Posted By:
D.C. Markel
Looking at the best two photos of before and after (shown above), I would say at the very least it is inconclusive and more than likely not the same card. That prominent black dot to the left of left earlobe (facing us) doesn't seem to show up on the "before" pic, although it could be argued that the resolution on the before pic is inadequate. But there also seems to be a tiny blue dot above his left ear (facing us) on the before pic that doesn't show in the after pic.
The other thing about the newspaper photo is that it looks like the Wagner card is in a CardSaver I. There is even some reflection off the holder where the "CardSaver I" logo would be located if it was a CardSaver I. I know the makers of that those holders, CardbordGold, came into business just around the time of the sale of the card, but did they offer that size holder with the logo in 1985? I don't know, but it would be nice if it could be proven if the photo dates itself in some way. Perhaps if the photo ifself has a printing date with the appropriate printing paper. These are things I'd like to now more about before drawing any conclusions, which may also flush out a hoax.
This large scan of the "8" does show some wear in the bottom, which one wouldn't expect from a trimmed card. Of course I'm aware that some people will generate contrived wear on a fake card to fool people, but I can't see that happening on an authentic T206 Wagner.
Finally, the whole Alan Ray/Mastro story is bothersome. In my opinion, that whole story comes across as a severely embittered individual who most likely made a relatively gigantic profit but is enraged because he didn't make a super-mega-colossal profit on the card. The whole "he bullied me into selling it" diatribe is also laughable - as if Mastro put a gun to his head to force the sale.
I guess it all makes great message board fodder, but in the end there is still no smoking gun and the mystique lingers on.