T206 Time Machine

[nat]

You've got to be sure that you don't snag too many cards. If a set gets too rare, set collectors write it off as impossible, and so the price drops. Price, of course, is a product of supply and demand, but demand, especially for collectibles, is not independent of supply.

(Probably not for anything? If oranges were super rare, we'd probably just think of them as rare curiosities, rather than as things you might realistically snack on. And so people wouldn't want to buy them, hence their price wouldn't rise as much as you'd expect given their rarity.)

Now, they made enough T206 cards that this probably won't be a problem. You'd need a really big deLorean to haul home an appreciable share of the T206 cards manufactured. But, in principle, watch out for second-order effects like this.

Also, as for buying stuff in 1909. Just take period currency. Looks like you can get half dollars for $20 on ebay. (I assume that these are terrible prices, just like most ebay baseball cards.) A pack of smokes cost, what, a nickel in 1909? So you'll be paying $2 per T206 card if you go that route.

[Ronnie73]

Being a coin and currency collector, I've thought about this idea many times for many things. The cheapest coins would be the Morgan silver dollar from 1878 to 1904. Liberty V nickels from 1883 to 1908 would be a cheaper option, and the Barber dimes from 1892 to 1908 would be a decent option as well. Those 3 options would run you $25 to $35 in todays price, for a dollar face value that could be spent during the 1909-1911 time frame.

[bmattioli]

Buy turn of the century Silver coins in the .10 and .25 cent pieces. Easy exchange for packs..

[JollyElm]

Every single person is wrong so far.

Don't hide from it, flaunt it!! The only way to approach this scenario is to dress casually in your normal clothing...perhaps dazzle everyone by donning a t-shirt with Farrah Fawcett in the red bathing suit on it, and a Mets (or your preferred team) hat. Bring Pop Tarts and all sorts of snacks to hand out, and a comfortable chair. Perhaps have some 'Seinfeld' DVDs to give out (since you can't really do much with DVDs anymore). Set yourself up in the most tobacco-est area possible of a town or city and let it be known that you will wow anyone who gives you tobacco cards with fantastic tales of the future.

A second option is to bring with you many thousand-count boxes of 1990 Score cards (only commons, of course, because these 1910 idiots don't know who the stars are/will be) and tell the kiddies, "I will give you 10 incredible futuristic cards for every silly, worthless and 'new' tobacco card you give me."

Word will spread like wildfire, and your only problem will be how in heck do you get back to the time machine with the incredible amount of booty you've scored.

[bcookie]

you arrive the same way Arnold Schwarzenegger did in Terminator and buy clothes with all of the pre 1909 Morgans you brought.. Once clothes are acquired, you proceed to but 20 packs of cigarettes per Morgan.

cheap morgans are about $30 right now so you will get 20 MINT cards for $30.. not bad.

[Yoda]

Bring lots of 2023 shiny, glittering refractors all graded 10 and 1/1 examples. The Wagners, Planks etc will fall at your feet. Maybe a Joe Doyle -National. Who knows. They won't be able resist your Juan Soto double platinum refractor over these dull tobacco cards.

[DodgerMike22]

Hahaha!! Some great responses!

[philliesfan]

Besides buying old clothes and old currency which may limit your buying, I would bring back some type of technology and sell the rights. That alone will make you a lot of money to buy those T206's and whatever else.

Something to think about. What if you did go back in time and bought just 1 Honus Wagner. And that happen to be the one owned by Wayne Gretzky. Since you bought it in 1909 and brought it back with you, would that mean he would have never owned it?
What if I went back in time and bought every card in your collection, does that mean your collection would be totally different?

Anyone see the movie....The Final Countdown?

[nodgrass]

I would sell the time machine for big dollars. Oh wait....

[Rhotchkiss]

I would love to how many proofs there are. I bet the Collins, which would be amazing to own, is not the only proof card never mass produced.

[Mattymc727]

I think I’m going to go the pineapple stand route. I’m guessing nobody had access to pineapple on the east coast back in 1909, i bet i could convince everyone that it had healing powers as well.

I’m guessing i can convert many cigarette packs for a few cuts of pineapple…

[KJA]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

Every single person is wrong so far.

Don't hide from it, flaunt it!! The only way to approach this scenario is to dress casually in your normal clothing...perhaps dazzle everyone by donning a t-shirt with Farrah Fawcett in the red bathing suit on it, and a Mets (or your preferred team) hat. Bring Pop Tarts and all sorts of snacks to hand out, and a comfortable chair. Perhaps have some 'Seinfeld' DVDs to give out (since you can't really do much with DVDs anymore). Set yourself up in the most tobacco-est area possible of a town or city and let it be known that you will wow anyone who gives you tobacco cards with fantastic tales of the future.

A second option is to bring with you many thousand-count boxes of 1990 Score cards (only commons, of course, because these 1910 idiots don't know who the stars are/will be) and tell the kiddies, "I will give you 10 incredible futuristic cards for every silly, worthless and 'new' tobacco card you give me."

Word will spread like wildfire, and your only problem will be how in heck do you get back to the time machine with the incredible amount of booty you've scored.

Depending on the size of the time machine you could bring lots of Pop Tarts and open a Pop Tart restaurant which will be super successful with all the flavors, then you become rich, acquire goods. Then you return to the present and not only will you have plenty of cards but there will be a History Channel documentary on your Pop Tart creations and super successful restaurant.

[Carter08]

I would take back the formula for transparent aluminum and live long and prosper that way.

[LEHR]

I'd bring a gun and a big bag. Park the time machine right outside the smoke shop and I'm in and out in less than 2 minutes.