Slabbing old paper

[bcbgcbrcb]

19th Century woodcuts and even early 20th Century Reach & Spalding BB Guides present a terrific opportunity for those vintage baseball rookie collectors like myself who seek each player's earliest collectible without necessarily having a huge budget to spend.

For example, an N172 Harry Wright issued from 1887-90 in lower-grade condition will cost you at least $3,000 for a presentable copy (not to even mention a Peck & Snyder card or other Wright CDV or cabinet cards). At the same time, you can pick up a clean example of an 1869 Cincinnati Team woodcut from Harper's Weekly or Leslie's Illustrated for around $150 and it also includes George Wright, another HOF'er as well. For HOF Rookie collectors, that's an item 20 years earlier (which is our ultimate goal, isn't it) at a cost of approximately 95% less than the lower-grade Old Judge card. If you are doing this for collecting purposes and not investment purposes, I don't see how you can lose with the woodcut in this scenario.