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T206CollectorOkay, so I finally finished cataloging all of my backs. For argument's sake, I have listed my backs followed by all of the different T206 backs in order of scarcity according to the T206museum.com website. I have indicated how many of each back I have acquired in putting the set together. The hindu, tolstoi and cycle backed cards were intentional pick ups that had at least something to do with the backs. And I dumped a few American Beauty backs once upon a time. But otherwise, this should be a pretty normal distribution for someone who put a complete set together over the last 8 or 9 years without paying a premium for (or much attention to) the backs. If either the series or factory were illegible, they are not included below.
Here are my findings:
Tolstoi No 30 2d Dist NY 1
Sov 460 No 25 2d Dist Va 1
Hindu No 649 1st Dist NY 1
Cycle 350 No 25 2d Dist Va 1
AB 350 No 25 2d Dist Va 1
SC 460 No 42 4th Dist NC 2
SC 150 No 649 1st Dist NY (OP) 2
OM No 25 2d Dist Va 3
EPDG No 17 2d Dist Va 3
Sov 150 No 25 2d Dist Va 5
SC 460 No 42 4th Dist NC (OP) 7
SC 460 No 30 2d Dist NY 9
Sov 350 No 25 2d Dist Va 13
SC 350 No 25 2d Dist Va 16
OM SL No 25 2d Dist Va 16
SC 150 No 25 2d Dist Va 19
PB No 6 1st Dist O 31
P 460 No 25 2d Dist Va 32
SC 150 No 30 2d Dist NY 35
P 150 No 25 2d Dist Va 60
SC 350 No 30 2d Dist NY 70
P 350 No 25 2d Dist Va185
So, first thing I noticed is that the top 14 backs listed in order of scarcity by T206museum (and reprinted for your convenience below) are, indeed, scarce (or at least much more costly, as an indicator of scarcity). I have not picked up any of them:
1. Old Mill (Southern League - Double Overprints) - Factory 649 - District 1 - State NY
2. Old Mill (Southern League - Overprint) - Factory 649 - District 1 - State NY
3. Ty Cobb - Factory 33 - District 4 - State NC
4. Old Mill (Brown) - Factory 25 - District 2 - State VA
5. Broad Leaf - Series 460 - Factory 25 - District 2 - State VA
6. Lenox (Brown) - Factory 30 - District 2 - State NY
7. Drum - Series 350- Factory 25 - District 2 - State VA
8. Uzit - Factory 30 - District 2 - State NY
9. Hindu (Red) - Factory 649 - District 1 - State NY
10. Piedmont - Series 350-460 - Factory 42 - District 4 - State NC
11. Blank Back
12. Lenox (Black) - Factory 30 - District 2 - State NY
13. Broad Leaf - Series 350 - Factory 25 - District 2 - State VA
14. Carolina Brights - Factory 25 - District 2 - State VA
However, the T206museum scarcity distribution for the remainder of the backs does not always parallel my experience (my count is reprinted in brackets to the right of each back):
15. Hindu (Brown) - Factory 649 - District 1 - State NY [1]
16. American Beauty - Series 460 - Factory 42 - District 4 - State NC [0]
17. Cycle - Series 460 - Factory 25 - District 2 - State VA [0]
18. Tolstoi - Factory 30 - District 2 - State NY [1]
19. El Principe De Gales - Factory 17 - District 2 - State VA [3]
20. Sovereign - Series 460 - Factory 25 - District 2 - State VA [1]
21. American Beauty (no Frame) - Series 350 - Factory 25 - District 2 - State VA [1]
22. American Beauty (with Frame) - Series 350- Factory 25 - District 2 - State VA [0]
23. Cycle - Series 350 - Factory 25 - District 2 - State VA [1]
24. Old Mill (Southern League) - Factory 25 - District 2 - State VA [16]
25. Sweet Caporal - Series 350-460 - Factory 25 - District 2 - State VA [0]
26. Old Mill (Black) - Factory 25 - District 2 - State VA [3]
27. Sovereign - Series 350 - Factory 25 - District 2 - State VA [15]
28. Sweet Caporal (Overprint) - Series 150 - Factory 649 - District 1 - State NY [2]
29. Sweet Caporal (Overprint) - Series 350-460 - Factory 42 - District 4 - State NC [7]
30. Sweet Caporal - Series 350-460 - Factory 42 - District 4 - State NC [2]
31. Sovereign - Series 150 - Factory 25 - District 2 - State VA [5]
32. Polar Bear - Factory 6 - District 1 - State OH [31]
33. Sweet Caporal - Series 150 - Factory 25 - District 2 - State VA [19]
34. Sweet Caporal - Series 350 - Factory 25 - District 2 - State VA [16]
35. Piedmont - Series 150 - Factory 25 - District 2 - State VA [60]
36. Sweet Caporal - Series 150 - Factory 30 - District 2 - State NY [35]
37. Sweet Caporal - Series 350-460 - Factory 30 - District 2 - State NY [9]
38. Piedmont - Series 350-460 - Factory 25 - District 2 - State VA [32]
39. Sweet Caporal - Series 350 - Factory 30 - District 2 - State NY [70]
40. Piedmont - Series 350 - Factory 25 - District 2 - State VA [185]
A few observations/questions for the experts:
- I don't have a single SC 460 (25 Dist 2 Va) card - is that strange?
- Old Mill Southern Leaguers are not particularly tough if you are willing to pay a little more just to pick up Southern Leaguers in the first place.
- I had two each SC 460 (No 42 4th Dist NC) and SC 150 (No 649 1st Dist NY (OP)), while I had three EPDG. I also had 3 OM (No 25 2d Dist Va) cards. Thus, EPDG's relative scarcity is not particularly significant in my collection.
- Contrary to T206museum, I believe Sovereigh 150's (of which I had 5) and are a bit tougher than Sovereign 350's (of which I had 15).
- Really only three backs are meaningfully more common than Polar Bears: SC 350 (30 Dist 2 NY) and P 150 and 350 (25 District 2 VA).
Are there any other interesting points I'm missing?