company would give me a raise... and I would have started collecting earlier.

1914 Cracker Jack Tinker
Any of the T202's I have, I just think they are cool looking.
Whichever of the two T206 Cobb's I won on ebay last week arrives first... it will be my first Cobb card.

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Posted By: Tom

Sometimes I wish Andy didn't have that N172 Delehanty..........but my favorites............

T5 Mounted Ty Cobb
N172 Harry Wright (low grade and STILL not for sale)
N172 Pete Brownings (two different poses)
Joseph Hall Louisville Cabinet
N173 Cap Anson cabinet
Any Louisville Old Judge cabinets, N172's, proofs
N284 Chris Von Der Ahe
Cameo Pepsin Cy Young pin (okay, thanks Andy.....)
PM1 Ornate Pin Tris Speaker
N167 'Proof' of Dude Esterbrook (cabinet photo used to make N167 card)

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Posted By: Julie Vognar

our addresses don't appear with our emails....sometimes I get worried, although, as far as I know, no one in my neighborhood even knows I collect cards. There's a woman almost right across the street who does some sort of mail order out of her house, and the package trucks stop by her place MUCH more frequently than mine, good thing, too.

Think I'll add a few:

T202s: "Too Late for Devlin" (Mathewson--Devlin (Giants)); "Fast Work at Third " (Cobb); "Speaker Rounding Third" (Speaker--Wood)"Chase Safe at Third" (Baker--Collins(?))
1947 Tip Top Bread: Yogi Berra
1952 Jackie Robinson
1953 Bowman: Stan Musial. Warren Spahn
1955 Topps Jackie Robinson
1956 Topps: Ted Williams, Whitey Ford
1958 Willie Mays
1963 Topps: Brock, Koufax, Clemente
1967 Topps: Maury Wills

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Posted By: Ben

any guesses as to the collective book value of every card listed in this thread?

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Posted By: B Hodes

Actually value would be real tough for (at least) two reasons:
1. Alot of one of kind (or near one of a kind stuff). Yes, the books do attempt to value one of kinds but obviously they can make little more than an educated guess: and
2. Condition -- most of us didn't list grades -- which I found quite refreshing. It was nice to see people happy with their cards (usually) without grading them -- either by themselves or with "professional grades."

This is/was a really nice pleasant thread that was fun to read an generally made me feel good about the Hobby (Ok I admit to some jealously too!).

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Posted By: Andy Baran

I'd love to see a scan of the card, and to find out if it might be available.

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Posted By: Dabbuu

I really enjoyed this thread also.

Ok so some of my personal favorites would be

Fatima Premium Philedelphia Athletics
T206 Magie
T206 Wagner
T206 Lajoie/ Uzit back
1952 Topps 373 Jim Turner
Old Judge Cabnet Anson
oh and my favorite(not a card though)
1961 season used Mantle jersey

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Posted By: Julie Vognar

....

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Posted By: TBob

1. T207 Loudermilk
2. E94 Cicotte with overprint
3. E98 (now a tobacco card) Old Put Clarke
4. E90-1 dynamic duo of Graham and Sweeney
5. E102 Matty
6. E93 Matty
7. E? Proof of Chance
8. E? Proof of Kling
9. 1956 Mantle
10. T212-3 Weaver

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Posted By: Patrick McMenemy

My favorite cards of my type collection of 1905-1915 catchers:

Roger Bresnahan: M116 (Blue Background), T204
George Gibson: D322 Tip Top Bread,E90-2
Red Kleinow: T3, T206 (Catching, Boston)
Johnny Kling: T3
Chief Meyers: T206 (Portrait), E96, T205, T202 (Meyers, Mathewson)
Ira Thomas: T201, E90-1, 104-1 (With Symbols), T204
Gabby Street: T207, T204

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Posted By: Bruce Moreland

This is my favorite card, in a sense. It's one that people aren't likely to have seen before, it's very cool, and it isn't that expensive. The photography couldn't be any better.

I had one in my hand when I walked into a 7-11 and the clerk asked me how much I wanted for it.

That's my idea of a cool card.

bruce

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Posted By: jay behrens

very cool card. There are lot of really cool looking football cards from the late 40s early 50s. Elroy Hirsch always seemed to have the best looking cards.

Jay

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Posted By: Marc S.

Your story begs the question as to what you were doing walking into 7-11 with this card.

Hopefully it wasn't your selected card for the now infamous paint can experiment!

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Posted By: runscott

When I first saw "non-photo" sports cards I didn't like them at all, but the early Bowmans changed my mind. While my '55 Landry is still my favorite that I own, almost any card in the '50 set looks better.