Weigh in: Why the current t206 back craze--and will it last?

[MVSNYC]

As previously mentioned in several other T206 threads, there's a variety of reasons why rare backs have been so hot and prices so high. for starters, there are more than a handful of advanced collectors who are working on "master sets", every front/back combo possible. obviously a huge task, but when you have several of these collectors going head to head for certain cards, prices will get ridiculous. also, there is a great amount of research documentation on the web and here that has brought to light just how rare many of these backs are (BL 460, Drum, Uzit, etc). even though it is a hugely popular set and the cards are pretty easy to come by, there are plenty of very tuff, even very rare/scarce cards that collectors are always chasing. i've been collecting T206 for almost 25 years, and have always had a fascination with the different backs...last but not least, IMO, the artwork & typography of the various brands is just awesome and compelling.

[GregMitch34]

I guess what is most stunning lately is not that Uzits etc. have gone up in price but the much more common Tolstois, EPDG, Cycles--when not many examples seen for that player. Even Sovereigns and Old Mills in some cases soared if rare examples for that card. That's the trend that's interesting.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by GregMitch34

I guess what is most stunning lately is not that Uzits etc. have gone up in price but the much more common Tolstois, EPDG, Cycles--when not many examples seen for that player. Even Sovereigns and Old Mills in some cases soared if rare examples for that card. That's the trend that's interesting.

And to be honest, if I was going crazy on the combos, I would probably steer clear of those less tough backs. I would think there are a lot of them that are off the radar and not graded or counted, but would guess they are out there.

[Craig M]

...and all of this happening in a stagnant economy. I know it's stagnant because my accounts are having a difficult time paying my company. Even the excellent accounts are stringing their Net30 terms out to Net60 and Net90.

These rare backs are going to go "BONKERS" when the economy really starts humming whenever that will be. Who knows!

These are great buy prices right now.

[drc]

As a non-T206 collector just an observer, the attention to back details seems excessive to me. However, it's not a recent phenomenon. People have focused the minutia double prints, red inks etc for some time now.

Now if you are talking about the basic brands like Drum versus Sweet Caporal versus Toilsoi, that's definitely no fad. Drum, for example, has had a value premium for years now. That's no craze.

One thing I find interesting about T206s, and this is a testimony to its popularity, is something that would be considered a defect on a 1975 Topps (printing error, ghost) is considered valuable on a T206.

[DerekMichael]

I am only a rookie collector, but for me, I can simply go onto Ebay and find plenty of cool HOF with common backs that are just lovely, but when I want a rare back, I have to be verrrrrry patient and when I finally do land one, it is very rewarding and exciting.

I guess it is the thrill of the chase, so to speak. The rare backs just add this entirely different element that I absolutely love.

I just wish I had collected these when I was younger, because the prices today can be similar to a swift kick in the groin.

Totally worth it though

[prewarsports]

Simple anwswers.


1. Who the hell knows, its weird!

2. No it wont last!

Rhys Yeakley

[travrosty]

IF Bill Gates wanted a T231 Fans card, and John or I didn't want to sell ours, he couldn't have one.




if bill gates wanted it bad enough, bill gates would get it.

[Bridwell]

It used to be, back in the 70's, 80's and 90's that 1933 Goudey was the set most everybody liked the best. It was just as popular as T206 back then. The next most popular was 1952 Topps. That's a set that people were awed by.

Now T206 as taken over as number one. If the Set Registry guys are collecting a set then that's a good one to invest in short term. There's a few wealthy collectors who will pay any price to get a card they don't have. T206 rare backs is the perfect formula for that.

[Craig M]

Originally Posted by drc

"One thing I find interesting about T206s, and this is a testimony to its popularity, is something that would be considered a defect on a 1975 Topps (printing error, ghost) is considered valuable on a T206."

DRC, you are right.

I don't know what it is about these T206's but these anomalies are all over the place on the T206's and it's fun finding them and then collecting them. Included are two of my SCHLEI cards with an anomaly between the L and E on both cards while other SCHLEI cards are missing the anomaly.

It's interesting to note that one card is a PD150 and the other a SC150 so the anomaly was not cleaned up while running the PD and SC backs in the 150 series yet I have seen SC350's with it gone and cleaned up.

I'm still doing my research on them and collecting more.

[steve B]

Originally Posted by drc

As a non-T206 collector just an observer, the attention to back details seems excessive to me. However, it's not a recent phenomenon. People have focused the minutia double prints, red inks etc for some time now.

Now if you are talking about the basic brands like Drum versus Sweet Caporal versus Toilsoi, that's definitely no fad. Drum, for example, has had a value premium for years now. That's no craze.

One thing I find interesting about T206s, and this is a testimony to its popularity, is something that would be considered a defect on a 1975 Topps (printing error, ghost) is considered valuable on a T206.

I think some of it is that there are backs and combinations that are less common than collectors used to think. If the mid range backs like tolstoi, cycle, and a couple others were taken as an individual set they'd be considered to be somewhat tough.

And I think that at least some people are looking at them that way.

The bit about printing oddities being sought in T206 but not in modern cards is true, bit I think it has a lot to do with the people that collect the cards. With modern cards Beckett has had a huge influence, and in my opinion was in turn influenced by dealers and licensing people. The way they determine "value" is skewed towards hype rather than any actual rarity or realistic ideas.
Before the 80's rookie cards were actually a bit tougher than established stars because fewer were saved. (If you were rescuing some 54 topps from mom in 55, did you save Mantle, or that kid Aaron who only hit 13hrs for Milwaukee) Since about the early 80's the rookie cards were saved in ever increasing proportions.
Beckett also sort of defined what was valuable with some odd reasoning.
Misprints were not valuable. Unless you found a player collector who wanted them. Most of them still aren't at all common, but since Beckett says they're worthless.........
Cards from certain sets can't be "rookie" cards because Beckett says those sets aren't major nationally released sets. Even though those sets are sometimes larger and more common than some sets that are major nationally issued sets. (84 Fleer update is just as large as 86 Fleer basketball, and probably about as common. The Clemens isn't an official rookie, the Jordan is?!)

I think both reasons are senseless unless you view it from the perspective of what cards can a dealer get a good supply of and profit from the hype. Printing errors aren't usually common, and most dealers missed out on 84Fleer update. But 86 fleer basketball was readily available from wholesalers.

The unlicensed cards are supposedly worthless because "The people responsible can just reprint them" ..........Like Upper Deck has been caught at at least twice But they're ok
(Ok, they probably had to cave to the licensing departments on that one.)

Since modern collectors largely follow Beckett, those things have become the rule.
Prewar collectors generally seem to follow their own path.
I think that's a good thing.
It may be because Beckett didn't cover the old stuff well or usually at all. It may go back farther to when there were few checklists and finding them wasn't easy.
Either way you can see the result in some of the discussions here. Did Burdick get it right having T213-1 as its own set? Are T205 and T80 actually closely related?
In maybe 1980 I heard a discussion about a T213. The guy had found a T206 that seemed normal except for the blue caption. He wasn't sure it was real. Nobody else seemed real sure about it either.

Things have really changed.

Steve B