Tell us of your experiences in completing (or near completing) your T206 set(s) ?

[tedzan]

Originally Posted by bbcard1

My first T206 was bought around 1975 from Rich Gedman's Card collectors company. It was a random card, I think for a dollar or so and it was a Snodgrass. In the early 80s i bought a group or about 150 including lower tier hall of famers, all low grade for $100. At one point my goal was to get a contemporaneous card of each hall of fame. The most accessible were the T206s so I knocked off most of the major hall of famers that way without a conscious effort to be working toward a T206 set. As a shop owner I bought the Cobb, Lajoie, and others. I looked up and was suddenly over 400 and decided to do a set of at least one version of each card...next thing you knew I started buying and trading and was up over 400..so I went for the full 518 set with considerable help from Ted and Marc Delpercio. Please note this is a low grade set, but not a bad set. There area a couple of terrific cards, Young pitching and Shag, especially. Anyhow I "accidentally" picked up a trimmed Demmitt...the guy who had it just didn't want it any more and offered it to me for some of my dupes...so I figured, "why not." I finished up by buying a very low grade O'hara and have a 520. The last card I needed for the set was Milan, mainly because I somehow overlooked it.

Hi Todd

Great story there, good buddy. I really miss those shows in Oaks, PA where we were set-up at adjacent tables.....we had a great time there "wheeling and dealing".

And, endlessly talking BB and BB cards.

Take care, my friend.


TED Z
.

[tedzan]

Originally Posted by ZachS

Beautiful Cobb (and one that I need for my portrait set). How would you like to TRIPLE your investment right now?!

Zach

I have to get it graded before I decide to trade it (or sell it).

And, that may be quite a while



TED Z
.

[bbcard1]

Originally Posted by tedzan

Hi Todd

Great story there, good buddy. I really miss those shows in Oaks, PA where we were set-up at adjacent tables.....we had a great time there "wheeling and dealing".

And, endlessly talking BB and BB cards.

Take care, my friend.


TED Z
.

Me too. I am going to head to Chantilly in a couple of weeks, but I'm down to a couple shows a year and those strictly as a buyer.

[tedzan]

Originally Posted by bbcard1

Me too. I am going to head to Chantilly in a couple of weeks, but I'm down to a couple shows a year and those strictly as a buyer.

Hi Todd

Me too....I'm down to two BB card shows a year. I set up at Cooperstown on HOF weekend; and, I set-up at the National.


TED Z
.

[Zach Wheat]

Originally Posted by 62corvette

.......
By the way, in the summer of 73 I had a chance to buy a low-grade Wagner for $600. My monthly salary was $550 and we had a baby, so I passed on it. My wife told me I should borrow the money and buy it. She still brings that up every once in a while.

Nice story. I have to show my significant other the aforementioned....

Z

[Pilot172000]

Ted

When completing your Sovereign or Piedmont set, what kind of standards did you set for them? Did they have to be a certain grade? Did qualifiers matter or did you just go by what you could find?

[tedzan]

Originally Posted by Pilot172000

Ted

When completing your Sovereign or Piedmont set, what kind of standards did you set for them? Did they have to be a certain grade? Did qualifiers matter or did you just go by what you could find?

Hi David

Good question.

For the PIEDMONT set, my goal was to acquire VgEx to Ex cards. Actually, the result was VgEx to ExMt cards [many of the Ex and ExMt cards were originally from my
prior (2nd) set which I broke up to start on the PIEDMONT set.

The SOVEREIGN set was definitely tougher to achieve at a "VgEx to Ex" level. The initial result actually was Vg to VgEx cards. Since 2007 (when I completed this set),
I have upgraded about 120 of the 402 cards that comprise this set.

Shown here are some examples from the SOVEREIGN set......

.. ..




TED Z
.

[Pilot172000]

You just answered my next question. You can find a lesser grade then and upgrade for a cleaner card later. I am taking a crack at the Sovereign 150 set and was wondering how to set my standards. Thanks for the advice.

[tedzan]

Originally Posted by Pilot172000

You just answered my next question. You can find a lesser grade then and upgrade for a cleaner card later. I am taking a crack at the Sovereign 150 set and was wondering how to set my standards. Thanks for the advice.

Hi David

I sort of ran a "marathon" completing my 520-card PIEDMONT set in 2006 (did it in 11 months).

I also ran a "marathon" completing my 402-card SOVERIGN set in 2007 (did it in 11 months).

When you try completing any T206 set in less than year, you certainly cannot be too picky.

The Monster has you "hooked". And, like those famous lyrics in the song Hotel California......
"You can check-out anytime you like -- but, you can never leave" ......The Monster

Then subsequently, you can always upgrade. Here are some upgrades in my PIEDMONT set......
.


.


.







Good luck on your SOVEREIGN 150 adventure.


TED Z
.

[Steve D]

I bought my first T206 (3 actually) back in the late 1970s. At a small monthly card show in San Diego CA, I bought a Keeler batting, Bresnahan batting, and M. Brown pitching (Chicago shirt) for $10 total. Over the next ~5-6 years, I picked up all the HOFers of the time, along with the rare cards of Demmitt, Dahlen, Kleinow, Smith, Elberfeld, G Brown, Lundgren, and some tougher backs including a C Brights and a Hindu SL. The Demmitt was actually a trade I made. I was also collecting 1953 Topps at the same time as the t206s. I had put together the complete set of 1953 Topps baseball. At a card show in San Diego, I traded the 1953 set to Kit Young, for the Demmitt StL and a 1954 Bowman Ted Williams.

I never collected T206s beyond the above. Then in 1991, I sold all of them when I returned to the US after spending two years stationed in Germany with the US Air Force (I had joined the Air Force in 1985).

In August 2003, the spark was re-ignited, and I bought a T206 Cobb red background raw off ebay (from Frank and Vivian Barning, for the old-timers on the boards). Over the next four years, I picked up all the HOFers, the last one being a Lajoie throwing in May 2007. All were bought from ebay.

At that point, I concentrated on cards of the Cubs and Giants. I still wasn't completely sold on collecting the set, but The Monster was laughing at me, and unbeknownst to me, was luring me in to his realm.

Then around June of 2008, The Monster really attacked, and I was hooked! I began picking up the rest of the set in earnest. Interestingly, this was at the same time that I retired from the military.

By August 2012, I still had not bought any Southern Leaguers, except for Dolly Stark, who played for San Antonio (where I retired to). The only rarer card I had up to this point was the Kleinow Boston. This is a good story. In July 2008, I was searching ebay, and I came across a listing for the Kleinow. The listing was for the Kleinow NY (which I didn't have). When I looked at the card though, it was clearly the Kleinow Boston (which I also needed). The flip was wrong, and the seller didn't notice it. No one else noticed the discrepancy, and I got the card for $64.50 in PSA 4.

Back to the SLers. My Stark is an Old Mill (SL) back. It was at this point (August 2012) that I entered the home stretch, and began collecting the Southern Leaguers (all Old Mill-SL backs).

After getting around half the SLers, I started getting the rarer cards, starting with Elberfeld.

At the beginning of August 2013, I was sitting at 492 T206s (20 SLers, Demmitt and O'Hara StL, and six commons). At the 2013 National Convention, I got an SGC 1 Demmitt StL from Rick Probstein, and crossed it over to a PSA 1. I also got a G Brown Washington and seven SLers from Scott Forest, and two commons at the show.

Later in August, I won 11 cards, including 10 SLers, from PWCC on ebay. This put me at 514 cards.

Over the next two months, I picked up the last two commons and three SLers I needed. This brings me to November 2013, and I'm sitting at 519 cards.

When I bought the Demmitt StL from Rick P at the National, he also had an SGC 1 O'Hara StL. I only had the money to get one of the two cards, so I had to pass on the O'Hara. Well, in November (three months after the National, what shows up on ebay, but Rick's O'Hara. I knew I had to get it, and I did. I later crossed it over to a PSA 1.

Another story.....Back in either 2003 or 2004, a Plank PSA 1 showed up on ebay, from a dealer in Pennsylvania. I was the underbidder on it at $16,100. I still to this day, kick myself in the butt for not getting it. It was the only time in my life I've ever had anywhere near the money available at the time a Plank was available. Hopefully one of these days, I'll be able to get one. I'm not really interested in the Doyle NY Natl or Magie, and I know I'll never be able to get a Wagner unless I win Powerball first, but a Plank does seem remotely possible.

Since getting the O'Hara, I've been working on the backs. I currently still need a Broadleaf, Carolina Brights, Drum, Lenox and Uzit to finish the run.

Here's the grade breakdown of my set:

PSA 5 - 6 cards (inc. F Clarke, E Collins, M Huggins, J McGraw)
PSA 4.5 - 31 cards
PSA 4 - 426 cards
PSA 3.5 - 9 cards
PSA 3 - 35 cards
PSA 2.5 - 3 cards
PSA 2 - 8 cards
PSA 1 - 2 cards (Demmitt and O'Hara StL)

So, that's the story of my T206 journey, from the age of ~16, to 53.

Steve

[Pilot172000]

As a kid, I got for Christmas in 1991 a reprint set of the ten most valuable cards in baseball and the three in there were the Wagner, Magie and Plank. It sparked an interest that hasn't been extinguished yet. I hope one day to at least get a Magie followed by the O'hara and Demmitt. The other three may be forever out of my range, but you never know.

[tedzan]

Originally Posted by Steve D

I bought my first T206 (3 actually) back in the late 1970s. At a small monthly card show in San Diego CA, I bought a Keeler batting, Bresnahan batting, and M. Brown pitching (Chicago shirt) for $10 total. Over the next ~5-6 years, I picked up all the HOFers of the time, along with the rare cards of Demmitt, Dahlen, Kleinow, Smith, Elberfeld, G Brown, Lundgren, and some tougher backs including a C Brights and a Hindu SL. The Demmitt was actually a trade I made. I was also collecting 1953 Topps at the same time as the t206s. I had put together the complete set of 1953 Topps baseball. At a card show in San Diego, I traded the 1953 set to Kit Young, for the Demmitt StL and a 1954 Bowman Ted Williams.

I never collected T206s beyond the above. Then in 1991, I sold all of them when I returned to the US after spending two years stationed in Germany with the US Air Force (I had joined the Air Force in 1985).

In August 2003, the spark was re-ignited, and I bought a T206 Cobb red background raw off ebay (from Frank and Vivian Barning, for the old-timers on the boards). Over the next four years, I picked up all the HOFers, the last one being a Lajoie throwing in May 2007. All were bought from ebay.

At that point, I concentrated on cards of the Cubs and Giants. I still wasn't completely sold on collecting the set, but The Monster was laughing at me, and unbeknownst to me, was luring me in to his realm.

Then around June of 2008, The Monster really attacked, and I was hooked! I began picking up the rest of the set in earnest. Interestingly, this was at the same time that I retired from the military.

By August 2012, I still had not bought any Southern Leaguers, except for Dolly Stark, who played for San Antonio (where I retired to). The only rarer card I had up to this point was the Kleinow Boston. This is a good story. In July 2008, I was searching ebay, and I came across a listing for the Kleinow. The listing was for the Kleinow NY (which I didn't have). When I looked at the card though, it was clearly the Kleinow Boston (which I also needed). The flip was wrong, and the seller didn't notice it. No one else noticed the discrepancy, and I got the card for $64.50 in PSA 4.

Back to the SLers. My Stark is an Old Mill (SL) back. It was at this point (August 2012) that I entered the home stretch, and began collecting the Southern Leaguers (all Old Mill-SL backs).

After getting around half the SLers, I started getting the rarer cards, starting with Elberfeld.

At the beginning of August 2013, I was sitting at 492 T206s (20 SLers, Demmitt and O'Hara StL, and six commons). At the 2013 National Convention, I got an SGC 1 Demmitt StL from Rick Probstein, and crossed it over to a PSA 1. I also got a G Brown Washington and seven SLers from Scott Forest, and two commons at the show.

Later in August, I won 11 cards, including 10 SLers, from PWCC on ebay. This put me at 514 cards.

Over the next two months, I picked up the last two commons and three SLers I needed. This brings me to November 2013, and I'm sitting at 519 cards.

When I bought the Demmitt StL from Rick P at the National, he also had an SGC 1 O'Hara StL. I only had the money to get one of the two cards, so I had to pass on the O'Hara. Well, in November (three months after the National, what shows up on ebay, but Rick's O'Hara. I knew I had to get it, and I did. I later crossed it over to a PSA 1.

Another story.....Back in either 2003 or 2004, a Plank PSA 1 showed up on ebay, from a dealer in Pennsylvania. I was the underbidder on it at $16,100. I still to this day, kick myself in the butt for not getting it. It was the only time in my life I've ever had anywhere near the money available at the time a Plank was available. Hopefully one of these days, I'll be able to get one. I'm not really interested in the Doyle NY Natl or Magie, and I know I'll never be able to get a Wagner unless I win Powerball first, but a Plank does seem remotely possible.

Since getting the O'Hara, I've been working on the backs. I currently still need a Broadleaf, Carolina Brights, Drum, Lenox and Uzit to finish the run.

Here's the grade breakdown of my set:

PSA 5 - 6 cards (inc. F Clarke, E Collins, M Huggins, J McGraw)
PSA 4.5 - 31 cards
PSA 4 - 426 cards
PSA 3.5 - 9 cards
PSA 3 - 35 cards
PSA 2.5 - 3 cards
PSA 2 - 8 cards
PSA 1 - 2 cards (Demmitt and O'Hara StL)

So, that's the story of my T206 journey, from the age of ~16, to 53.

Steve

Hi Steve

This is a great story of yours. Thanks for sharing it with us.

You and I have in common these three....we've been collecting T206's for almost 40 years ago....we have done deals with Kit Young....and, we were in the Air Force.


TED Z
.

[tedzan]

Originally Posted by Pilot172000

You just answered my next question. You can find a lesser grade then and upgrade for a cleaner card later. I am taking a crack at the Sovereign 150 set and was wondering how to set my standards. Thanks for the advice.

Hi David

In your pursuit of the cards in the SOVEREIGN 150 series, here is some helpful bits of info for you.

The No-Prints, of course are Lundgren (Cubs), Magie, Plank, and Wagner.

Two 150 series subjects....Jennings (portrait) and Crawford (throwing) were not printed with SOVEREIGN 150 backs (but, you
can find them with SOVEREIGN 350 backs).

Also, two subjects that I had a hard time finding with SOVEREIGN 150 backs were Flick and Wiltse (no cap).....but, they exist.


Good Luck in this quest.

TED Z
.

[tedzan]

Of the PIEDMONT, SOVEREIGN, and SWEET CAP (factory #30) sets....I found the latter to be the easiest to complete (minus Plank & Wagner).

Think about it......you do not have to chase after a Doyle error, Kleinow (Boston), Lundgren (Cubs), Magie, Smith (Chicago & Boston), and the
St. Louis variations of Demmitt and O'Hara. Nor the 48 guys in the Southern League series.

So, that leaves you with only 469 cards (if you have the big $$$$$ for Plank and Wagner)

I considered my all - SWEET CAPORAL Factory #30 set "complete" at 467 cards.



TED Z
.

[tedzan]

Originally Posted by parkerj33

Regarding Fred's great story, the newspaper article mentions he bought the other 523 cards from Frank Nagy. Since Doyle NY Natl was not known in 1974, what was the 523rd other card?

Hi Jim P

True, to most everyone in this hobby in 1974, the Joe Doyle N.Y. Nat'l card was unknown.

However, when Senator Richard Russell, Jr. passed away in 1971, his childhood tobacco
card collection of 1000+ cards was gifted to the Univ. of Georgia.

Included in the approx. 500 - T206 cards in this collection are a Joe Doyle N.Y. Nat'l card
and a Ty Cobb/Ty Cobb card. This collection is on display at the Athens (GA) campus.


TED Z
.

[Sean]

So nobody at the UGA library noticed the Doyle, Nat'l until much later (after Larry Fritch and others became aware of it I assume)?

[tedzan]

Originally Posted by Sean

So nobody at the UGA library noticed the Doyle, Nat'l until much later (after Larry Fritch and others became aware of it I assume)?

Hi Sean

It appears to that the curator of Russell's tobacco card collection was unaware of the significance of it. And that's understandable, since Russell's entire life records
donated to Georgia U. were enormous; and, certainly overshadowed this collection.

I do know that Russell's T206 collection did NOT have a "corrected" Joe Doyle card; therefore, at that point in time the Joe Doyle Nat'l card most likely would have
been overlooked.

According to his biography, Russell collected these tobacco cards [T206's (Piedmont brand), T205's, and T210's) when he was 13 years old (1910-1911). And, it is
inferred that he started smoking at that young age.

I posted a thread regarding Russell's collection several years ago. If you are interested, check-out this link......

http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=161186


TED Z
.

[Pilot172000]

Originally Posted by tedzan

Hi David

In your pursuit of the cards in the SOVEREIGN 150 series, here is some helpful bits of info for you.

The No-Prints, of course are Lundgren (Cubs), Magie, Plank, and Wagner.

Two 150 series subjects....Jennings (portrait) and Crawford (throwing) were not printed with SOVEREIGN 150 backs (but, you
can find them with SOVEREIGN 350 backs).

Also, two subjects that I had a hard time finding with SOVEREIGN 150 backs were Flick and Wiltse (no cap).....but, they exist.


Good Luck in this quest.

TED Z
.

Once again thanks for the sound advice. A large part of my collection is Sweet Caporal 150, but I have been drawn to the bright green color the Sov 150 set plus it's just exotic enough for me to make it interesting.