What percentage of your T206 collection doesn't have a Piedmont or Sweet Caporal back
 

I thought it would be fun/interesting to find out the percentage of non-Piedmont and Sweet Caporal backs that T206 collectors (those who have at least a couple of dozen or so) have in their collections. This percentage would involve all T206 in a collector's collection, not just their main set.

My experience, and as far as I can tell from population reports, about 80 to 85% of all T206 cards have either a Piedmont or Sweet Caporal back. As has become evident on the board, the other T206 backs have become very popular over the past several years, with some collectors apparently focusing most or all their efforts toward obtaining them.

If no one paid attention to the backs when collecting, in theory most T206 collections would have percentages of the tougher backs in the range of 11% to 25%.

Personally, only until the last 5-10 years have I taken the T206 backs into consideration when adding to my T206 pile, with economics playing heavily into my decision making (I am a cheap-ass collector, and you probably have to go all the way back to the 1980's to encounter a time when all but the most uncommon backs did not have some sort of premium attached). My percentage, with all this considered, falls in the 11 to 15% survey range, with none of my cards having the real tough backs (Uzit, Lenox, Broadleaf, Carolina Brights, etc.).

It would be interesting to see the results, and read any comments.

Brian

I'm right at 11% (rounded) right now.

Main set is 60 of 522
All PSA 2 set is 51 of 509

In both sets, obtaining a back was a bonus but not the focus. Main set focus was grade with the hope of at least one example of most backs. No AB or tougher in that set. PSA 2 set focus was obviously PSA 2s. I didn't care at all about what back was on it and preferred P or SC backs. In both sets, Old Mill are the top non P/SC back.

Off backs
 

I started getting off backs in the early 1990s when I started collecting T206s. I picked up some EPDGs, Tolstoi, American Beauty, Old Mill, Sovereigns very early in my T206 collecting days. I made it to Carolina Brights by the time I finished grad school in 2000. Unfortunately, the poor college student couldn't muster anything more rare. Who knows if I will ever complete the back run.

Lately I have been focusing on Polar Bears (and the occasional Old Mill, Sovereign, etc.) with the goal of having the majority of my set be non-Piedmont and non-Sweet Cap backs. I think I am around 35-45% non-P/SC backs, but am only at 140 cards total in my set, so a lot of off backs yet to go!

Brian, your third paragraph troubles me...

If we were just being gifted and finding T206s, freely; if they had no value, then the percentages would be about right. But when I go looking for a T206 of Wheat, I'm more likely to buy an SC or P card because the price would cost less, since all I'm trying to do is check Wheat, Brooklyn off of my T206 list. Someone trying for all (or a bunch) of Sovereign, Polar Bear, or American Beauty backs would have a collection that may well be skewed the other direction.

If I'm looking for a T206 of Chief Bender, no trees... do I let go of $50k or more to buy that card with a Drum back, or I get one for $400 to $500 for a common back. I don't need long to think that through.

The rest of what you say seems about right! Interesting poll, thanks for getting it started!!

Thanks Frank. And my third paragraph was just meant to be theoretical...as if all us had never flipped over our T206 cards until right now to discover what tobacco brand was on the back. That is why I think we will find the results/comments interesting, what folks have focused on/based their purchases/just fell their way when compiling the T206 collections in regards to the backs.

Brian

FWIW: My T206 collecting is limited to attempting as many different backs as possible/affordable for an eccentric crowd of 25 players/poses. At present I have 174 different backs across those 25 cards. 40% of the backs are not Sweet Caporal or Piedmont. The overall breakdown by back is the following:

SC150/25 -- 4
SC150/30 -- 6
SC150/649OP -- 2
SC350/25 -- 18
SC35030 -- 23
SC460/25 -- 3
SC460/30 -- 2
SC460/42 -- 4
SC46042OP -- 6
P150/25 -- 6
P350/25 -- 22
P460/25 -- 6
P460/42 -- 3
Sov150 -- 3
Sov350 -- 12
Sov460 -- 1
OM -- 9
PB -- 12
EPDG-- 12
Tolstoi -- 7
Cycle350 -- 6
Cycle460 -- 2
ABwFrame -- 3
ABnoFrame -- 1
Hindu -- 1

% of Piedmont
 

Pretty high. Only because I specialize in the Piedmont 42 backs for T206 and T205.

I only have a few Piedmont & Sweet Caps...and they're either part of my Chase run, P42's, or miscuts.

This thread needs some images...Just had a few cards out of my safe today...

To help fulfill a community service contract I recently entered into, below is a helpful visual guide to four of the most commonly encountered T206 backs (from left to right: Piedmont, Sweet Caporal, Polar Bear and Sovereign). Please pardon me if my example Sovereign back is a little tough to discern.

Brian

I have collected T206 cards without regard to backs for 26 years. I have gotten over 500 three times, and currently sit at 518.

In the beginning (for me), Sovereign, Polar Bear, EPDG, and Old Mill were fairly common and would usually be part of any small grouping purchased on eBay with no premium. Tolstoi and Cycle and American Beauty were rarer for sure, but still would find their way in randomly.

I’ve never paid a back premium, always sell or trade my so-called “off backs”, and have never owned a Hindu, Carolina Brights, Broadleaf, Lenox, Uzit or Drum.

So I’m in the under 5% on my 518. And I’m always happy to upgrade the condition of a few players I have if people want to trade down for my Polar Bears!

I collect baseball players not tobacco brands.

Fun Question

I have 15 piedmont and/or sweet caporal cards in my set of 518, thats 2.9%

Only because I have 9 sweet caporals and 4 piedmonts in my HOF back run, otherwise I would only have the two, Cross & Becker

Cheers All

Out of the 245 cards that I currently have in my White Sox master set, 111 of them are non-Piedmont or Sweet Caporal backs = 45%.

my Cubs team set is around 15% - I hate cigarettes and will not pay a dime extra for a cigarette ad.:D

No PIEDMONT nor SWEET CAPORAL set
 

Displayed here are 3 example pages from my ALL - SOVEREIGN set (complete with 408 cards).


https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan...Johnson50x.jpg https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan...ohnson50xb.jpg


http://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan7...ohnsonPSA4.jpg


https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan...ies15cd25x.jpg https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan...es15cd25xb.jpg


https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan...es15cds25x.jpg https://photos.imageevent.com/tedzan...s15cds25xb.jpg


TED Z

T206 Reference
.

I would say 98% harder backs
hindu or better for me

I never really got into collecting backs much so my main set of 517 cards at 4+ graded is 8.4% non Pied/SC. The only backs I went after where these.

Amazing cards and sets everyone!

I can't even imagine the journeys and stories to acquire these cards.

One eye on the thread with the other on the NBA game.

My primary hi grade set of 521 has 239 off backs (46%)...always looking to improve on that number.

i've got various partial sets cooking (one over 500+) but zero off backs in those...i sell off the extra off backs that don't fit the primary set to fund more cards!

Of the 70 T206 cards that I own only 10 are not Piedmont or Sweet Caporal backs.

Old Mill: 1
Old Mill SL: 1
Piedmont 150: 8
Piedmont 350: 12
Piedmont 460: 4
Polar Bear: 4
Sovereign 350FG: 2
Sovereign 460: 1
Sweet Caporal 150/25: 5
Sweet Caporal 150/30: 7
Sweet Caporal 150/649: 1
Sweet Caporal 350/25: 5
Sweet Caporal 350/30: 13
Sweet Caporal 460/25: 1
Sweet Caporal 460/30: 1
Sweet Caporal 460/42: 1
Sweet Caporal 460/42OP: 2
Tolstoi: 1

A bump for those who didn't mail in their vote because they prefer to vote at the polls on election day.

Brian