Part Rare...Part Notoriety...Part Sheer Talent
You guys make some good points here. I think it's a combination of factors that make Shoeless Joe so popular. Like many of you stated, there aren't many cards of his, and even less autographs as he was illiterate. Rarity=$$.
Then you have to factor in the Black Sox scandal, which I think is the biggest reason for the bump in $$$. Even average Black Sox players usually enjoy a little premium in the marketplace. If American history tells us anything, we love notoriety: Bonnie and Clyde; Al Capone; Jimmy Hoffa; "Shoeless" Joe Jackson. JFK was a beloved president, but would he have achieved the same level of esteem had Oswald(or whoever) not pulled that trigger--or if Zapruder had not been filming that day?
And then there's the case of Shoeless Joe's talent, which always helps in terms of $$$. The best players of the time and beyond thought so. Babe Ruth. Ty Cobb. Ted Williams. They all had nothing but praise for Joe's ability, and these were guys that were at the top of their profession. Why is the T206 Wagner worth so much? Because it's rare, yes, but also because he was one of the best players of the dead-ball era. Just like Shoeless Joe.
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