Tobacco Cards, and Printing Quality Comparisons

[DocScoot]

Getting some great info here! Let's say I wanted to pick up a card from one of the big 5, needs to be from their playing years, leaning towards tobacco cards. Ruth, Cobb, Wagner are pretty much out of my budget. Let's say I could pick up a T202 with either Matty or Johnson for under $1,000 (hopefully well under). Looks like there's some options up on eBay now. Would you recommend one over the other, or should I save for the T205 instead? Not that I plan to flip, but which would be the better investment?

Appreciate the input!

[Exhibitman]

If you want to look at some great T prints, take a look at the Obak sets. The manufacturer used a more intricate process and the resulting cards have a richness of image that is superior to the other sets. Here is a good example, a T206 Collins (my favorite T206) and a T212 Obak

[DocScoot]

That's phenomenal, thanks for sharing!!

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

If you want to look at some great T prints, take a look at the Obak sets. The manufacturer used a more intricate process and the resulting cards have a richness of image that is superior to the other sets. Here is a good example, a T206 Collins (my favorite T206) and a T212 Obak

[Lobo Aullando]

Probably going to be split opinions on this, and it's a legit split.

The single-player card will always have higher demand, just generally, and T205s do have a good following. That said, there might be some room for growth in T202s, but I think of that as more that they haven't caught up to the two most mainstream sets.* Short-run vs long-run, acute vs chronic...


* - Past results are not indicative of future results.

Originally Posted by DocScoot

Getting some great info here! Let's say I wanted to pick up a card from one of the big 5, needs to be from their playing years, leaning towards tobacco cards. Ruth, Cobb, Wagner are pretty much out of my budget. Let's say I could pick up a T202 with either Matty or Johnson for under $1,000 (hopefully well under). Looks like there's some options up on eBay now. Would you recommend one over the other, or should I save for the T205 instead? Not that I plan to flip, but which would be the better investment?

Appreciate the input!

[53toppscollector]

T202s are also a bit more awkward to display (I have a workaround for it), but they are cool cards for sure.

T205s are more readily available, and if you ever need to sell it, they have a stronger market in general, but if that isn't your concern, then go with what you like.

The T202s that interest me the most are the ones with multiple HOFs on the card

Eddie Collins/Home Run Baker
McGaw/Jennings
Bresnahan/McGraw
Chance/Evers
Cobb/Jennings

etc etc

[Exhibitman]

I'd like to get the T202 with the Cobb sliding middle panel. Only T card with that classic photo on it.

In general, they are great cards but they are awkward to store and some of the combos are really random. Some are fantastic, too. This was the first one I ever got, at the 1991 Anaheim National in a trade.

[DocScoot]

I'm especially interested in the one with Mathewson and McGraw, knowing how much history those two shared both on and off the field.

[swarmee]

The biggest reason for the price differential, IMO, is that the T205 is a "standard-sized" card that can go in the standard PSA slab. The 202 has to go in a tallboy holder, and the mainstream collectors don't want to store them.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by swarmee

The biggest reason for the price differential, IMO, is that the T205 is a "standard-sized" card that can go in the standard PSA slab. The 202 has to go in a tallboy holder, and the mainstream collectors don't want to store them.

Big vs small. Easier to collect cards than cars.
.