The Fall of Red Kleinow

[Bosox Blair]

A little while back I picked up a T205 Cycle-backed Red Kleinow (attractive SGC 40) for a very nice price - under $80. And nobody bid against me. Not one.

It occurred to me that 15-20 years ago, the name of Red Kleinow was a hugely important one to T-card collectors...but not really today.

In terms of the T206 Kleinow (Boston) card, old-time collectors will remember that this was considered one of the most valuable cards in the entire T206 set a couple decades ago. Now, that card does not seem to generate any excitement at all. AFAIK, the card is still regarded as a tough one. I believe in Scot Reader's earlier version of his T206 work, he ranked it as one of the 5 toughest non-SL common players in the set, excluding Demmitt, O'Hara and the Doyle variation (I don't have it in front of me, but I'm pretty sure that is correct).

The T205 was - and still is - a known short print, available only with Cycle, Hassan and Piedmont 25 backs. This card seems to cost less each year. It seems to still be a tough card - if you check PSA's pop report, for example, there are more than 4 times as many T205 Speakers as T205 Kleinows.

Any theories as to why the shine seems to have come off Kleinow's T-cards?

Cheers,
Blair