1913 Tom Barker game complete set!!

[wally1710]

Hello,
As a longtime collector, everyone wants to be the person who finds a once in a lifetime item. It is always someone else who uncovers an incredible item. Well , three months ago, after 55 years of collecting, it was finally my time. My wife and I were in an Antique Co-op that we go to once a month. I am 74, with bad knees, and I am always 25 steps behind her. She went into a small backroom so I decided to wait for her. After 10 minutes she did not come out so I stood in the doorway to see where she was. As I strong there, I looked down at the table I was next to and noticed a deck of cards. At first I thought they were some Coca-Cola cards. I saw that the deck was old and when I picked them up, I noticed a baseball diamond and the writing said “the Fenway Brewing Co. I live outside of Boston, do know my anxiety started to increase.
I opened the box and the first card I pulled out was Cy Young and it was in beautiful shape. I slowly put the card back in the deck and I gave it to my wife and told her to pay for it with the rest of her stuff. When I got home I printed out the set listing and had my wife read off each card. All 54 cards were there, which also included the original box, in fair shape, the scorecard and the game instructions. I decided that at my age I was going to sell them. I sent 16 cards to PSA and two , One being Hans Wagner, came back as 5. One, Shoeless Joe Jackson, was a 6. Ten cards, including Cobb, Young, Speaker, etc. came back as 8’s. And 3 cards, including Mathewson, and the Fenway overwrite Frank Baker came back as 9’s. The Fenway Brewing Co. Baker overwrite grade 9 is the highest grade PSA has ever had. The previous high was a 7.
The cards are being sold as a set next Friday. I am not sending this to trump up the price of my cards, I am sending this because everyone I have told this story too gets a big smile on their face. It brings hope to everyone that fate has a lot to do with being in the right spot at the right time.
My wish for everyone is at least once in your life you get to have that one special moment.
Merry Christmas and Happy Hunting in 2026!!!
Wally Richards

[scooter729]

Holy crap, that is amazing! Congrats from a fellow Massachusetts resident who is wondering why I didn't go to that antique shop on that morning!!

[shoreball51]

After being at the Philly show most of today I have to say I am tired but I too have a smile from reading your post. Congrats on the good fortune! There will be one lucky collector who buys this.

[Casey2296]

Wow! Great find. Congratulations to you, your wife and the new owner. I’ve always wondered why they only stamped Baker card.

[Jay Wolt]

Wally awesome find, Congrats!

[Peter_Spaeth]

I would not have expected such high grade cards to come out of such a well worn box. Amazing find.

[NiceDocter]

Where are these being sold? Please let us know so we can follow and maybe bid.... congrats on the great find! You didnt tell us what you paid..... I figure it wasnt too much...... Rocky

[brianp-beme]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

I would not have expected such high grade cards to come out of such a well worn box. Amazing find.

True...I have a Fenway over stamp on my Tom Barker Scorecard, which probably came out of a similar beat up box, but my scorecard is somewhat roughed up and has pinholes in the bases, as any good rule follower would have done, because it says to do so right there on the card.

Fantastic find, glad over 5 decades on the search finally paid off, and good luck on the sale.


Brian (Here are some Nap Lajoie game cards found in a dumpster, not by me, as a condition comparison)