Posted By:
barrysloateI know we've had this discussion before, and I guess it may ruffle a few feathers, but the more I think about the Ty Cobb with Cobb back, the more I am convinced that it should not be part of the T206 set.
For starters, it originates from a unique factory and is coated with a glossy surface that is foreign to T206. Second, the extremely limited distribution, and the fact it is only found with a single pose of a single player, is not consistent with how T206 was issued.
My theory is that it was no more than a promotional item, perhaps given away in just a few major stores in the Atlanta area, to get people to smoke the new Ty Cobb brand. He was certainly Georgia's favorite son, and the company was just capitalizing on it. There was never any intention to print a set of any kind, but only to issue one card for the sole purpose of selling a tobacco brand that bore this great player's name. Therefore, the only reason it has been associated with T206 over the years is that it utilized the familiar red portrait. I believe it is an example of an erroneous designation that has never been rightly corrected.