T206 Wagner hunters

[Runscott]

Everyone knows the price of T206 Wagners keeps rising. At some point there should theoretically no longer be anyone with enough money to bid these prices (all the collectors who want one and can afford one will have one).

I don't expect anyone here to admit that they are still looking and serious enough to pay today's prices for one, but do any of you have a guess as to how many such collectors are out there?

[Leon]

The Wags card and one other one, the ''52 Mantle (imo), are cards that reach outside of the hobby. Ask yourself if there are still multi-millionaires in our society and I think you have your answer. I am privy to a few private sales, and am sworn to secrecy, but the prices aren't going down nor do I expect them to. I will probably never own one but if I had an extra 500k-1M I would like to.

To answer your question I have had a few (serious) folks ask me about picking up Wagner cards in the last year. These were folks that do have the means, they are just looking for the right one at the right price (and I am not talking about unrealistic prices).

[zljones]

If I had the money I would not blow it on this one card, I would be digging deep into 19th century cards. Cards that are 4-5x as rare and much more facinating in my opinion. Seems like a lot of the Wagner and Mantle hype is a result of years of crazing over those two and the colorful stories behind them. But there are much rarer cards out there (Ex. 1893 Just So tobacco Cy Young) that I would rather spend my money on. That is just my opinion though

[HRBAKER]

Zach I agree but I am not sure the folks that Leon may be referring to would consider themselves collectors in the same sense. Could be wrong but I think that a lot of the price increase of these two cards has been feuled by the crossover interest outside the hobby.

[drc]

Serious British tobacco card collectors (as in, the collectors are British), are well aware of baseball cards due to the market value and no doubt know of the Wagner. So you might include non-baseball and non-sport card collectors as potential buyers.

I visited a London tobacco card collector (cricket to English non-sport) and he talked a lot on the site about Pre-War baseball tobacco cards, just because they're so well known and expensive. He wasn't a baseball fan, but he was a tobacco card fan.

Also, being a man of the world , I can tell you that foreigners, especially Europeans, are interested in Americana, American history and culture.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by HRBAKER

Zach I agree but I am not sure the folks that Leon may be referring to would consider themselves collectors in the same sense. Could be wrong but I think that a lot of the price increase of these two cards has been feuled by the crossover interest outside the hobby.

True Jeff....though the few people I have personally had ask me are in fact collectors. I would venture to guess there are as many outside the hobby too.

As for rarity, that is a discussion mostly for another thread. Since there is only one Just So Young known, and it's in a private collectors hands, the option to own one is actually not an option.

As for owning rarer cards than the Wags, I would guess I have 200 or more, that are scarcer. None of them are anywhere in the same stratosphere on value though.

[wonkaticket]

I will go on record as having spoken to Leon about the serious possibility or potential purchase of a Wagner. Leon knows my stance on the card and my thinking...FWIW.

I would also consider myself a collector but in many ways more a Cartophily guy like David outlined.

Cheers,

John

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by Leon

The Wags card and one other one, the ''52 Mantle (imo), are cards that reach outside of the hobby. Ask yourself if there are still multi-millionaires in our society and I think you have your answer.

I have tunnel-vision - didn't even think about non-collectors.

[zljones]

O most definately I understood the point of the thread as it was pertaining to collectors outside the hobby, I just wanted to add in what I would do with the money, I totally agree that others that do not collect cards would be buying this card perhaps as a status thing just to show off or who knows. If I was rich and I mean very rich I would put that card more on the bottom of my list since I have a growing obsession with 19th century cards then I would get the Wagner later.

[atx840]

Didn't a non collector MLB player (I know so very little about baseball its sad) just pick up the most recent Wagner,possibly the shellacked nun's find?

[glchen]

I believe Keith Olbermann was the one who picked up the Wagner from the nun's find, and I believe he has another better copy. Here's the link to the thread on Olbermann's newest Wagner: Link

I think cards like the T206 Wagner go beyond the hard core hobbyists. I always think that every year there are newly minted baseball (or in other sports also) multi-millionaires. If these guys decided that they wanted to scoop up a few of the top cards or memorabilia in the hobby, they could do so in an instance. For example, if Pujols or ARod decided they wanted to collect a few cards, it would be pocket change for them, and their advisers would probably steer them to cards like the Wagner.

[atx840]

Thanks Gary, I searched for this article knowing it has "shows off" in it but no findy. I misread the article and thought Tim Huddy owned it. Still like this card better than the restored/unrestored version.

[fkw]

every day there are new collectors entering our hobby that become interested in vintage cards and the first set they ALWAYS go to is the common/well known T206 set... some of these newbies have very fat wallets and love to brag!!!

but many of them have wives that keep them in check on what to spend (waste) their $$ on too

[vintagecpa]

I suspect several owners of a T206 Wagner don't own a single other baseball card. Owning a Wagner reaches far beyond the hobby. It is more of a status symbol for some segments of society.

[E93]

It is true that there are probably people outside the hobby interested in the Wagner for various reasons and that contributes to price climbs. But I also know of quite a few examples owned by some of the most knowledgeable and passionate people in the hobby. Olberman is just one obvious example; there are many.
JimB

[E93]

If the single known example of the Just So Cy Young were ever to be made available (which I doubt will happen any time soon), my guess is it would go for Wagner type money.
JimB

[mrvster]

I am hoping to have such a unique collection and rare, that a wags might temp me one day in the future to trade it all for one semi beater who knows....my lifes work for one card.....

[joeadcock]

Agreed

Never thought of the non collector aspect. Make sense to me however.

I often think of buying a 60's perfectly kept Ford Mustang or an immaculate (only 100 miles on it) Trans Am late 70's(I was in high school then and loved them) to place in my spare garage space. And I am not a fan of cars like some of my friends are. It is something to have and admire.

Make sense then for someone to own the Wagner who is not a true baseball card collector. And some of these people likely have the means to do it.

Of note, I believe the nuns find was purchased by some Cardiologist, not Ob(but could be wrong).

[ruth-gehrig]

Wasn't the nun's card sold but the person who won the auction didn't come through and the cardiologist stepped up to the plate to buy it?

[mawitzi]

The T206 set is very popular. It seems like half the people on the board are building sets. I realize that most people consider the set complete without the big 4, but some don't. If I was building the set and I was rich, I would buy a Wagner.

[Theoldprofessor]

They shellacked a nun?? Probably got three hours of house arrest for it.