Adding a Wagner - best options around $5-6k budget?
 

I think I’m finally ready to pursue my next all-timer to my collection - for me, it’s a biggie.

Good old Honus Wagner!

I can probably build up a a budget between $5-7k and would love to hear/see advanced collectors thoughts about best Honus options at this price point.

I’ll confess that I do like the idea of a card (or item) that has his iconic t206 portrait image - some of his cards (to me) don’t look very much like him. Am also only looking for a playing day card, so his 1948 Leaf wouldn’t be of interest to me.

What options do you like given these parameters?

Thx all

Jeff

If you want something with his T206 portrait pose on it that can be found for more reasonable prices, keep a look out for his E254 1909 Colgans Chip can be found in solid grades at and slightly under your price range.

The other option within your price range for his T206 pose would be his 1906 Fan Craze card.

Outside of those two, you are going to be paying more than your limit for any of the issues that also utilize his T206 pose such as his M116, E103, E104-2, E90-2, and Tip-Top Bread

Adding a Wagner - best options around $5-6k budget?
 

Are you looking exclusively for a "card"?

Examples, if other than cards are an option, include...
Pinbacks, including those issued during his playing days... i.e. Diamond Gum, PM1 Ornate, etc.
There are also Pittsburgh team items as mirror back and pinbacks c1909/1910.
Type 1 photos, cigar bands, etc.

Glenn

Great options.. thx. I forgot he has a Fan Craze card

Great question, Glenn - I may consider a Wagner item in lieu of a traditional card if it meets my aesthetic and budget requirements.

For example, I just saw a cigar band this morning which looked pretty sweet

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You may be able to pick up an E98 in that price range.

And every card needs a thread.
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I've always thought the E95 Caramel was a really nice card. it's shot up in price lately but you'd be able to get a nice one in your budget.

My only Wagner:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...a949c2df_z.jpg

My E95, which I was lucky enough to buy in 2021 for what was then in your price range:

I don’t know how many more of these are out there, but this card is an option.

Love those Colgan Chips

and the Fan Craze is a great choice for the portrait pose

Jeff, if this card is an actual option (and it sounds like it may be), I would go for it. Its rare and its his portrait.

A thread like this inevitably elicits as many opinions as there are responders. So here is mine, get the best one of these within your budget.

M116 like above

Peter, neither of those can be had nowadays for $5k-$6k. Maybe the Pastel in an A or 1, but thats questionable; the last A went for over $7k earlier this year and Goldin had a very very beat up PSA 1, which sold for close to $5.4k very early in 2023 before Wagner portraits really took off.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/18591258634...Bk9SR_jdzKavYg

Can't always go by those elite auction prices IMO.

Wow, nice find. That would certainly fit the bill

Just to caveat, I bought that ten minutes after it was listed and have been offered 9k for it after I posted it on Instagram. Not saying the 9k is a fair comp, but that sale is a little tough to go by as well.

Portraits are tougher to get in budget but a low grade e98 is still nice and can be had for a good price.

They don't come up often, but you could get a 1913 Tom Baker Game, 1913 National Game, or 1914 Polo Grounds Game card in that budget. These are pretty much in the 1st quartile of scarcity of all Wagner's total graded playing days cards at 41, 75 and 104 (subject to change) total pop, respectively. Good luck!

Honus Wagner's iconic portrait photo (the most famous and recognizable image in the hobby) by Carl Horner, was used to create not only the T206 card, but also the three others below, which as far as I know are the only other color variations in the same original pose orientation:

1910 W-UNC
1910 Tip-Top Bread Pittsburgh Pirates
1912 J. Koenigsberg (J=K) Candy

These M113s havent gone crazy in price yet…but then i haven’t seen one for sale in many years. Are these out there in people’s collections?

Love the image of him here… am not familiar with these (but am about to be!). Thx for the suggestion

I’ve always wondered why some cards have the team name across their jerseys and others don’t - was it as simple as the set producer didn’t have team authorization to use their team name/logo?

Here is my vote. (Not my card.)

Nice e98 for the grade, and that Colgans square proof - very nice. The Fan Craze also looks amazing. Great cards y'all. Solid choices for your budget.

There's a Colgan's in Huggins & Scott. It's a 1 but doesn't look too bad in terms of the portrait itself:

https://bid.hugginsandscott.com/imag...9_1_285834.jpg

$15.5K and growing fast, for this Authentic 1910 Honus Wagner Tip Top Bread in REA's summer auction:

https://bid.robertedwardauctions.com...?itemid=151167

Someone's going to acquire 1 of only 64 total graded copies of this Tip Top Bread Wagner card, which is only 1 of 4 (including T206) featuring this original right facing orientation in color.

Hope it's a fellow Net54'er to win this!

still like the Fan Craze for the Original Poster

Don’t forget these:

Aaron, love those!