REA T206 Prices?
 

Kid Elberfeld WA Variation SGC 4 @ $4,000+ ??
Non-HOFer Tolstoi (Kroh, Murry, Hoffman PSA 4 for $5,000 ??

I know T206 is pretty hot right now, but is there a more particular explanation for those prices?

I am simply amazed at these prices.

The Tolstoi's are all low pop + in some cases highest graded. Explosive combo.

Fomo

Briefly got in on the Hoffman Tolstoi, but got blown away. Starting to feel glad I at least have one for my Providence team set. Might be the last one I ever get.

This. The Pop on all the Tolstoi's were very low. Amazing $#'s though...

I was very happy with my Cicotte consignment.

That was an amazing card Pete.

When I look at the prices of the 2nd tier of rare backs, it makes me cry remembering they used to be. And they were nowhere close to their prices, 4-5 yrs ago...Exponentially more today. I wonder if it continues?
.

It was sort of like buying a Wedding Ring or an Engagement Ring when I was a kid...

I had NO IDEA what diamonds or gold cost or what they were worth, only what they cost at the Jewelry Shop. I trusted my Jeweler, I needed a ring, and I paid the Asking Price...

New Money continues to enter the pre-War Market and all "THEY" know is that this is what T206 Rare Backs (or whatever) cost now - so they pay it because they want it.

THOUGHTS???

Hi greg old Money

New Old Money???

Interesting issue. I'd add the idea of perceived rarity. T206 is ubiquitous; everyone's got them and anyone can get them, which means that a T206 HOFer is nice, but meh. So how to differentiate your T206s from the rest and get that ooh-aaah from the collecting crowd? Get a rare back. It's an ego boost. We then get the micro-variations having huge monetary impacts. I mean does it really make a difference if a 460 Piedmont was factory 42 instead of 25? When I was buying T206s (a million years ago) to fill out my HOFers, no one cared about that stuff. Factory variations and overprints were ignored or were, at best a "huh, how about that?" comment. Now, you flip over every T206 you see and scrutinize every detail. Does it have a factory variation? Is there a plate mark? A ghost? A misprint? Did some kid rubber stamp the back (looking at you, McCormick)? Did someone prominent own it (I have a Burdick-owned and stamped E card, and paid a premium to get it)? Anything to differentiate it from the pack.