Anyone here collect T201 MECCA DOUBLE FOLDERS?

[Zone91]

I find this set to be a very attractive one....anyone here collect it or has a opinion on the set?

[cubsfan-budman]

This is a cool prewar set. There are several things to like about it:

1. Good looking set, interesting config makes good conversation pieces
2. Contains most of the big names of the day. Nice HOF-laden checklist.
3. Not too bad to complete the set, as there are only 50 cards (100 players)
4. Reasonably priced at any grade (compared to other sets). To my knowledge, the Cobb is most expensive, but can be had on ebay for 350-500 dollars.

[Zone91]

Thanks!!!

[CobbSpikedMe]

Are you thinking of getting into another set?

[Zone91]

CobbSpikedMe

No just trying to get a feel for different sets I know NOTHING about. I am going to stick with T206 and E90-1 Caramel set. A few Old Judge cards (maybe 1 a year of a HOF player).

[tedzan]

I have a complete set, here are some of the major guys in it. It's an easy set to complete.....cards are very available.....only 50 cards (100 subjects).....and,
cost is not a major problem.














TED Z

[Zone91]

Tedzan

Super nice images!!! I may just pick up my 1st one today after seen those ones.

[Gmrson]

Tedzan, do the backgrounds form a picture like the 55T Doubleheaders?

I've always liked these cards and if I start a pre-war set, it would be this one.

Thanks!

[Zach Wheat]

I also collect this set. I completed it almost 2 years ago and had fun in the chase. It has a lot of rather odd characteristics. There are a number of stars that were triple printed, including Cobb - so it was not difficult to find most of the stars. This helped keep cost of most major stars at a reasonable level.

Note, the Dougherty/Lord card was printed with only a Factory 649 back - and this card is not altogether that difficult to pick up. Most cards (perhaps 70%) were printed with a Factory 649 back and the other 30% were printed with a Factory 30, 2nd District back. This might account for why this card (although not rare) is not found as often as other cards in the set.

The set is noteworthy not only for including stats on the back, but that it has at least 2 cards from every major league team. The set also has 11 cards from 2 minor leagues - with 5 cards with players from the American Association as well as 6 cards with players from the Eastern League. And overall player selection was also a little odd.

The set was printed some time after 1910, but included players like the speed merchant Jim Thoney (Boston) who didn't play in 1910 and retired in 1912. It also include M Simon - a utility player for Pittsburgh who had 18 AB's in 1909 as well as Lew McCarty (Newark) who didn't play in the Majors until 1913. Why were these players included in a 50 card set? Was it because there was a geographic bias in distributing the set? Or was it meant for wide distribution and intended to include up & coming players as well as established stars? One of the mysteries of the set....

Surprisingly, the miscut cards (ie showing edges or borders of 2 cards, or portions of 4 players) often sell at a premium. I only noticed this because I was collecting miscut edge combinations to try to determine which cards were double & triple printed.

Have fun collecting the set

ZWheat

[CobbSpikedMe]

The only card I needed from this set was the Abstein/Butler card for my Jersey City team collection. I really like it a lot and was pleased to find my example at a good price.

I was always amazed that Cobb got the back of the card while Crawford got the front too. How could they put Crawford ahead of Cobb on that card? Always bugged me.

AndyH

[Zone91]

Zach Wheat

Thanks this really helps a lot!!!

[bn2cardz]

Originally Posted by CobbSpikedMe

The only card I needed from this set was the Abstein/Butler card for my Jersey City team collection. I really like it a lot and was pleased to find my example at a good price.

I was always amazed that Cobb got the back of the card while Crawford got the front too. How could they put Crawford ahead of Cobb on that card? Always bugged me.

AndyH

Could it be that the reason Cobb is on the "back" is because the distributors distributed them folded and assumed they would be stored folded thus making Cobb always seen were as Crawford would only be seen when opened. In their mind they put Cobb in the more dominant location. Imagine opening a pack and seeing Cobb first, that would be better than opening and seeing Crawford.

[CobbSpikedMe]

Originally Posted by bn2cardz

Could it be that the reason Cobb is on the "back" is because the distributors distributed them folded and assumed they would be stored folded thus making Cobb always seen were as Crawford would only be seen when opened. In their mind they put Cobb in the more dominant location. Imagine opening a pack and seeing Cobb first, that would be better than opening and seeing Crawford.

I can sort of see the point here. But it seems to me they are much nicer when opened and thus Crawford has the prominent placement. I'd be excited to see Cobb first when opening the package, but then when I looked at the card as a whole I would be annoyed that Cobb wasn't the one who got the complete full image on the card. Just sayin'.


.

[bn2cardz]

Originally Posted by CobbSpikedMe

I can sort of see the point here. But it seems to me they are much nicer when opened and thus Crawford has the prominent placement. I'd be excited to see Cobb first when opening the package, but then when I looked at the card as a whole I would be annoyed that Cobb wasn't the one who got the complete full image on the card. Just sayin'.


.

I agree, but I still believe the intent was that they would be stored away folded, thus covering Cobb. Of course now days most people wouldn't display it that way and thus does really make it awkward to display them (not just Cobb).

[cubsfan-budman]

in every other instance i can think of (lajoie, johnson, speaker, mathewson) the more famous player has the prominent placement.

[Gmrson]

thanks all for the insight on the set!

[bn2cardz]

Originally Posted by cubsfan-budman

in every other instance i can think of (lajoie, johnson, speaker, mathewson) the more famous player has the prominent placement.

Hmmm. Well that ruins my hypothesis. I am not a huge fan of the set (because it is hard to display), so I don't know things like that. I was really just guessing, but having just one star displayed that was doesn't make sense.

Now my other guess is that Crawford would have been popular for having been the veteran player on the team.
Also his stats showed he played in more games, had more AB, and had a better fielding PCT. Just a new hypothesis.

[brianp-beme]

T201's are very colorful and attractive, but to me a good chunk of the cards don't look that much like the player as they do in the T206 set or in the T3 set. I personally believe that the E91A (and some of the E91B) cards do a better job of portraying the facial characteristics of the players than the T201's.

Still awesome cards worth collecting...

Brian

[mattsey9]

I've been collecting this set since the start of the new year. Love it to death. I believe I'm at about 30% complete at this point with a few of the HOF cards.

[Zach Wheat]

Originally Posted by Zone91

Zach Wheat

Thanks this really helps a lot!!!

Hey you are welcome Zone91.

One other reason I like this set is that it is easy to tell reprints from the original cards. Have fun collecting the set...

[Rob L]

I finished this set in 2011 (100th anniversary). Still my favorite cards. Working on the 1955 Topps Doubleheaders now (I have most of these key cards).

[atx840]

Originally Posted by Rob L

I finished this set in 2011 (100th anniversary). Still my favorite cards. Working on the 1955 Topps Doubleheaders now (I have most of these key cards).

Beauties...thanks for sharing.

[Jayworld]

Yes, I have....one card. The Wiltse/Merkle card. Was able to get it cheap, as there is pencil writing on the Wiltse side. I used to have the Ward/Foster card in EX+ condition, that I purchased from the old Card Collector's Company way back when for $14.99. Wish I still had that card. It was very nice, and just a tad mis-cut (not totally rectangular). Have always liked these cards and hope to pick up a few here and there.

[drmondobueno]

Bought my first 201's thru an auction house for what I thought was a great price in comparison to the T206 counterparts I was buying. So now I am hooked on both sets. I like the background of the cards, being set in the ballpark , and there is nothing cooler than a card showing a .385 batting average!

I'm around 75% into the set with a focus on higher grade SGC. Makes it a little tougher to find the cards I want but the prices are right, the cards look great, the set is very do-able, and I like 'em, yes I do.

[Gmrson]

Originally Posted by Rob L

I finished this set in 2011 (100th anniversary). Still my favorite cards. Working on the 1955 Topps Doubleheaders now (I have most of these key cards).

Great looking set! Thanks for the pic! The 55T Doubleheaders is another nice set. I like the way those were made to connect into a bigger picture.

[bn2cardz]

This is the only copy I currently own.

[T206Collector]

I love my signed T201s. Also, both of my Jefferson Burdick stamped baseball cards are T201s -- one of which was also signed by Leifield. They're awesome, particularly with the added provenance. And they provide a rare opportunity to get more than one signature on the same card!

[Zach Wheat]

Originally Posted by T206Collector

I love my signed T201s. Also, both of my Jefferson Burdick stamped baseball cards are T201s -- one of which was also signed by Leifield. They're awesome, particularly with the added provenance. And they provide a rare opportunity to get more than one signature on the same card!

T206,

I really like those autographed cards....makes me want to start collecting them! Nice...

ZWheat

[Leon]

Even T201s have their own freaks....

[drmondobueno]

[QUOTE=Leon;1113051]Even T201s have their own freaks....[/QUOT

Sweet!

[Rob L]

Originally Posted by bn2cardz

This is the only copy I currently own.

The very card that sent me on my journey. Eight years ago, I really wanted a Cy Young card. I had never owned a T card. I ended up buying a T206 and T202 Cy cards and picked up the McBride/Elberfeld T201. I was blown away with this card - I had never seen anything like it! In fits and starts, I finished the set in 7 years. The chase was great - including going to the backlots of Paramount Studios to pick up a Ex-NM to NM Johnson/Street card!!

[Marslife]

I inherited 34 different cards plus dupes from my Grandpappy. Took me 3 years (limited budget) to trade, swap and barter the full set. Finalized last year with the last card (Cobb) obtained at the National in Baltimore! Happy to finally complete what my Grandpap started so many years ago! Displayed proudly in my office:

IMG_0015.jpg

IMG_0017.jpg

[Jay Wolt]

Here's a couple of Pedigrees from Lionel Carter & Frank Nagy's collection of the same card, ironically in the same grade.

[CobbSpikedMe]

Originally Posted by Jay Wolt

Here's a couple of Pedigrees from Lionel Carter & Frank Nagy's collection of the same card, ironically in the same grade.

Jay,

I'm jealous! You have the Nagy and Carter examples of the one card in the set representing the Jersey City boys. Those two would be perfect in my Jersey City collection!

AndyH

[Paul S]

Cliff, one of few Grandpappy stories I tend to believe.

What IS THAT on the top shelf, dead center, and seems to be in bindered fanned-out plastic sleeves? Looks like there's a seedling package above it, or something.

[Jay Wolt]

Andy, If you need a high resolution scan to make a copy, let me know

[Zone91]

Marslife

Great story and super cool that you decided to complete the set love the way you set them all up!!! Just added your 1st picture as my picture on my desktop.

[CobbSpikedMe]

Originally Posted by Jay Wolt

Andy, If you need a high resolution scan to make a copy, let me know

Jay,

I don't want to put you through the trouble of scanning them. Just send them out to me and I'll take care of it.

[Paul S]

Love 'em. Really, some of my first cards.

Facial artwork not always faithful to the subject. Check. That's Okay.
Not always cut with T-square precision. Check. That's Okay.
Pitchers' records on back show batting and fielding. Double Check.

ps. Don't store them in a folded position like I do. Still great to play with.