Favorite Ty Cobb & Babe Ruth Cards

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Posted By: John Spencer

Being both a Cobb and Ruth vintage collector and suffering s spell of insomnia last night, I pondered in the wee hours of the morning what were my favorite cards of these 2 baseball titans. I would like to hear the thoughts of others but there is one condition (this is my post): You have to actually have the cards in your hot little hands or locked away in some safe place. Here goes:
Cobb: 1. T227 Honest Long Cut - terrific unique pose of Cobb on an oversized card to boot. Very condition sensitive given way they were packed. Mine is a PSA 6
2. T3 Turkey Red. What more can one say about this beautiful card that hasn't already been said. Mine is ungraded but I would say it is ex.
3. E95 Philadelphia Caramel. Best artwork of any E card. Cobb almost looks noble here. Mine is an SGC 50
4. T202 Cobb/Jennings - Hughie is a throw-in but that Conlon 'foto of Tyrus sliding in spikes high (and probably sharpened)to me sums up "when it was a game".Mine is a PSA 5
5.T5 Pinkerton with Cobb reaching high for the ball. Great 'foto used on several e cards. Mine is ungraded but I would guess about ex+

Ruth
1. M101-5 Sporting News - The Babe's rookie, of course. Probably the cornerstone of my collection. Mine is an SGC 70.
2. '33 Goudey #149 - Just love the red background. Mine is a PSA 6
3. E121 series of 120 = Montage. A 'foto that was photographically way ahead of its time. Mine is a PSA 4.
4. US Caramel - not everybody's favorite but I like the sheepish look on Babe's face. He probably had had a late night out and was being bawled out by Huggins.Mine is a PSA 6
5. E121 series of 80 - pitching for the Yankees but still in a Red Sox uniform. Mine is an SGC40
Now for extra credit. What are your least favorite cards of the two.
Cobb: W512 - Cobb was no beauty but was it possible to make him look as ugly as this card depicts.
Ruth: E121 series of 80 - holding bird. What a goofy card!. And who was that guy standing next to Ruth? The aviary curator of the Bronx Zoo, perhaps?

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Posted By: Hal Lewis

I only have ONE card for each player...so they are my "favorites" by default:

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Posted By: Gary B.

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Posted By: Hal Lewis

John is a card dealer, so I don't know if you can classify his inventory as "disposable income."

A better question, however, since he is a card dealer... might be whether he was trying to sneak in a "Buy/Sell" thread.

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Posted By: john/z28jd

My favorite Cobb cards i have are the T206 bat on card which is usually everyones least favorite and the red background t206. I also like the w516 pose but the card barely resembles him so i'll rate that 3rd with the last 2 cobbs from the t206 set tied for 4th.Since thats all the cards i have of him those last 2 are also my least favorite

Since Ruth isnt in any sets i collect i havent bought one yet.I do have a circa 2000 ard of him made by someone that has him in a red sox uniform making a catch in the outfield thats pretty cool[the card not the catch] so that would have to be my favorite

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Posted By: Anonymous

Sheesh Hal...stop showing off.

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Posted By: Hal Lewis

Hey...

I didn't start the thread or make the groundrules.



The guy says you have to OWN the cards to have them count, and these are the only two I own.

I guess I could have just ignored the thread and left John hangin' ... but what fun is that?

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Posted By: John Spencer

Hal, the cards I enumerated are strictly from my own collection. I may be a dealer, but first and foremost, I am a collector. Too many times, I have bought great vintage cards, thinking they were for co. inventory, which mysteriously ended up in the collection. In short: collector first, dealer second.

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Posted By: Gary B.

does talking about vintage cards end and showing off how rich you are and how fantastic a collection you have start?

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Posted By: Hal Lewis

There's no rich or poor here.

All of us love the hobby just as much as the next guy (or gal)...

and winning a $50 card on EBay for $29 is JUST AS FUN as buying a card for $5,000.

Having money and knowing what to do with it are two different things.

I am sure there are people out there with millions of dollars who are "investing" it all in 2004 Chrome refractors...

but to each his own.

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Posted By: John Spencer

Gary, it was never my intention to gloat over what I have in my collection. If you interpreted that way, I am sorry. I am not rich and my collection has been accumulated over nearly 35 years, so you you might expect that I have a few great cards collected over time. I was probably wrong in my post to suggest that you had to have a Cobb/Ruth card to particpate. Hal, said it right, and I thank him for it. I tried to make a harmless, interesting post and it seems to have backfired.

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Posted By: Hal Lewis

Gary:

I have plenty of "clues."

I grew up having to scour the neighborhood for aluminum cans to recycle so that I could then go buy baseball wax packs. I never had a card that cost more than $1.00 for 25 years... but I still loved the hobby.

Later in life, things had changed financially... but the love of finding a cool card for your collection is no different.

Like you said in your own words... if you could afford to spend $5,000 on a baseball card...

you would pay off the mortgage and so forth.

But THEN what would you do after that with your money?

The BEST thing about our hobby is that being "rich" does not mean that someone can just walk in and obtain whatever cards he wants to own.

Bill Gates might WANT to own some of the rarest one-of-a-kind cards... but since they are NOT for sale... his MONEY doesn't mean jack squat.

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Posted By: Gary B.

It's just when someone comes on the board and just out of the clear blue says, oh by the way, I have these cards, what do you have, and they list:

1. M101-5 Sporting News - The Babe's rookie, of course. Probably the cornerstone of my collection. Mine is an SGC 70.

For me, that's paying off my entire mortgage and changing my lifestyle dramatically, it's not just, oh what a nice card I have. I appreciate and understand that you haven't always had a lot of money, but for those of us who aren't there yet, sometimes people's posts come off as bragging and showing off without a clue as to who might be reading. For me it's like saying, hey, I have a lamborghini and a porsche, what do you drive, and i'm praying my hundaii holds up for another 2 years. I hope you can understand.

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Posted By: Gary B.

"Gary, it was never my intention to gloat over what I have in my collection. If you interpreted that way, I am sorry. I am not rich and my collection has been accumulated over nearly 35 years, so you you might expect that I have a few great cards collected over time. I was probably wrong in my post to suggest that you had to have a Cobb/Ruth card to particpate. Hal, said it right, and I thank him for it. I tried to make a harmless, interesting post and it seems to have backfired."

I appreciate what you're saying, and thanks for responding. Sorry if I took this out on you individually, it's obviously been an ongoing theme I've noticed. I do own a Cobb, though it's a strip card in not so great condition, still as nice as I'm likely to get for awhile. I would truly love to own a halfway decent (or even quarterway decent) Ruth card, in fact, I would love that more than any other card right now, but it's just not responsible for me to spend $400+ right now, never mind a card of his worth tens of thousands. It's a great forum, I appreciate all the information, questions, answers and talking about different issues, it's just when it gets into showing off collections worth tens of thousands of dollars when spending $100 on a card is really irresponsible for me is more than a little frustrating - I hope you can uderstand and accept my apologies as well.

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Posted By: Bill Cornell

Gary-

The holier-than-thou posts are really tiresome. If the forum annoys you, you can always go away.

Bill

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Posted By: Anonymous

I didn't mean to be starting something...I was kinda kidding! I love to see all of you guys's awesome cardboard...I'd much rather spend my riches on cardboard, or art or collectibles than stocks!!!!!!So bring on the cobb backs and ruth rookies and the more the better!!!!!

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Posted By: wesley

My family once owned a Cobb strip card. We sold it at thanksgiving and used the proceeds to purchase two turkeys for the local soup kitchen.

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Posted By: Hal Lewis

Gary:

I understand what you are saying... but this board covers ALL vintage cards, from expensive to downright cheap.

I will never "belittle" ANYONE who comes on this board and is all excited about buying his FIRST Babe Ruth card... even if it's an SGC 10 strip card with creases.

I am happy for them!



I can honestly say that I NEVER owned a baseball card older than a 1952 Topps before I turned 30... so you are WAY AHEAD of where I was...

but since discovering the wonderful world of VINTAGE cards... nothing made AFTER 1952 seems to excite me anymore.

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Posted By: Hal Lewis

Wesley

Believe me, I could have bought a TON of great cards with all the money that we have given to charity and to our church...

but there are things MORE IMPORTANT than collecting cards.

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Posted By: Dave

My favorite Cobb that I always am looking at is Bat off. That's because I don't have it.

So, of the ones I do have, it's the bat on. I also like the T205, but mine has been folded in half, so its not the greatest.

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Posted By: DD

Fact is, vintage cards are expensive; at least the really nice ones are. If you join a forum where vintage cards are the focus, what else do you expect to see?

There are also plenty of affordable cards for any budget, and appreciation and input by most people on this forum is rampant for these kinds of cards.

I wish I had the cash to buy some of this stuff, but I like being able to participate and see what other people have. Keep the stories, scans and debates coming.

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Posted By: wesley

My favorite Cobb cards are the D304 and T227 cards. I am hoping to add lower condition versions of these cards to my collection one day. My favorite Ruth card is the Baltimore News. I am one hundred percent certain that I will never be able to afford that one.

For now I have to be content with my T206 red Cobb and E210 Ruth.

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Posted By: Greg Ecklund

My favorite Cobb is the T3 Turkey Red, followed by the T206 bat on pose that is shown above. I own a T3 Cobb in Vg/Ex condition, but don't own the T206.

Another one would be the BF2 Cobb which I still need for my set (I haven't actually seen one yet) - if it follows with the rest of the set I assume the photo is the same as the M101-4/M101-5 sets.

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Posted By: Scott Elkins

Cobb: E98 Old Put

Ruth: 33 Goudey #181

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Posted By: Mike Pugeda

I personally don't mind seeing all the great scans of cards from other people's collections. Am I a bit envious at times, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't. But I would much rather read a thread like this than one where board members are talking sh*t to each other.

Gary, I understand how you feel at times, but I don't think any of the posters were trying to show off or at least show off in a bad way. Some are just proud to have acquired a nice collection. Most of my recent purchases have been in mid to low grade. I would just rather spend my money on my family than on cards, but that's just me. Everything's relative.

Just enjoy the posts, and don't take things too seriously, because other than Mastro auctions, where are you gonna see so much nice stuff.

Mike

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Posted By: Mark

"Bill Gates might WANT to own some of the rarest one-of-a-kind cards... but since they are NOT for sale... his MONEY doesn't mean jack squat. "

Bill G., if you read this because you are looking to get into the hobby, ALL my cards are for sale (for top dollar).

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Posted By: PASJD

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Posted By: Elliot

Gary, Anybody that knows John Spencer knows that he did not come on here to gloat about the cards that he owns. I only wish that he had posted scans.

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Posted By: Julie

My favorite Ruth is the '33 Goudey, #181, of which I have a sort of middling example which I never bothered to scan. (nice one up above)

My favorite Cobb is the Cracker Jack, which I own about 1/3 of, and if I don't get on the stick and make some more payments, Levi Bleem is going to sell out from under me!

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Posted By: Hal Lewis

Julie:

Is Levi such a fierce businessman that he keeps the CORNERS of his cards as COLLATERAL until you make your final payment??

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Posted By: Bill Kasel

it's the only one I own. Some day I will get the E95, but until then I am happy with this one. I don't have a ton on money to spend on cards b/c of a wife who loves shoes, and a son I love to spoil (whether that's good or bad). That being said, lesser condition cards of the great one's are still affordable. Just set your sights and save until it makes financial sense. For the money nothing beats a well loved VG vintage card IMO.

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Posted By: Gilbert Maines

Gary B.:

I certainly can understand your thinking when reviewing the Cobb and Ruth cards which some others have. But it is their collections, it pleases them, and they have a right to brag about them. Actually, all appear quite BragWorthy.

This does not differ from you or I liking what we have collected, and feeling that our assemblies are also quite BragWorthy, even if our collections are less advanced than those of others. Because each card has been carefully selected based on our wants and the dollar comprimizes appropriate at the time.

As we hear of the cards of others, recognize that not all cards are Mint. Perhaps everyone has (sometimes greater, sometimes lesser) dollar comprimizes that they also face.

Personally, I find it quite enjoyable hearing what others collect. It often gives me ideas which I incorporate or modify for my own collection.

Here is what I have: Cobb - plans only - a display which shows the batting catagories and his all time standing in each. That is: for hits there is a Rose card, doubles a Speaker, Rose, and a Musial card, triples a Crawford, Inside the park HRs a Crawford and a Leach, SB .... etc.

Each of these players will be displayed (along with others as appropriate which I have probably forgotten) in their own catagory as those whose lifetime record has bested Cobb. Of course, Cobb will be displayed (T3) below the group. I just picked up a very special (to me) Musial from Lipsett. "All" that remains to complete this grouping is a Billy Hamilton, a Crawford, and the Cobb. I may want to upgrade the Speaker as well, but I have to find one that I really like. Maybe the CJ.

I have a couple of Ruths. One for my 500+ HR set, a R315 ex+ if you ignore the glue residue (one of the cheapest Ruths). The other a nice blue w517 PSA 5 - which fits my color coded .600+ sluggers group (another of the cheapest Ruths). Next will be a w516: knock kneed, pigeon toed, but not bowlegged - throwing lefty.

Wish I could offer scans; maybe when my wantlist becomes a lower priority.

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Posted By: dan mckee

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Posted By: wesley

hoarder

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Posted By: Gary B.

What is that Babe Ruth issue you have several of? Any chance you'd consider selling a lesser quality one (if it's something I could afford)?

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Posted By: dan mckee

from top to bottom, Left to Right:

1910 Washington Times

1930 Doughnut corp Babe Ruth

1933 C. A. Briggs Babe Ruth

full sheet of 1933 Eclipse Import R337 Babe Ruth's

card in middle of sheet is a 1933 Uncle Jacks Babe Ruth



Soryy, none are for sale.

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Posted By: Andrew Parks

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Posted By: BCD

Cobb/Ruth Cards December 19 2004, 12:51 PM


" Hal, the cards I enumerated are strictly from my own collection. I may be a dealer, but first and foremost, I am a collector. Too many times, I have bought great vintage cards, thinking they were for co. inventory, which mysteriously ended up in the collection. In short: collector first, dealer second."



I know this to be true. I have always sensed this is interfacing with you four years back. You love cards and seemed to have wanted to keep everything! LOL*

Like any dealer that knows his stuff,you sell a lot of stuff you love and would personally want to keep. Your a true collector John there is no doubt.
The last card i purchased from you (through Mike)was my PSA 7 Dell Darling N-184. I thought paying 1k for it was very reasonable. You are good for the hobby John~

Happy New Year to you!

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Posted By: John

Question:

I recently purchased this Ferrari for a daily driver and I can’t fit all of my cards in the front seat any help? Maybe I should use my Porsche.

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Posted By: Joe P.

If so, I believe I got my Magie from you a few years back.

Thank you,
Joe

PS
Gary, if you're reading this, please forgive me. ... the kids didn't mind walking without shoes for a few years.
Sure, I feel a little guilty, but what the hell, I was walking along side of them also without shoes.

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Posted By: BCD

I still have all the Mello Mint hall of Famers I traded you for years ago!

hee hee

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Posted By: dan mckee

Brian, if you have something post it. Dan.

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Posted By: Scott

...but I don't currently own cards of either player

...does this count?