P2 pin questions

[esd10]

I'm looking for a set for my 8 year old daughter and I to build together that won't break the bank and is easily obtainable so I've been looking at the p2 sweet corporal pins. What is the toughest pin to obtain in this set? I know the cobb will carry the a premium and the large letters variation are a little tougher to obtain.

[Northviewcats]

I don't really have a solid answer to your question about which pin is the toughest to collect. Hopefully, more experienced collectors will weigh in. I have only started buying and selling P2 pins this year. The PSA registry shows several pins with thirty or less graded examples. I assume that they would be the most difficult to obtain. The large letter variation is definitely tougher to find, than small letter examples.

When you think about cost it would be a good choice for a pre-war collection. Most commons sell between $20-40 dollars on eBay. The HOFers from $40-100. Cobb, Matty, Young will cost more, but they will not break the bank. You can find deals if you buy in large lots, or catch a deal on an individual pin on an eBay auction. I'm not big on buying graded examples. The loose pins are quite a bit cheaper, and you can buy Nickle/Quarter coin mounts to protect them in at any hobby shop.

Condition is important. Watch out for stains, dents or rust. Many pins are missing the lock pin or have various degrees of paper loss on the reverse. In addition to the large letter, small letter variation, you can also find pink paper advertisements on the reverse.

Hope this helps.

Best regards,

Joe

[Hankphenom]

B-18 blankets are also quite affordable, a real bargain I've always thought, and so colorful and attractive, a kid might really go for those. If she has a favorite team available in B-18s, it's cool to frame the nine players in a diamond.

[chlankf]

I completed a T201 set recently, was fairly easy and extremely affordable. I searched Beckett and SCD annuals for my next set. P2s were and in the future may be again in my site's. I decided to go with the B18 set, I love these suckers. Very affordable, some teams are easy to complete one of the 2/3 color variations, tougher teams/colors are easy to find but usually overpriced. I am finding patience pays off. Just my opinion and let us know what direction you take.

BTW: Cool display Hank

Craig

[NotVader]

Originally Posted by esd10

I'm looking for a set for my 8 year old daughter and I to build together that won't break the bank and is easily obtainable so I've been looking at the p2 sweet corporal pins. What is the toughest pin to obtain in this set? I know the cobb will carry the a premium and the large letters variation are a little tougher to obtain.

P2's are such a neat little item!! I think the totem pole of HOF players carries over to P2 pins with large being harder than small letters thruout the set on the variants. Seems like PSA does not give OC or MC on any yet it is easy to find basic PSA 5 pins badly off center!?

CV

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by chlankf

I decided to go with the B18 set, I love these suckers. Very affordable, some teams are easy to complete one of the 2/3 color variations, tougher teams/colors are easy to find but usually overpriced. I am finding patience pays off. Just my opinion and let us know what direction you take.

BTW: Cool display Hank

Craig

Thanks, Craig. I had a beautiful WaJo, then about 20 or so years ago, David Festberg auctioned off his B-18 team sets, stars individually and the rest of the teams as a lot. I got the Washington lot for $160. When I got them, I couldn't believe the condition--all were gem mint and full borders except for one with a small and barely perceptible stain. I called David to thank him and tell him how pleased I was, and he told me that his B-18s were the product of many years of upgrading. Then I started laying them out, and was amazed to see that the nine of them made a perfect diamond with each player in his position. How perfect! So I took them to my framer and had him do them with archival tape like that. I love this piece, and of all the great things I have on my wall, it always draws attention. As I said, B-18s are SOOO underappreciated, also undervalued, but to find really mint ones is a challenge. I guess they were packaged with tobacco and somewhat exposed to it. Also, the cut of the borders can be problematic, finding nice full borders isn't easy, either. This was WaJo's first good team, by the way, and they stayed together for four years, finishing second in the A.L. twice.