Let's talk Tango Eggs

[ZachS]

A smallish set (22 known) from 1916 that doesn't seem to get too much hype. I've been thinking about the condition of the majority of the cards I've seen and it's making me wonder if they were actually distributed or not.

I haven't been around the hobby as long as some of you guys, but I can't remember seeing a poor example of a Tango Eggs card. It seems as though most of them have pretty sharp corners and no creases. I also don't recall ever seeing one with back damage indicating that it was removed from a scrapbook.

I've picked up 3 examples so far:
Jennings SGC 84
Weaver SGC 80
Bescher PSA 6

Currently on ebay:
Weaver PSA 4
Bescher SGC 80
Chase PSA 7
Dooin PSA 8
Bescher PSA 7

If these cards were actually distributed then it makes me wonder why the vast majority are in such good condition.

Thoughts?

[ullmandds]

Personally...I believe some were distributed...like the beater cobb discovered not long ago...but most were not and were found a la black swamp find in fine...unmolested condition...albeit in unequal player distributions.

These cards get very little respect considering their relative scarcity.

[ZachS]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

These cards get very little respect considering their relative scarcity.

I agree with that... but let's keep it quiet until I can gather up a few more.

I think the people selling them give them resepct. The commons usually go for at least $200+ (it doesn't help that they are usually a grade 6 or better).

It's also interesting that very recently new cards have been discovered. I have my checklist at 22 known subjects but it seems that the number could be much higher when you compare them to other sets that share the same images.

[scooter729]

I think Anthony (Griffins) has 1-2 other cards besides the Cobb which were distributed and are in worn shape. Most of the cards with wear have a numerical stamp, which seems to signify some sort of redemption process or something.

Hopefully Anthony will chime in with the details on this, as he has as much info as anyone on these (he was a good source when I was collecting a few of them before!)....

Edit to add a scan - what good is a thread without a scan!

[buymycards]

Hi,

The Tango's are interesting. SGC lists 16 different players and 144 total cards graded. Bescher leads the way with 41 cards, and the lowest grade is a 50. There is only 1 Cobb and that is graded a 10.

PSA shows 16 different players, and 220 cards graded. Bescher again leads the way with 46 cards, and PSA doesn't show a Cobb.

Interesting set and one that I am still hoping to add to my Louisiana type set. I keep getting outbid, and now I know who is outbidding me.

Rick

[ZachS]

Originally Posted by scooter729

I think Anthony (Griffins) has 1-2 other cards besides the Cobb which were distributed and are in worn shape. Most of the cards with wear have a numerical stamp, which seems to signify some sort of redemption process or something.

Hopefully Anthony will chime in with the details on this, as he has as much info as anyone on these (he was a good source when I was collecting a few of them before!)....

Interesting. I don't recall seeing any with a numerical stamp (edit: now I do remember seeing one in a thread here a long time ago). Somebody get Anthony in here!

Originally Posted by scooter729

Edit to add a scan - what good is a thread without a scan!

Absolutely! I'd love to see some more Tango Eggs cards. My 3:

[ZachS]

Originally Posted by buymycards

I keep getting outbid, and now I know who is outbidding me.

Rick, I think you're safe for now. I need to find a D303 Mothers' Bread next so I'll lay off the Tango Eggs for you... for a little while at least.

[ZachS]

Scott, after reading your post I remembered seeing a scan of one with the numerical stamp you referred to. I did a search and found the image... posted by Anthony. I'm guessing that this is what you were talking about?

[ctownboy]

Zach,

My personal opinion is that the Tango Egg set, like a few other sets, isn't collected or respected as much as other sets just because it is so rare.

1) Only 16 different cards known in the set so far which means that if a person wanted to collect the set they don't know if they are finished when and/or if they were to get all 16 cards.

2) Distribution of players. From what I have read about these cards, 3 to 5 are fairly easy to find, another small group are a little harder to find but no impossible and then the rest are next to impossible.

I don't think most collectors want to spend the rest of their lives trying to complete something that they know they have a good shot at never completing. With only one or two Ty Cobb cards known, most collectors couldn't afford to buy it even if it did come up for sale in a public place.

That is why the T206 set is heavily collected; a known number of cards in the set, most easily attainable and something that can be worked on over the years with a dream that one wins the lottery so that they can buy a Wagner.

As far as the Tango Egg cards go, I think most collectors, if they even know or are interested in the set, would get a card for their type card collections and then move on.

David

[ullmandds]

Originally Posted by ctownboy

Zach,

My personal opinion is that the Tango Egg set, like a few other sets, isn't collected or respected as much as other sets just because it is so rare.

1) Only 16 different cards known in the set so far which means that if a person wanted to collect the set they don't know if they are finished when and/or if they were to get all 16 cards.

2) Distribution of players. From what I have read about these cards, 3 to 5 are fairly easy to find, another small group are a little harder to find but no impossible and then the rest are next to impossible.

I don't think most collectors want to spend the rest of their lives trying to complete something that they know they have a good shot at never completing. With only one or two Ty Cobb cards known, most collectors couldn't afford to buy it even if it did come up for sale in a public place.

That is why the T206 set is heavily collected; a known number of cards in the set, most easily attainable and something that can be worked on over the years with a dream that one wins the lottery so that they can buy a Wagner.

As far as the Tango Egg cards go, I think most collectors, if they even know or are interested in the set, would get a card for their type card collections and then move on.

David

All good points that I agree with. Personally I have 2 of the easier to find commons.

[autograf]

http://www.net54baseball.com/showthr...ght=tango+eggs

http://www.net54baseball.com/showthr...ght=tango+eggs

http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=122316

http://www.net54baseball.com/showthr...ght=tango+eggs

Some other Tango Eggs threads from way back.......great set. Hard to believe there could be 48 of them as some have surmised but how many existed pre-find? Also interesting that the combined pop reports puts about 450+ of them graded. Assuming nearly all of the 'find' have been graded--especially given the condition of most.

Always wondered about the origin of them. I know Doug Allen and BCD were involved in the 'find' in some capacity--either at the beginning or after the initial period or something. Like the Black Swamp find, it's interesting to see the distribution patterns of some of these cards. Makes you think they were given out by player maybe on specific days or weeks or something instead of a round robin type thing where they'd go through a set......and with the redemption numbers on the back, maybe after redeemed, they were destroyed?

More questions than answers..........

[mrvster]

Jim Rivera

[deadballfreaK]

I have three: Bescher PSA7 (OC), Weaver PSA5 (looks way better!), and an ungraded Jennings which is NM. Since I bought them about 8-10 years ago I think they have lost value.

[ZachS]

Tom - thanks for those links. I'm reading through the old threads now... some good info there.

Originally Posted by deadballfreaK

I have three: Bescher PSA7 (OC), Weaver PSA5 (looks way better!), and an ungraded Jennings which is NM. Since I bought them about 8-10 years ago I think they have lost value.

I've got the same 3 which isn't too surprising considering that the Bescher and Jennings far surpass the others in terms of quantity.

Your (OC) brings to mind another quality that seems pretty common with the Tango Eggs set. It seems like a good bit of these cards are 'miscut' top and bottom. The sides usually align with the border around the picture fairly well but most times the top and bottom cuts have a slight slant to them.

[edjs]

Originally Posted by ZachS

I agree with that... but let's keep it quiet until I can gather up a few more. .

Really, starting a thread entitled "Let's Talk Tango Eggs" isn't exactly the way to keep it quiet, do you think? LOL. I love these cards, but for the price range, there are other scarce issues I like better. Just me, though, like you and the Louisiana cards, I am hooked on the PCL cards. These really are nice, though.

[ullmandds]

I still think Tango eggs cards are cheap as compared to scarcer backed t206's and the like...which are much more common...yet are also more pricey!

[steve B]

I remember when Mr Mint had a big ad selling them. I called to try to buy one as a type. The price seemed really low.

He wasn't in, wasn't in, wasn't in.....I left a message and was assured he'd call back when he wasn't busy.

It's now been......? .......years. I'm still waiting (Not really. I gave up on getting that call long ago and began the disliking him. Which I've managed to keep up with. )
It wouldn't have been all that hard to have someone on staff call to say they'd been sold already or that the price was a typo and they wouldn't sell them for that.

I'll pick up one of the easy ones someday.

Steve B

[Griffins]

One of my favorite sets!
I'm currently at 14 different. I'm convinced the set is complete at 48, and think in time more will certainly show up.
My theory is that most were distributed except the ones in the find- I suspect Bescher and Jennings, the most common today, were not distributed. The ones that were were stamped numerically on the back.

I"m fairly convinced Tango Eggs are the same as E106, but with different backs and changes on the black plate (the type) on the fronts.

Despite reports to the contrary, to the best of my knowledge only 3 cards have surfaced not from the find. They are identified by the poor condition and by a numerical stamp on the back. When I saw the Cobb a few years ago I knew it had to be legit, because it looks just like the other pre find card, the Rebel Oakes that I own. And REA had a Plank a few years back.

Here's the Oakes



You'll note that the stamp on the back reads " No. 435"


The Cobb is stamped "No. 552" which leads me to several speculations (and should be taken just as that, speculation)

- Each card that was released was numbered. Perhaps for some sort of redemption, perhaps not. But the fact that Numbers 435 and 552 have been found leads me to believe there were at least 552 issued.

-The set now numbers 20 known. This is fact. 16 in the REA auction, plus the acknowledged (by Rob) Cobb and Schaeffer, plus my Oakes and a Plank that was sold in REA. My speculation is that that is an odd number to print, and doesn't make sense. You don't leave blank space on a printing sheet- it's a waste of money, since you're still paying for paper, ink and press time. Given the parallels between this set and the E106 set it is plausible that the set initially totaled 48 subjects, with a different back (Tango Eggs) printed on that set. Each known Tango card has the exact same front as the corresponding card in the E106 set, just with a different back and in a few cases (Weaver among them) the Tango set has changed the correct name of the player in the E106 set to an incorrect identification when the printed for Tango. If this theory is correct then there was (or is) another pose of Cobb, a couple of different Wagners, as well as a Matty, Marquard, Lajoie, Speaker, Bender and McGraw, among others.

- Again, there is no reason to have 300 Beschers printed and only 1 Cobb. The same amount was probably printed of each card, but Bescher nor Jennings were probably never distributed, and Cobb and Oakes were. There were a handful of leftovers of Morgan and Crawford and Bresnahan, et al, so those were kept in the pile that eventually became "the find".

The Cobb has been rumoured for years, and one collector has told me on a number of occasions he has 2 different ones (different poses). I had my doubts that there were 2 but there is now clear evidence that at least one exists.

Here's a few scans:

[deadballfreaK]

Maybe a strange thought, but cigarette cards were primarily for the male market and a lot of them got saved. But cards included in eggs? I can see my grandmas pitching them in the trash without a second thought and going back to baking.

On the other hand I do believe these cards could be redeemed for some kind of value, thus the back stamps. And women would be more likely to cash in on a coupon. Either way they disappear!

It's a screwball theory, but my mom did throw my cards out a couple of times. Once came home home from school to discover my recently completed 1969 Topps set smoldering in the trash barrel.

[ZachS]

Anthony - that is an amazing collection! Now you've got me wanting an example with a back stamp.

Originally Posted by deadballfreaK

Maybe a strange thought, but cigarette cards were primarily for the male market and a lot of them got saved. But cards included in eggs? I can see my grandmas pitching them in the trash without a second thought and going back to baking.

I'm not so sure. What did a lot of those women have in the house? KIDS. I think there would be a lot of little boys making sure they got the cards out before mom could throw them in the trash.

[deadballfreaK]

Nice, Anthony!! Except now I'm PO'd that the cards I own are identical in cut and condition and yours are graded way higher.

[toppcat]

The numbering scheme makes them seem almost like a raffle accounts for their distribution. Perhaps it was at a trade show or fair and the cards were not distributed at retail.

[Beatles Guy]

Admittedly I don't know much about Tangos, but the Bescher is on my Cardinals type list and luckily it's one of the more easy ones to find

[Griffins]

Ken- most of the more common ones I've owned 3-5 copies of, continually upgrading. Tangos can be prone to small wrinkles or slight touched to the corners that will downgrade them a bit

[darwinbulldog]

This is my only one. I actually don't like it all that much, but I need it for one of the type sets I'm working on.

[ZachS]

Originally Posted by Griffins

-The set now numbers 20 known. This is fact. 16 in the REA auction, plus the acknowledged (by Rob) Cobb and Schaeffer, plus my Oakes and a Plank that was sold in REA.

I have 22 on my checklist (copied from various sources) but there seems to be no indication that Tinker or Wagner have ever been verified... bringing it down to the 20 you stated.

I have been able to find scans of 19 out of 20. I have read that there is verification that Schaeffer does exist but I have not been able to find a scan. Do you happen to have a scan of the Schaeffer or do you know for a fact that it does exist?

Originally Posted by Griffins

Tango set has changed the correct name of the player in the E106 set to an incorrect identification when the printed for Tango. If this theory is correct then there was (or is) another pose of Cobb, a couple of different Wagners, as well as a Matty, Marquard, Lajoie, Speaker, Bender and McGraw, among others.

Any theory on why the names were changed on some cards to an incorrect name?

- Hap Felsch (Ray Demmitt pictured)
- Billy Meyer (Fred Jacklitsch pictured)
- Ray Morgan (Mickey Doolan pictured)
- Buck Weaver (Joe Tinker pictured)


The 48 total cards theory makes sense. All the known cards do mirror the E106 set as you mentioned (with the exception of some names being canged). Tango Eggs came out a year after the E106 set correct? I guess it's possible that they used the same printing plates.