Lajoie Rookie?

[Rhotchkiss]

Originally Posted by puckpaul

Ryan, happy to have either set do well (my Lajoie W600 below), and I am not currently a seller. I do think the NCP are one of the best (most beautiful and most interesting) sets ever, as well as the M101-1s, and with grading someday and maybe more turnover and trading in them (might be too rare?), they will appreciate to higher levels. I find them far more appealing than the Breisch Williams set, which copied many of the same portraits but smaller and several years later, but that’s me. I do love the W600s, which I find incredibly attractive and important.

Lastly, I think they should appreciate on their own merits. The rookie designation is not critical (hence the 52 Topps Mantle).

I too think the M101s, and especially the copper plates, are awesome. And there is no doubt they are earlier (in some cases earliest) renditions of most players and are worthy of the title “rookie”. The hobby just isn’t there. I love Honus Wagner and I have been looking at the copper plate on (and off) eBay for years, but I just can’t pull the trigger bc I am not sure it’s a smart buy. Grading could help, but if PSA/SGC has not graded them to date, I am not sure what will change there; and the fact that Beckett does slab them does not help, considering Beckett is very poor on vintage.

Post cards are a different topic all together. I tend to agree that the 1915 Red Sox team PC is not Ruth’s rookie - not bc its a post card but bc its a team picture. It certainly is his earliest major league appearance, but I think his 1916 cards, which are dedicated to him alone, are his rookie. But all those 1907 post cards of Cobb.... At this point I think it’s fairly established that (aside from w600) all of those 1907 postcards are Cobb rookies (cabinets are another, similar debate).

Who knows. Collect what you like!! And I fully agree that M101s are very likeable!

[Lorewalker]

With as busy as PSA is I do not see them making an even larger holder that would accommodate the NCP or the M101-1s but maybe one day they will. Until then the hobby is stuck with Beckett, who as Ryan has pointed out, does not have the respect with their graded vintage.