Why the Wagner T-206?

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Posted By: Kent Taylor

I thought this board would certainly be a good place to ask this question. Why, of all the cards in the Pre-war era, did the Wagner T-206 turn out to be the holy grail? Was it the number printed?

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Posted By: dennis

wagner was the best player in the national league,very few known,perhaps the premier set of all time and the story that goes along with the card all play into its fame/$$ value.

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Posted By: Zach Smith

I'll tell you what my dad tells my mom about her beanie babies... "They're only worth that much because people like you will pay that much for 'em." And if I had that much, I'd buy a Wagner...

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Posted By: Kent Taylor

I suppose everyone has the dream of picking up a box of grandpa's old library books at a garage sale, and finding ol' Honus and Ty (in mint condition of course) tucked between pages 89 and 90 of some obscure gardening periodical?

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Posted By: Zach Smith

Kent, here's a ? for you... if you did find a mint Wagner in grandpa's old periodicals do you keep it or sell it?

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Posted By: DJ

With roughly 70-80 in existence (compared to the thousands and thousands and thousands of other T206's), the Wagner is the gold standard even though there are far less of many other cards in existence. Don't think you can compare beanie babies to anything really anymore. To think that housewives were paying four figures for the likes of Tobasco the Bull in hopes of sending six year olds to college when years from now. As far as finding a mint one, I would sell it and then buy a one in "Good" condition the next time a catalog offers one just so I can say I own one for my set and save about $1.5 million or so.

DJ

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Posted By: Kent Taylor

I think I hold on to it for awhile, taking many pictures of me holding it and smiling for the camera, and press releases of course....but ultimately, I can really see myself driving up to my new house in a bright red, 2006 Corvette...all paid for courtesy of Honus in all his cardboard glory. Does this make me somehow less of a "true" collector?

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Posted By: Zach Smith

Not at all. I think DJ's got it, though. Sell the mint and buy one in good condition. You get a Wagner and the Vette/house combo... win/win situation. As for the beanie babies, I was already in the Navy when ma started that garbage. When I was home last I think she mentioned they were all in the attic now (maybe I can talk her out of that nice display cabinet she has for them... for my collection).

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Posted By: jay behrens

I sell the mint one for beater, but I wouldn't be using the left over money to buy a car. I'd be buying more cards for my collection. A new vette may be nice, but I hate thinking about the money I'd be throwing away by buying a new a car.

Jay- drives a van he bought from a junk yard for $500

I've just reached Upper Lower Class. I am now officially a babe magnet for poor chicks.

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Posted By: barrysloate

The Wagner has been perceived as a great rarity since probably the 1930's, and it is one card that has recognition even outside traditional hobby circles. Many cards considered rare today, such as the 1914 Baltimore Babe Ruth and T210 Joe Jackson, have become great rarities only recently, and are only familiar to advanced collectors. The Wagner has become a big piece of hobby folklore, as well as a kind of status symbol.

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Posted By: Sean

Everyone knows you find Wagner in your Grandpa's attic. I still have 2 grandpa's and I'm pretty sure they have some stashed away for me to find, along with Cobb, Magie & Plank...wait they didn't smoke...damn!

Never mind...I have to find a job now.

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Posted By: JimB

I think the combination of Wagner being one of the all-time greats, innaugural class in the HOF, in the most widely collected vintage set, rarity (I think more like 50-60 known), the lore about the card, and as Barry mentioned, it has been the holy grail for over 70 years now. Since the very origins of the organized hobby, the T206 Wagner has been the pinacle of baseball card collecting. And it is widely known now outside the hobby. All these add up to the fact that its place as holy grail is in no danger of moving. Other cards are certainly more scarce and some more desirable to advanced collecter, but the T206 Wagner will always be the card.
JimB