That is a terrific signed card -- extremely rare; and extremely valuable. From one auto'ed pre-war card collector to another -- that is an amazing card!!!

Thanks Paul, sorry I couldn't tell you in emails, just didn't want to take a risk of someone else scooping it up lol.

Here we go again! I'm not looking to start trouble... I am not belittling his Lou Gehrig card... it is a wonderful card no doubt... but it is not his rookie card nor is any other card from the 30's.

I can go either way, not too concerned, just ecstatic I have it lol.

Exactly how it felt when my favorite card showed up, amazing feeling...enjoy it sir..the card is yours and no one else's...beauty of a pickup.

Thanks Chris. What was your favorite pick up?

Chance ghost, stared at it for years.

I have seen you post that! That card is unreal! Wow, very nice, I loved looking at that too on here as well.

Any new holy grail cards added in your collection ?

You know that feeling you get when you find a card that you've been hoping existed and hoped to find and then it actually pops up and you get to buy it?

http://photos.imageevent.com/exhibit...utographed.jpg

Schwinnngggg!!!!!

Congrats Adam!

Wow, that is a beautiful item.

I have long been fascinated with Hugh Duffy. Ever since I was a little kid and got a copy of the Baseball Encyclopedia and saw that Duffy owned the single season batting average record (.438 in 1894, since revised up to .440). I spent many an hour just poring over the stats in the Encyclopedia :)

Tabe

This grail is shared with the wife. Barry, btkpath, played a role in its acquisition. Maybe the CJ Jax I need would probably be the only thing that would ever trump it.

Well, I just sold my 'holy grail', so I guess that card wasn't it. I know the new owner will enjoy it.

My favorite 'card' items are 1800's action shots. If I could find one with Wagner in a Louisville uniform, perhaps sliding past another HOF'er, I suppose that would be my holy grail.

Steve......I had the easy part; you still had to pay for it!

Miscut
 

That miscut Cobb is freakin' awesome!

Not Pretty
 

Not the best looking, but one of my top 3 cards that I've always wanted.

Frank, one of my favorite cards, as well. Thanks for sharing!

2013 bump for this thread.

Anyone acquires his holy grail card ?

Cool thread that I am glad is back. Not the rarest card by any means, but my first Cracker Jack, and one that I spent a good portion of my my 36 years dreaming that I would own.

Beautiful Cobby Luke...if you like "collector's grade" cards!!!!!1:p

This Cobb is a Beauty, wow.... a good start for the 2013 holy grail card thread :)

This is by far my favorite non error card, smile every time I see it.

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3668/8...4a2ba3b6_c.jpg

Beautiful card.

that is a beautiful card!

37 years-old today, and latest grail/b-day present is on the way-- here it is with the other grail, both 2013 acquisitions. Gonna enjoy and chill for a while before wondering what comes next...

http://www.collectorfocus.com/images...joe-jackson-rc

http://www.collectorfocus.com/images...3198/ruth-crop

Happy Birthday, Matt!

Matt your cards are awsome ! Congrat


My 2013 grail. Acquired in last august

http://i76.servimg.com/u/f76/11/52/54/64/10612.jpg

http://i76.servimg.com/u/f76/11/52/54/64/106b11.jpg

My Holy Grail
 

It took me around 7 years to land this card, it doesn't come up too often, especially with decent centering.

I was thrilled to have finally add this card to my collection.

I would love to add a T-210 Joe Jackson or an E-107 Honus Wagner, but I'm not sure how I will pay for it at this point.:)

Great cards everyone!

Tony

Wow, this thread is awesome eye candy! The last few posts are some real killer cards. Basically congrats to everyone in this thread because you have something awesome!

I have been extremely lucky to find each of my top 3 most wanted holy grails that I needed towards sets, and 2 of them are almost impossible... Wasn't sure if Id ever find either of the D381's and they popped up in back to back years on me....

This year I secured the Joe Jackson Cracker Jack which I've been dying to own since I was a little kid.

Next on my list are the last 6 D381's I need and my lifetime pipe-dream card can be found in Matt's last post! A Ruth RC!

Honorable mention to my avatar card (D381 Matty, probably my most sentimental favorite card!) as well as all my D381's, they're all grails for me!

So far its the 1911 C55 card of Georges Vezina. Now that I have that card and my baseball collecting is mostly limited to C46s, I would say a high quality graded McGinnity, Gandil and/or Kelley. I do currently own a nice PSA 5 McGinnity thanks to a successful deal with a member here of this forum. The prices on eBay however for just high quality commons are insane so I won't be acquiring these in the foreseeable future. That is, barring a brain aneurism that would make me actually pay out these crazy asking prices. :eek:

Holy Grails
 

Can't choose just one!

Very nice Pete

Pete, I know those are all Babe Ruth, but I wonder how SGC determined that to be the case - I know that they don't have anyone there who can recognize faces.

Any ideas?

More great stuff guys. And I am privy to some of the collectors collections on this board...and almost none really show their wares (which is ok) but there are some really nice cards in our collections. Here is a fairly recent pickup, shown a few times...but for some reason I probably go back to my website to look at it more than almost any other card. I don't know why..

http://luckeycards.com/phunc1860sphotomaster.jpg

Here's my favorite piece:

http://www.t206themonster.com/cabinets/cabcatch.JPG

Babe PC's
 

Scott, I'm not sure their process in identifying players. I know I supplied SGC with info of a player on a Real Photo PC that led them in their research in authenticating a piece I had. But, not sure of who's in charge of the identifying. It's probably collaborative between the collector and third party grading service.

Just wondering because with my 1909 KC Red Sox postcard, I had to supply all of the research and legwork - all they did was operate the machinery to print and slab. Sounds like that's what you had to do as well, so at least they are consistent. Thanks.

My experience with them also has been that if the submitter does the legwork and their info is verifiable, SGC will identify individual players on postcards, etc. Of course, they have to be very careful from a liability standpoint so they must be 100% sure before doing anything, which makes sense.

BTW I gave them the first Ruth RPPC from 1915 that was discovered and that was a few years ago (the one that Pete now has in an SGC 60 holder, mine was a second version and graded a 50).

There are some truly amazing pieces in this thread. Wow.

RPPC's
 

Scott & Phil, I did give them info they verified. But, if I can remember the conversation when they were submitted, they didn't guarantee anything I'm sure because of the liability thing. They see a lot over there, but I'm sure they appreciate any help you can give them on your rare pieces. Phil you're absolutely right on the Ruth RPPC in the 60 holder. You had the other. The other two RPPC's are the only ones known of their kind as far as I know.

Here are my holy grails: a 1973 Topps Willie Mays and 1961 Topps Duke Snider. I traded for them in 6th grade (late 90's). This kid's father had given them to him but the kid was such a big Indians fan I was able to convince him to trade me them for about 5x their worth (according to Beckett) in shiny Albert Belle's, Kenny Lofton's, etc., cards that are worthless today. I had always been a baseball nut but this was the first time I felt connected to the players of baseball's past.

Around 1980 I traded 9 Eddie Murray rookie cards for a 1962 Mays. My parents became really concerned and wanted to call the guy's parents.

Wow 2 awesome cards!

Thx
 

Thank you kindly, Steve. With two tiny kids and a wife from Sweden for whom vintage baseball is not a priority, lol, it is good to be able to share cards somewhere! Just got the larger Jax scan done yesterday actually:

http://www.collectorfocus.com/images...joe-jackson-rc

Matt...nice JJ...if you like lipstick moustaches...but your Ruth RC is spectacular!!!!!

Thx, Pete! I've always found that red mustache a hoot. What a signature flavorful accent for a card! Perfect example of some of the charming quirks in Pre-War cards; I just think the whole Pre-War space is so amazing, from the images themselves to the sheer variety of issues/sets. Just an awesome playground overall. And a great community of collectors overall as well; have met a few incredibly solid, stand-up, expert guys here.

isn't Ruth LITERALLY the most recognizable face IN THE WORLD?

I think I read that once...most unique face also....

And I believe that the least unique face is Winston Churchill. Almost every caucasian baby looks like him for the 1st six months.

Sorry, I know that's a bad joke. To get us back on topic I'll post my Holy Grail.
I began looking in 2002. I was the underbidder three times and missed out on a 4th one as well before I got this one in 2006. And it's the best card I'll ever own:

My few holy grails
 

Some are better than others but like them all.

nice cards Brad

Thank you!

Just picked this one up at the Philly Show yesterday. It was a prearranged deal and not for sale at the show.

Sweet card Phil!!! That one is high on my want list.

wow Phil, congrats!!

nice phil...real tough one...hardly a card though!!!!!:D:D:D

Wow, very nice, Phil! Not only for its rarity and the subject, but that is simply a very cool image of Joe Jackson! One I had not seen before.

Extremely rare oversized postcard from the 1909 Atlanta Crackers, I collect Roy Castleton as he was the first LDS Major League ballplayer, the centerpiece of my Castleton accumulation (I just need to find a Western Playground and a T4 Obak Cabinet if one is ever uncovered)...

http://www.starsofthediamond.com/atlantacastleton.jpg http://www.starsofthediamond.com/atlantacastleton2.jpg

The Western Playground and t4 cards would be Holy Grails in the strict sense. Best of luck.

Approximately how many LDS major leaguers have there been? I don't think I could name one -- but I assume there are a bunch?

At Your Service
 

Alan Ashby, catcher[44]
Roy Castleton was the first Mormon to ever play professional baseball.[45] He threw perfect game in the Ohio-Pennsylvania League.[46] New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds in the Pacific Coast League.
Gary Cooper, 3rd baseman/outfield, 1986 June draft Housing Astros, major league debut Sept. 1991, had over 1,000 minor league hits. Named Triple A All Star MVP.[citation needed]
Bobby Crosby, shortstop[47] Oakland Athletics
Dennis Eckersley, Hall of Fame pitcher for the Oakland Athletics
Jacoby Ellsbury, Outfielder, Boston Red Sox[48]
Jim Gott, Pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Jeremy Guthrie, pitcher[49]
Roy Halladay, pitcher[44] Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies
Bryce Harper, 2010 MLB #1 draft pick, outfielder for the Washington Nationals[50]
Bruce Hurst, former MLB Pitcher, pitched and won games 1 and 5 and started game 7 for the Boston Red Sox in the 1986 World Series against the New York Mets.[51]
Cale Iorg, minor league baseball player in the Detroit Tigers organization.[52][53]
Garth Iorg, a former Major League Baseball player who played his entire career (1978–1987) for the Toronto Blue Jays.[54]
Wally Joyner, first baseman[55] former California Angels player
Jeff Kent, former second basemen[56] Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants
Harmon Killebrew, first baseman[57] Hall of Famer for the Minnesota Twins
Vance Law, former third basemen[44] and current Brigham Young University head coach. son of Vern Law
Vern Law, pitcher[58] Cy Young Award winner with the Pittsburgh Pirates
Matt Lindstrom, pitcher[44] Florida Marlins
Brandon Lyon, Pitcher[47]
Jack Morris, All-Star and World Series hero with the Detroit Tigers [47]
Dale Murphy, Outfielder 2 time National League MVP [59] Atlanta Braves
Cory Snyder, Infielder with five MLB teams[47]
Clyde Wright, Pitcher[47] California Angels
Jaret Wright, Pitcher[47] Cleveland

There have been quite a few actually (somewhere in the neighborhood of 60-75 or so), some are not really active members of the LDS faith but are baptized as such...

As far as pre-1945 guys are concerned:
Roy Castleton
Spencer Adams
Ray Jacobs
Red Peery
Newt Kimball
Monte Pearson (not sure how active he was but was born into the church)

Other notables from post-1945:
Harmon Killebrew (don't think he was particularly active)
Fred Sanford
Ken Hubbs
Vernon and Vance Law
Danny Ainge
Barry Bonnell
Iorg brothers (Dane and Garth)
Dale Murphy
Cory Snyder
Jack Morris
Bruce Hurst
Wally Joyner
Jeff Kent
Jeremy Guthrie
Roy Halladay
-and probably most notably right now is Bryce Harper

Halliday and Killebrew are a pretty good Koufax/Greenberg combo. :)

Wow, so many great cards in this thread!

I thought I would add my three cents....

Like others, it's tough for me to decide. But I would have to go with either one of these two.

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m...psa762ecf4.jpghttp://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m...psb54a1054.jpg

Those are three show stoppers! Off the hook.

Beautifull barry !

Don't have it and have not ever seen it but I would love to have a Curtis Ireland E 123 card of Elmer Miller. That is my Holy Grail.

At last!
 

Finally someone who understands the meaning of the term "Holy Grail."

1980 topps prototype coins
 

Jackson & Garvey

Wow!! Three fantastic cards.

Ron, I have a project in mind for you. I am absolutely certain that Reggie would approve, especially if you could procure the 'real' grail.

Bump for my new Grail :)

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