Factors (beyond the obvious) that drive T206 card values

[Belfast1933]

I am not a regular T206 collector like so many here are - I wanted to ask what tends to drive the popularity (and hence value) of a specific T-206 issue

Of course, player popularity, card condition, and card back tobacco issue rarity all drive card values

But in your experience, much does the objective aesthetic look of a card front drive desirability and value/cost?

For example, I was at a local MA show yesterday looking for my N28 King Kelly (fail! Still looking… &#129396 and came across a really great looking Ed Walsh portrait card. Such a beauty of a card and a HOFer. I believe it was a very common back and maybe 4 or 4.5 PSA

But I was surprised to see a practice of $700-800 for a fairly modestly graded card - I do know my baseball history a bit and am familiar with Walsh, of course. But I still figured he’s lower on the “popularity meter” for HOfers from that set.

Is there some rarity of that card that I may not know about? Is it just inflated (along with pretty much everything else) and riding the wave?

Or is the natural beauty of that card just desired by other collectors (like me!). Thanks for any lessons from experienced T-206 collectors

(And I’m happy to take a lower grade Ed Walsh duplicate off your hands if you happen to want to move one!)

Thx all -

Jeff

[G1911]

A horizontal pose or a mustache increase value because… well… I don’t know

Eddie Collins still seems too cheap relative to the other greats. I should go pick one up before this changes.

[Rhotchkiss]

I think $700-$800 for a psa 4-4.5 Walsh (common back) is a very solid price in this market. It’s tough to get a lower-tier t206 HOFer in 4+ for less than $500, and Walsh is not lower tier. While he is not in the same class as Matty, Young, Johnson, as far as t206 pitchers, I think he is in the same tier as Brown, Joss, Waddell, Bender…. And, with prices for the stud HOFers so high now, I think collectors are “slumming” down to the next tier players to collect, which drives up prices.

[3-2-count]

More on Ryan's point. Locating even lower tier HOF's from the T206 set in 4 and 5 grade which are sharp & presentable is no easy task.

Although these cards are plentiful in low grade, one can search years for strong VG/Ex and EX examples and never find them.

For the record I paid over $1K for mine. And I agree, Big Ed is not a lower tier hall of famer

[Yoda]

Don't forget it is flat out a beautiful card with a gorgeous green background. And it features the greatest spitballer of the dead ball era. No wonder it isn't cheap.

[BobbyStrawberry]

Originally Posted by 3-2-count

More on Ryan's point. Locating even lower tier HOF's from the T206 set in 4 and 5 grade which are sharp & presentable is no easy task.

Although these cards are plentiful in low grade, one can search years for strong VG/Ex and EX examples and never find them.

For the record I paid over $1K for mine. And I agree, Big Ed is not a lower tier hall of famer

That is a really nice Walsh port, Tony

[ullmandds]

Fomo

[iwantitiwinit]

T206 prices are only headed higher. Portraits are becoming more and more difficult to find at any price. It seems as if I can't buy anything at an auction no matter how much I bid. The money flow is flooding the market and to me doesn't look to be ebbing anytime soon. So many more collectors and hoarders in the market, so many examples of commons with common backs in PSA4 going for $200+. Just look at prices of say Kling, Beaumont, Ames, Steinfeld, Elberfeld NY, portraits I'd say are among the more attractive in the set in PSA 4 are in most cases $300+.

[brianp-beme]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

Fomo

All I know is that many collectors seem to fomo at the mouth upon seeing certain T206 cards.

Brian