T206 Old Mill Brown Backs

[Bkrum]

I have some T206 Old Mill southern leaguer backs that appear to be Brown backs. I can't be for sure as they really don't appear much different than the black backs. Are there any other distinguishing characteristics between the black and brown backs? Per everything I've read the brown Old Mill backs seem to much rarer and hence more valuable. Sorry no scans but I will work on it. Any insight into this would be appreciated.

[bnorth]

In my experience if you put a brown back beside a black back you will be able to easily see the difference. Some faded/light black backs kinda look brown till you put a brown back beside them.

[asoriano]

It would be a plus if they appear to be hand cut.

[Bkrum]

That's what I was thinking...not sure if they are faded black backs or true brown backs. I rarely deal in graded cards but I suppose a submission to PSA would solve the mystery. They are sort of beat up....Are they rare enough or is there enough of a market to bother?

[Bkrum]

Are brown backs generally hand cut? Hadn't heard that before

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by Bkrum

That's what I was thinking...not sure if they are faded black backs or true brown backs. I rarely deal in graded cards but I suppose a submission to PSA would solve the mystery. They are sort of beat up....Are they rare enough or is there enough of a market to bother?

If they are brown backs yes, if just beat up regular black backs probably not unless they are big name players.

[Sean]

Originally Posted by Bkrum

Are brown backs generally hand cut? Hadn't heard that before

All OM Browns are hand cut. They are all scraps.

The brown color should be the same shade as a Hindu back. The same ink was probably used for both backs (just my opinion). I was told that if you have to ask if they're brown, then they aren't brown. The brown color is quite distinctive.

But good luck. It would be great if some new OM browns were to surface.

[Sean]

Originally Posted by bnorth

If they are brown backs yes, if just beat up regular black backs probably not unless they are big name players.

Well, they're Southern Leaguers, so it might be worth getting them graded.

[mrvster]

as Sean said.....they are printers scrap.....ALL MUST BE HAND CUT!

approximately 15- 17 total examples are known including the multi strike freaks......

they are technically rarer than Cobb/ Cobb back.....


good luck finding one!!!!

like hitting the lottery......

I hunted for 25 years and never found one....

I was obsessed with them for a very long time.....the color of brown is amazing! like a "rust " brown...

took some of my favorite scraps to trade to aquire this!!!! and quite some time ..... 25 years of trying.!!!...


A PINNACLE and a milestone....I'm still missing all the scraps I traded, but this is the "pinnacle" of scrap....but it was worth it in the end...

a beautiful example.......


a must for a "complete" back run.....

[mrvster]

one of the finest examples......a true rarity ....it took 25 years for me to actually hold one....

[mrvster]

these are true rarities!

don't submit them, send them to me

btw....don't know if psa knows how to grade them!

someone needs me as a grader

[Bkrum]

The more I hear the more I'm convinced that I have faded black backs instead of browns. I Never get that lucky. Bought them in a collection over 30 years ago when I was putting together the set with no regard or knowledge of back rarities.

[Jantz]

Bkrum

If you can, post up some scans and we can let you know if they are brown or not.

[atx840]

Great card Johnny, you definitely deserve to own one.

[frohme]

Originally Posted by Sean

[ ... ]
I was told that if you have to ask if they're brown, then they aren't brown.

I was going to post exactly that, Sean, its in previous post(s)? on other T206 Brown-back discussions.

I've not held a T206 brown-back, but the same can be said of the T207 brown-print backs, FWIW - once you've held them side-by-side, there's absolutely no question.

--
Mike

also, and this was surprising: search Google for "if you have to ask if its brown" (quotes included). It came back with just 1 result ... yes 1 result ...:

Wonka's comment to the same: (https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...42059868,d.eWE)

[mrvster]

Thanks so much! almost a quarter century

[Leon]

If you are selling, they are brown, if you are buying they are black.

Originally Posted by Bkrum

I have some T206 Old Mill southern leaguer backs that appear to be Brown backs. I can't be for sure as they really don't appear much different than the black backs. Are there any other distinguishing characteristics between the black and brown backs? Per everything I've read the brown Old Mill backs seem to much rarer and hence more valuable. Sorry no scans but I will work on it. Any insight into this would be appreciated.

[mrvster]

are extremely brown with no question......you don't even need to compare side by side .......they are a hindu/broadleaf brown....like a "rust" color.....they don't look faded black at all....


not as in the case with brown lenox.....they are very subtle

[Sean]

Originally Posted by mrvster

are extremely brown with no question......you don't even need to compare side by side .......they are a hindu/broadleaf brown....like a "rust" color.....they don't look faded black at all....


not as in the case with brown lenox.....they are very subtle

Johnny, I've long believed that the Brown OMs were a mistake caused by using the brown ink used to produce Hindus. They were very different from the black OMs, and so the mistake was easily caught. The cards were scrapped, and apparently saved by a printer.

The Brown Lenox, I believe, were caused by the use of the same brown ink used for the captions. It was darker, and for that reason the mistake was not caught by the printer; they were distributed in packs like the Black Lenox.

I took the Merkle Brown Lenox to the Chicago National last year. When I showed it to people, most of them thought it was a regular Lenox until I pointed out that it was brown. So it is easy to see why the printers never caught the mistake the way they did with the Brown Old Mills.

We'll get together some day and take a picture of both backs together.

[cfc1909]

[mrvster]

great to see you post! you were one of the first "obsessed" with these......you had one a decade or more even before I held one!....you are the bom guru my friend....

not many collectors can say they have even held / seen one, let alone own one...

thanks for the comparison....

Sean....great hypothesis! I would tend to agree

[RedsFan1941]

Its very help full to see both backs side-by-side. Thank you for posting those!