M101 collectors– please show yourselves

[oldjudge]

I think it is a great set and perhaps a few people have woken up to that fact. While I don’t collect the sets I do know that some non-HOFers are pretty scarce, especially in the M101-5 set. What really interests me are the backs and some of these are genuine rarities; think Mall Theatre as compared to T206 brown Lenox.

[KMayUSA6060]

Very underrated set, and features some of the earliest cards for several HoFers. Love the B&W real images, too.

[Dead-Ball-Hitter]

Hi Todd, I had the same exact dumbfounded response. Love the set, but…

I personally bought a dozen of the SGC graded M101-4s in the Davidbvintage auction. A couple of the Graded 5 - EX HOF’s cost me between $425-480 (bought Harry Hooper and Frank Baker). The others, graded 4.5-7 we very reasonable. To see these raw cards, in nice condition but not high grade, sell so high 3 months later was astounding!

I was outbid on 16 cards. I won only 1 auction from GM. Why, all of a sudden, did Duffy Lewis and Del Gainer become so popular. Anyone who won those items want to enlighten us? Thanks

[PhillyFan1883]

Greatest set ever produced IMO- The players, action shots, and rare backs are killer. Todd I am collecting both master sets. I have also noticed an uptick in the sold prices for common singles- but not across the board. I have every numbered card and advertising back accounted for except for 1.so well over 400 cards with multiple backs and short prints having to be accounted for. The feat took me about 5/6 years.

My favorite card in the entire set is the Oscar Stanage portrait to thighs. 1 of the 4 short prints… I am lucky enough to have all 4..

Thanks to your education with your article you did years ago - we known why the Stanage was corrected twice in the m101-5s and then -4s..
I was lucky enough on a hunch to purchase a large group of the m101-4s (100 or so) that were found in a grand piano during an estate recently. Miraculously the short print Stanage “portrait to thighs” was included.

[Dead-Ball-Hitter]

Just bought this common in PSA 2 - Forrest Cady- for $80. Mainly paid that high because slabbing has become so expensive, would have paid more for grading (although I would have used SGC).

[tiger8mush]

don't collect the set, but have a few

[jp1216]

My one and only.

[chadeast]

Big Train

[FrankWakefield]

30 years ago I didn't think much of the set, maybe had 2 or 3 of them. They were black and white instead of color, I liked the near in time T206's much better. Similarly, I thought W514s were like something cut out of an old, yellowed comic book, YUCK!

Nowadays, I don't know if my thoughts have matured or manured... but I like the W514 strip cards VERY much, they're great, and cover a key time in baseball. Similarly, I've found myself gathering a few more M101s. I like them! As noted above, the back possibilities add to the fascination. The subtle differences in the -4 and -5 are interesting. I have the McGraw, and it uses an image from the 1800s instead of contemporary.

Those inexplicable high prices.... Al / Bruno Betzel.... I'd like to tell you and get you to believe that the high price is due to him being a St Louis Cardinal. OR that he managed in Louisville after his career in the Majors was at end. But the truth is that there are family member descendants that bid fiercely to get his cards. All they can; one isn't enough. And I don't doubt that there are other cards with similar pressure forcing their eBay auctions higher. I didn't bid high enough in several auctions. Never could find a dealer who had one. So some of these cards have a high price because of kinfolk, not collectors. I recall sending a PCL card or a T210 (can't recall which at the moment) to Marc McRea because he was trying to gather a few for a grandson or great nephew of the player. Before we collectors get to irritable about that, consider a collector of Cracker Jack prizes. Thousands of them out there, well cataloged. And those CJ prize collectors are frustrated that baseball collectors are collecting those 1914 and 1915 pieces of cardboard, insanely driving up the prices.