[Steve D]

My first thought before seeing any of the responses was the same as bijoem and Wesley.....card vs non-card. Then I started wondering why if that's the case, are T3s worth so much more than their corresponding T206s.

Supply vs demand then comes into play. T206s are far and away the most common pre-WWII cards in existence, so their prices can't really be compared equally to some of the other cards. T3s, while certainly not rare or scarce, are found in much smaller quantities than T206s, simply by nature of the redemption process. T3s are also arguably the most beautiful baseball "cards" ever produced.

I think that's where we come to with E107 vs W600. Certainly, the card vs non-card sentiment is a large factor. But it must be combined with supply vs demand. Both sets are rare, maybe not equally, but arguably the rarity factor is similar with both sets. Given that similarity in the rareness factor, the card vs non-card sentiment comes more into play.

One must also consider the set collectors. While the E107 set is inarguably nearly impossible to complete, it is far smaller (150 cards), and one could argue easier to complete relative to the W600 set (~720 photos).

So I think there you have it.....

a. The card vs non-card sentiment
b. Rareness factor is similar
c. Collectors trying to complete the set

One last factor to consider is card condition. E107s are nearly always found in less-than VG shape. An E107 in VG or above is practically unheard of. W600s on the other hand, are often found in beautiful condition. While the E107 Matty in the OP is in SGC 20 condition, it "presents" itself in far better condition. There are none of the usual creases or stains that are so often seen on cards in the set. The high price it sold for is surely a result of the card looking far better than its assigned grade.


Steve