Could I get some opinions on this T206 Ty Cobb bat on shoulder please?
 

I'm looking for some education, and I'd like you guys to look at this card for me please:

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/5219/vn9.png http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/8143/9ou.png

I am purposely not providing any links as I don't want to interfere with anybody's pursuit of this card.

This Cobb T206 is graded by SGC as a 10 poor (PSA equivalent 1). While technically the grade is correct due to the paper loss on the back, I am curious as to how desirable a card like this would be to those of you that collect the set, or Ty Cobb cards, or tobacco cards in general. Outside of the wrinkles/creases that appear (which I do not find all that intrusive), in my uneducated opinion, I think this card has some outstanding eye appeal. The corner wear seems to be fairly uniform. The edges are nice and clean. The centering, while up and to the left, is not bad. And the color is pretty vibrant.

For somebody like me that would like to add a nice Cobb T206, T213 or similar card, and not spend $2,000 to do so, I wonder if this would be a wise investment, hypothetically speaking. I plan on hanging on to the cards I buy for a very long time, yet I think it is prudent to also look at these cards from an investment standpoint, as they clearly are.

I would love to read some of your opinions on this.

Thank you.

my .02
 

Bill,

I'd rather have an Sgc 10 without that much paper-loss on the back. If it were me, I'd choose the T206 subject that I want to buy, and then wait for the best deal for the card in a no reserve auction. I'd look for an SGC 10 or PSA 1 with honest corner wear and creasing, that does not adversely effect the image.

Bill - I would have no problem buying this card, as it would match many of the T206s I already have. It's decently centered (something I care about) and has great eye appeal on the front.

Then again, I'm not a "back" guy when it comes to T206s. For the sets I'm doing, I only care about the backs when they actually have information on them, like T205s and the Topps issues.

Just my view point - hope you get it.

I like the card very much. The paper loss on the back would only bother me if I bought the card for the back ( Drum, Uzit, etc.).
I think the front looks very good, and that is what would matter to me.

Ironically, only this morning you thought there were 3 Cobbs in T206. Now here you are thinking about buying that 4th card. :cool:

I love cards like one you posted. As a graduate student and a father, give me a visually appealing poor or authentic card all day long. As for the second part of your post, collecting Pre-War and differentiating collecting from investing is extremely difficult. "Popular" sets and cards vary almost randomly. An issue on fire this year may only command 60-70% percent of what is selling for now in two years. Rare back t206's are outlandish, undoubtably because of this board, but if prices on some backs dipped eventually by a third or more I would not be surprised. Certain cards will likely be sure to rise steadily: Ruth's and Jackson's primarily.

The best advise I ever received is "Buy what you like. When you go to sell it, you will get whatever someone is willing to pay for an image of a dead ball player."

Good luck and welcome to Pre-War.

I completely agree with this; each of us has his own taste of course, but when budget matters, I find myself most drawn to cards with appealing front images.

If we are talking artwork or bios or stats on the back, I'd like the back as nice as possible, but I would rather a "1" with a gorgeous front and back issues than one that has poor eye appeal due to poor centering, creases, etc. Heck I've seen 1s I would take over many 2s and 3s. Many a time, when it comes to blank backs or ad backs, I find myself staring at a card in hand, admiring it for minutes, before I glance at the back.

I don't buy T206's BUT depending on price It looks real good. I don't mind much if the back has "some" paper loss or stains as long as the front is Real Nice, and they price is right.

My kind of card there

It's got a crease running right through his face, so that would be a problem for me. Rob is correct - wait for the auctions and don't buy fixed priced cards from dealers. Yes, the card has some nice eye appeal, but there are still three creases and back damage.

T206's of Cobb and WaJo come up all the time, so there is no need to rush it.

hmmmm, I didn't see the crease in his face....

Some like poor condition cards, while others loathe them. Some like graded, others prefer raw. Some like picking up ones that present fairly well on the front like this one, but technically are poor due to back conditions to save $. If you look at cards as investments, which in my opinion you shouldn't, then you'd probably want to buy the nicest you can.

To each their own. Go with what you like, man. :)

Paper loss is a "deal breaker" for me. Dave