Some of the mysteries and myths surrounding the most famous card in the hobby.

[G1911]

Originally Posted by Pat R

Exactly the purpose of this thread, it's not a knock on peoples recollection from shows or in a book it's about what we've learned from the cards themselves and if the Wagner (and Plank) came from a normal production sheet that was cut up in the 80's where are the other examples that would have been on that sheet. And if Wagner and Plank were on a sheet together why are their back numbers so lopsided?

My only strong opinion is that it does not matter whose theory ends up right or wrong, it would be immensely valuable if we could accumulate the pieces of evidence and simply follow that evidence. It is not an insult to anyone to ask for evidence they say they have to support X conclusion. Some things I thought probable have turned out right, and some wrong. We make the best guesses we can with what is available at that moment, and we should always separate those best guesses from actually known fact to avoid confusion.

I have never seen compelling evidence there was a full sheet, or that Plank was on that same sheet. I think that it seems very unlikely that Plank and Wagner were on the same sheets in production. I don't know if Sevchuk is right and this sheet (though I suspect what people really mean is a partial sheet or even just a strip, and the sheet verbiage is an imprecise terminology being used) was real and did originate in Florida, but so far that seems to be the only real testimony we have. I'd love to see any research countering or supporting it. If the Plank originated from this find, I would suspect we are talking about multiple strips, not a single sheet. But that is just present probabilities and could change if the evidence available is added to.

Out of the uncut material related to the American Tobacco Co. card project of 1909-1912, none of it is the small-size cards we now consider to be 'standard' tobacco. This possible T206 sheet would be immensely valuable to other sets as well if anything could be positively ascertained about it.