T205's vs. T206's "Let's Get Ready to Rumble!!!"

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Posted By: Matt E

Will the T205's ever get the respect they deserve?

Aren't there more T205 collectors of these truly beautiful cards today compared to 5 years ago?

Which set has a better chance of doubling in price sooner
T205 or T206?

T205's take round one!

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Posted By: steve f

T205's will always be plagued by that chip-prone border that's a bane to this issue.

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Posted By: Matt E

Definition of BANE to help this thread stay alive.

Bane
That which destroys life, esp. poison of a deadly quality.
Destruction; death.
Any cause of ruin, or lasting injury; harm; woe.
A disease in sheep, commonly termed the rot.
To be the bane of; to ruin.

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Posted By: jay behrens

t205s have better chance of doubling because the price is lower. Doesn't mean they will become more popular.

Jay

I like to sit outside, drink beer and yell at people. If I did this at home, I would be arrested. So, I go to baseball games and fit right in.

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Posted By: Anonymous

T205s are the '72 Topps of Vintage collecting.
I think they are the most comely of the mainstream tobacco issues.

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Posted By: jeff lichtman

I don't think there's any question that the 205s are better looking than the 206s; but they just aren't as popular and I suspect the scarcity and fame of the Wagner has a large part to do with it.

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Posted By: jay behrens

hey now, the 72 Topps set is my favorite modern set, as is the t205 set for tobacco cards.

Jay

I like to sit outside, drink beer and yell at people. If I did this at home, I would be arrested. So, I go to baseball games and fit right in.

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Posted By: Chad

The 205's are too busy for my taste. Plus all the portraits get boring.

--Chad

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Posted By: Joe D.

The design elements of the T205 are much nicer than the T206, I concede that. The border (who wouldn't want a color instead of white?), the art accents, the back --- all better.

But I still think the T206 is better by a big margin, for one simple reason.... variety of action shots.

I would much rather see ball players fielding, batting, and an occasional portrait -- then all head shots with fancy "design" elements. I get a kick out of the uniforms, the gloves, the bats --- snodgrass with a catcher's mask on him, chase holding a trophy, matty in the classic pitching pose, trees behind bender, etc.

In short, the T205s have a prettier face, but the T206 tell much more of a story and portray more of a feel for the game at the time.

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Posted By: James Feagin

"but the T206 tell much more of a story"

Of course, the t206 backs tell us soooo much more about the player and game than those non-descript t205 backs

For the record, I love the t205 NL portraits, the AL is too busy.

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Posted By: JimCrandell

High end T205s(psa 8 or better) are a better investment. T206 high end cards have had a big run based on new collectors coming in and big increases paid by two of the most notable card collectors in the hobby.

Would be stunned if T206 prices doubled from here--would mean prices for low pop psa 8 commons of over $10,000!

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

I agree with Chad....the T205 pictures are just too busy.

T206 wins everytime, it has not one....but 6 really tough and mysterious cards.
And, collectors love this kind of "stuff". Most collectors also favor "big" sets,
the "hunt" for 500+ cards is very alluring. Reflect back on what "vintage" sets
are the most popular in the 20th Century....T206....1933 Goudey....1949 Bowman
and the 1952 Topps.
These sets have all the necessary "ingredients".....they were the 1st Big sets of
their era, they include Big Stars and Scarce cards, and have a special mystique
about them.

I say it again.....T206.....beats them all.

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Posted By: Bob Pomilla

I believe the t205's have it all over the t206's artistically, with the exception of the absence of action shots. Could say this was "corrected" by the t202's.

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Posted By: James Feagin

Being that pre-war has gotten so expensive, budget and prices are set collector prohibitive. For "old schoolers" who already have a ton of pre-war, I would imagine that t206 would be the choice, because they can buy and trade within their means, and it is the "ultimate set". For younger collector's like myself, type collections are becoming more prevalent, maybe even more so than set collecting. Type collectors that I have known look for variety, affordability, and presentation. T205 NL portraits are superior in terms of color, beauty, and a biographical insight towards the game, hands down. I know I will commit an act of card sacrelig now, but I think that there are WAY more average and boring looking cards in t206 than there are interesting cards. I've also began to notice more of a backlash (for some reason) against t206 cards. I feel the internet has expanded collector knowledge, and while t206 will always be prominent in pre-war circles, it's grip is loosening just a bit.

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Posted By: Bob

Which has more growth potential- T205s or T206s? Caramel cards

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Posted By: T206Collector

"I don't think there's any question that the 205s are better looking than the 206s."

Totally 100% disagree. T205 cards are absolutely ugly to me. Borders like the browning yellow gold your ugliest aunt used to wear and unattractive head shots resembling the cheesiest of family portraits. You can have 'em.

Although I will say that I've always been moved by the reverse text on Joss' T205 card.

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Posted By: Glenn

The T205s are gaudy at best, and tacky is probably a more fitting description. They look like they were commissioned by Donald Trump. T206 is elegant, colorful, and striking but not gauche. In my mind, T206 is analogous to 1989 Upper Deck, and T205 to 1990 Topps.

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Posted By: Russ Bright

i am a new collector to the 205's and 206's but I have to say from a purely asthetic level, i find the T205 set more appealing

plus the stats on the back are a really cool thing...

so if anyone wants to dump their comely collection, PM me, i'll take them off your hands!


R

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Posted By: Glenn

Hey Russ,

I tried to get you to take them off my hands, didn't I? Sure, I didn't describe them as tacky at the time, but transfer of ownership allows me now to speak more freely. I think the Tris Speaker is a very attractive T205, but I don't like many others (could count them on one hand).

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Posted By: Shawn Adkins

Hey Russ, I'm right there with ya. IMO the T205 set is, by far, the better looking and more interesting set. Sure, the T206 is a legendary set and very popular with the masses...probably why I stay away from it. The stat backs and gold border are the two main reasons I enjoy this set. The photos do run together a little bit with all the portraits but hey, look at those action shots on the minor leaguers!

The 205 set has a great mix of variations, tough cards, minor leaguers, HOFers and easy to find commons. High grade examples are not needed to really appreciate this set, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. For set collectors, this set is much more achievable than its big brother and you actually have a very good shot at putting together the basic set in an average grade without mortgaging your house.

As for the price doubling piece, my guess is that you�d have to have those top tier registry type cards to be able to see that kind of return in the near future.

And I too will take any of these drab, boring, lame and otherwise repulsive cards off your hands.

Who says these cards look bad in low grade? Where's the love man!?!


Shawn

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Posted By: J Levine

There is another set called T206? Who knew?...must not be as nice as the T205s....

Joshua

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Posted By: Al Crisafulli

They're both fantastic sets.

I like T205 better, for a couple of reasons:

1) Three different card designs in the same set
2) Unbelievable color
3) The portraits are much more lifelike
4) It's actually possible to complete the set without a million dollars
5) There seems to be much less cumulative knowledge about the T205s (i.e. back scarcity, etc), which makes it more intriguing to me.

I also think that lower-grade T205s get a bad rap because of the gold borders. I think low-grade T206s can be beautiful. I started the set about six months ago in SGC 30-50 or so. Some samples of what I think are beautiful, off-grade cards:









-Al

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Posted By: barry arnold

as i've said before, i wrestled with this a bit when i was
attempting to collect both sets.
when another piece of that gold border chipped off my
205 mathewson for no real reason, i saw the light.

and it's been 206 mania ever since. the 205's have other homes.
the 206 poses and the colors still have me spellbound, even as
i look at over 300 of them into the wee hours of the night.

still, to each his own.

barry

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Posted By: Mike Ernst

I've had the 205's complete and the 206's less the big 4 complete since 1975. Always have liked the colors and the bios of the T-205's better. A great glimpse of early-20th-century journalism; "he tenanted the bases...."
Love it!

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Posted By: Frank Evanov

I prefer the T206 set because of the diversity [4 Cobbs, 3 Mattys etc], but to answer your question: from a strictly financial view, I think the T205's have more upside in the future.

Frank

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

I'd have to agree with Frank. Regarding high graded T206s (PSA 7-8), cards I purchased two years ago have gone up anywhere from 100 to 300 percent.