T206 authenticity help please (Update: Starr Drum Graded)

[tab]

WOW! Nice score!

[asoriano]

What's the story?

[edjs]

Originally Posted by asoriano

What's the story?

Yes, please tell us! I am obviously not the only one dying to know!

[Jantz]

Since it hasn't been mentioned.

The Lundgren EPDG is a tougher front/back combo and is worth more than $20 as stated earlier.

[cardsfan73]

Sorry I wasn't ignoring the request for the story, I just wasn't sure how interesting it was.

I like to spend some of my free time poking around flea markets, Thrift Stores, Antique Stores/Malls etc. Other than baseball cards I also collect old jazz records & vintage video games too.

Before today my best find as far as cards goes had been some lower grade 1950s Bowman and Topps common cards for less than a buck a pop and a few beater vintage star cards for cheap here and there. I usually run across tons of junk wax era stuff and low-mid grade vintage stars that are priced at near mint prices.

Today I went to an antique shop that I usually don't frequent because they typically only have furniture and home décor type stuff that I am not usually in the market for. My only reason for going in today was to look for some old peach crates to store my record collection in. I was looking around and saw these cards inside a locked curio cabinet with a bunch of other older trinkets. There were two groups of 3 cards and I looked at the price and almost walked away assuming these were all beater commons with common backs and at the price marked on them it was not worth it. I decided I better check them out to be sure and I was able to see the back side of the cards (they were on a glass shelf in the cabinet). It was an awkward angle and at first the only one I could see was the Sweet Caporal back.. no big deal, and then I saw the EPDG back and got a little excited and finally I could see the Drum back and knew it was rare.. But didn't know how rare. Did a quick search on the ebay app on my phone and didn't see any Drum backs listed. This got me a little excited being there were none on ebay. Then I went to t206.org and saw that Starr was available in a Drum back. I examined the card and it looked right but like I said I am far from an expert on this. I texted a fellow board member for some advice and he encouraged me to take a shot on it (Thanks Jason/Beatles Guy!!). I asked the lady if she could take the cards out for me and after looking them over I decided I would take a chance on them.


I was so nervous uploading the scans here because even though it seemed good I figured there was some obvious telltale sign that I had missed and I would be set straight & educated right away! I NEVER find anything like this!

One small coincidence is that I happened to get a t206 Hoffman in the mail today that I had purchased here in the BST... The seller I purchased the card from was Drumback!!

Thanks again for all the input guys, I hope the story wasn't to lame.

Scott

[edjs]

Originally Posted by cardsfan73

Sorry I wasn't ignoring the request for the story, I just wasn't sure how interesting it was.

I like to spend some of my free time poking around flea markets, Thrift Stores, Antique Stores/Malls etc. Other than baseball cards I also collect old jazz records & vintage video games too.

Before today my best find as far as cards goes had been some lower grade 1950s Bowman and Topps common cards for less than a buck a pop and a few beater vintage star cards for cheap here and there. I usually run across tons of junk wax era stuff and low-mid grade vintage stars that are priced at near mint prices.

Today I went to an antique shop that I usually don't frequent because they typically only have furniture and home décor type stuff that I am not usually in the market for. My only reason for going in today was to look for some old peach crates to store my record collection in. I was looking around and saw these cards inside a locked curio cabinet with a bunch of other older trinkets. There were two groups of 3 cards and I looked at the price and almost walked away assuming these were all beater commons with common backs and at the price marked on them it was not worth it. I decided I better check them out to be sure and I was able to see the back side of the cards (they were on a glass shelf in the cabinet). It was an awkward angle and at first the only one I could see was the Sweet Caporal back.. no big deal, and then I saw the EPDG back and got a little excited and finally I could see the Drum back and knew it was rare.. But didn't know how rare. Did a quick search on the ebay app on my phone and didn't see any Drum backs listed. This got me a little excited being there were none on ebay. Then I went to t206.org and saw that Starr was available in a Drum back. I examined the card and it looked right but like I said I am far from an expert on this. I texted a fellow board member for some advice and he encouraged me to take a shot on it (Thanks Jason/Beatles Guy!!). I asked the lady if she could take the cards out for me and after looking them over I decided I would take a chance on them.


I was so nervous uploading the scans here because even though it seemed good I figured there was some obvious telltale sign that I had missed and I would be set straight & educated right away! I NEVER find anything like this!

One small coincidence is that I happened to get a t206 Hoffman in the mail today that I had purchased here in the BST... The seller I purchased the card from was Drumback!!

Thanks again for all the input guys, I hope the story wasn't to lame.

Scott

Scott, that is a way cool story! This is what all of us hope for every time we hit the flea markets, antique stores, thrift stores (I hope you guys don't mind if I use "we", I shouldn't speak for everyone). I personally would love to score a Drum back, in any shape, at a price I could afford. I have one Uzit, which took a major trade and cash to get (major for me anyway), and it is one of my most cherished cards, yet I would trade it straight for your Drum in a heartbeat (that is not an offer, just illustrating my point, but really, I would). So congrat's, and thanks for sharing the story. Cool.

[tjb1952tjb]

Thanks for sharing.

[Jobu]

Awesome story, thanks for posting it. I got excited just reading that. Did you buy all 6 or just the 3?

Guard the name of that store with your life!

[cardsfan73]

Thanks for the kind words guys!


The other three were commons with common backs.. Two T206 cards and one T205. They were in worse shape than the ones I purchased. The t205 even had the borders cut off. The asking price on those were what I typically find in these kind of places.. that being way out of line.

Prior to this I had only found tobacco cards in a non sports card environment once before. The first time when I was 12 years old and I purchased T205 Topsy Hartsel at a flea market for $12, which based on the condition and the time period I purchased it I probably overpaid! Man I still wish I had that card today, it was my first Tobacco card and I sold it with the rest of my collection when I got out of the hobby in the early 90s.