Washington T206 Mini-Set Comparison to High-Grade Competitor

[T206Collector]

“ hard to look at, with its vanishing top border “

Some collect flips. You collect cards. And your cards present way better than the tiny cards with sharp corners.

I applaud the discipline necessary to collect only graded cards, but to focus on the quality of the cardboard instead of the number on the flip.

[GeoPoto]

Card 5: Clifford C. "Gavy" Cravath. "Cactus". Right fielder with the Washington Senators in 1909. 1,134 hits and 119 home runs in 11 MLB seasons, mostly with the Philadelphia Phillies. He had a career OBP of .380 and was one of the most prolific power hitters of the dead-ball era. He led the NL in home runs six times and RBIs twice. He first played 5 seasons in the Pacific Coast League and picked up his nickname by hitting a ball that killed a seagull ("Gaviota" in Spanish) in flight. His MLB debut came in 1908 with the Boston Red Sox. The Senators moved him to Minneapolis after just four games in 1909 and he didn't return to MLB until 1912, when at age 31 he began 9 seasons with Philadelphia. One of his better seasons came in 1913 as he posted a .407 OBP with 19 home runs and 128 RBIs in 594 plate appearances.

Gavy Cravath Piedmont 350: Cravath T206 cards are common (PSA-538). PSA has graded twelve Cravath T206 cards at the PSA 7 level, one at PSA 7.5, and five at PSA 8. Cravath is in Print Group 2.

Heritage/Rounders Entry: Here we have another card graded 7 by PSA with sharp corners and edges and a good clear image. The image is good with minor issues regarding registration and surface wear. The back is clean with moderate fading. This card is centered almost perfectly to my eye, perhaps slightly high and slightly right. Some might say it is centered more than slightly high, but I like the fatter bottom border, which provides ample room for the name and team designation. Overall, the top-to-bottom borders are good; side borders are a little tight, especially the right.

My Entry: Graded 5 by PSA this card presents well. The edges, corners, and surface all show moderate wear, but the image is clear. The centering is also very close to perfect, only slightly high and right. The borders are fair. The back is okay, showing moderate staining and fading.

Comparison: These two cards present very similarly, both with a nice image. The H/R card has crisper edges, corners, and surfaces, but also has a minor registration issue. Both cards have comparable top-to-bottom borders, but my card has a clear advantage with wider side-to-side borders.

My conclusion: I like my card. The H/R card delivers a lot of advantages for the higher grade -- corners, edges, and surfaces are all noticeably superior to those of my card. Both cards present very well. Again, the difference-maker is the borders. Could my card be improved? Probably, but certainly not by replacing it with the H/R card.

The bottom line: If we ignore resale value, I would not trade my card for the H/R card. I like my card better. The issue for me is again borders: my card has better/bigger side borders, which reduces concern regarding the probability of alteration. For me, the enhanced peace of mind provided by the wider borders outweighs my card's technical disadvantages, which, while significant, do not ruin the appearance of the card.

Additional Gavvy Cravath Fun Fact: In 1898 Cravath and his fellow Escondido footballers lost the first-ever high-school gridiron match-up in the history of San Diego County, 6-0, to San Diego High School.

[GeoPoto]

Card 6: James C. "Jim" Delahanty. Second baseman for the Washington Senators in 1907-1909. 1,159 hits, 19 home runs and 151 stolen bases in 13 MLB seasons. Debuted with the Chicago Orphans in 1901. His best season was 1911 as he posted a .411 OBP with 15 stolen bases for the Detroit Tigers in 628 plate appearances. In all he had 5 MLB seasons with more than 500 plate appearances. His final years in MLB were with the Brooklyn Tip-Tops in 1914-1915.

Jim Delahanty Piedmont 350: Jim Delahanty T206 cards are fairly common (PSA-517). Jim Delahanty Washington is generally used to differentiate between Jim's cards and Frank Delahanty Louisville cards, which feature his brother. PSA has graded six Jim Delahanty T206 cards at the PSA 8 level. There are none graded higher. The Jim Delahanty T206 card is in Print Group 1.

Heritage/Rounders Entry: The edges and corners of this PSA-graded 8 are spectacular. And the surface is unblemished. But the image clarity is degraded by poor registration. The card is very well-centered, although the top and bottom borders look tight at first glance. The back is clean with only minor fading.

My Entry: Graded 4 by PSA this card presents a clear image but also significant evidence of handling, with soft corners and edges and visible surface wear. The centering is a little high and right. The borders are outstanding. The back is centered left and shows moderate fading and minor surface wear and staining.

Comparison: The H/R card presents like a PSA 8 but suffers from two unsightly flaws: the image is not clear, and the borders are tight. My card, on the other hand shows its weaknesses readily enough, but also presents a clear image and has generous top-to-bottom borders, well in excess of the H/R card, particularly the bottom border. The H/R card has the cleaner, better centered, and nicer of the two backs.

My conclusion: I like my card. A lot. The H/R card delivers a lot of advantages for the higher grade -- corners, edges, and surfaces are all noticeably superior to those of my card. Those advantages, however, are far outweighed by my card's superior image and borders. I don't see it as close.

The bottom line: If we ignore resale value, I would not trade my card for the H/R card. I like my card better. Period.

Additional Jim Delahanty Fun Fact: He was dubbed the “Yellow Kid” after an American comic-strip character that appeared from 1895 to 1898 in Joseph Pulitzer's New York World, and later William Randolph Hearst's New York Journal. Created and drawn by Richard F. Outcault in the comic strip Hogan's Alley (and later under other names as well), the strip was one of the first Sunday supplement comic strips in an American newspaper.

[GeoPoto]

Card 7: Norman A. "Kid" Elberfeld. "The Tabasco Kid". Shortstop for the Washington Senators 1910-1911. 1,235 hits, 10 home runs, and 213 stolen bases in 14 MLB seasons. Fiery temper involved him in numerous ferocious arguments and assaults on umpires. Managed the New York Highlanders in 1908. Debuted with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1898. Had a career OBP of .355 and 7 MLB seasons with at least 500 plate appearances.

Kid Elberfeld Washington Fielding Piedmont 350: Elberfeld Fielding T206 cards are common (PSA-604). PSA has graded nine Elberfeld Fielding T206cards at PSA 7 and another six at PSA 8. The Elberfeld Fielding card is often designated as Washington despite it being the only Elberfeld Fielding card in the T206 set. However, there is another Elberfeld card in the T206 set, the Elberfeld Portrait card. The Elberfeld Portrait does come with different team designations, which requires the use of Washington and New York in titling Elberfeld T206 cards. The Elberfeld Fielding T206 card is in Print Group 3.

Heritage/Rounders Entry: This is another PSA 7 with strong corners, edges, and surface, suitable to the grade. The centering is excellent, debatably a tad high, which is exacerbated by the odd location of the name and team designation. The borders are good. The back is a disappointment with moderate fading and staining.

My Entry: This PSA 3 presents a clear image, with corner, edge, and surface wear typical for the grade. The centering is quite good, probably a little high. Note the more pleasing location for the name and team designation in contrast with the H/R card. The borders are good. The back is not good, showing moderate fading, staining, and maybe even a spot of paper loss.

Comparison: The H/R card presents extremely well with two minor exceptions: the back is drab compared to the front; and the name and team designation is located oddly. My card can match the H/R card for centering and borders but concedes the technical ground to be expected in a PSA 3 compared to a 7. The H/R card's back, while hardly excellent, is superior to the back of my card.

My conclusion: I can go either way on this one. The H/R card is quite attractive. My card is hard to dislike, however, as it presents well for centering and borders. This is another one where I would hope to upgrade my card to one with stronger borders, if I can find it. The H/R card is not that card as its centering and borders are no better than my card.

The bottom line: If we ignore resale value, I might trade my card for the H/R card. Probably, wouldn't. I think it is a close call. I'll call it a tie. I'm probably biased in favor of the sincerity of my card over the technical excellence of the H/R card. Plus, I don't like the location of the name and team designation.

Additional Kid Elberfeld Fun Fact: He still ranks 13th on the career hit by pitch list, with 165.

[GeoPoto]

Card 8: Norman A. "Kid" Elberfeld. "The Tabasco Kid". Shortstop for the Washington Senators 1910-1911. 1,235 hits, 10 home runs, and 213 stolen bases in 14 MLB seasons. Fiery temper involved him in numerous ferocious arguments and assaults on umpires. Managed the New York Highlanders in 1908. Debuted with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1898. Had a career OBP of .355 and 7 MLB seasons with at least 500 plate appearances.

Kid Elberfeld Washington Portrait Piedmont 350: Elberfeld Portrait T206 cards are less common (PSA-328) than most. PSA has graded fifteen Elberfeld Washington Portrait T206 cards at PSA 6, five at PSA 6.5, five at PSA 7, and two at PSA 8. There is another Elberfeld Portrait card in the T206 set, the Elberfeld New York Portrait card. The Elberfeld Washington Portrait T206 card is in Print Group 1, 350 Series Only.

Heritage/Rounders Entry: Here we have a card graded PSA 6 that presents very nicely, with a clean, clear image and strong corners, edges, and surface. Overall, the borders are not bad, but the card is badly centered high and a skosh left, with a sliver of a top border. The back is okay with moderate fading.

My Entry: SGC graded my card an SGC 3. It presents well with a clear image and reasonably good edges and corners. The surface evidences minor wear and staining. The card is very well-centered. The borders are good. The back has good centering and color, showing only minor fading and moderate surface wear.

Comparison: I find both of these cards presenting attractive, clear images. The H/R card has stronger corners and edgers, but my card is equally pleasing to look at. Where my card pulls ahead is in the borders and the centering. My card's back is also nicer.

My conclusion: I like my card much more than the H/R card because it has a bigger top border and, as a result, is better centered. If I am able to upgrade my card, it will not be to a card with less border and poorer centering. Until then, I will keep my card.

The bottom line: If we ignore resale value, I would not trade my card for the H/R card. I like my card better.

Additional Kid Elberfeld Fun Fact: In 1908, Baseball Magazine reported that he wouldn’t select the team’s (New York Highlanders, who he was then managing) starting pitchers without first consulting his wife.

[GeoPoto]

Card 9: Frank E. "Jerry" Freeman. "Buck". First baseman with the Washington Senators in 1908-1909. 142 hits in 2 MLB seasons.

Jerry Freeman Piedmont 350: Freeman T206 cards are a little less common than some (PSA-437). PSA has graded thirteen Freeman T206 cards at the PSA 7 level and four at PSA 8. The Freeman T206 card is in Print Group 2.

Heritage/Rounders Entry: PSA graded this card PSA 7. The image is clear and clean, and the edges and corners are sharp. The card is significantly cut on a slant. It is also centered high. The borders are fair, but the slant-cut makes them look tight. The back is centered right with moderate fading.

My Entry: Graded PSA 4.5, this card shows minor wear to the corners and edges and moderate surface wear. The card is very well-centered, just the slightest bit left. The borders are outstanding. The back is well-centered with moderate fading and staining.

Comparison: The H/R card presents a nicer image; the surface clutter on my card, especially near Freeman's face, is not ideal. The backs are comparable. The slant cut is an undesirable feature that offsets the surface advantage of the H/R card. My card has bigger borders top-to-bottom.

My conclusion: I like my card more than the H/R card despite the mark near Freeman's face. My card has superior centering and larger borders and is not slant cut. I think it will be hard to find a card with better centering and borders than mine. Perhaps, I can find one with comparable centering and borders and a better surface. Until then, I will keep my card.

The bottom line: If we ignore resale value, I would not trade my card for the H/R card. I like my card quite a bit, despite the surface blemish. The borders are excellent. The slant cut on the H/R card is not.

Additional Jerry Freeman Fun Fact: He was nicknamed "Buck", presumably after the major league star Buck Freeman, whose eleven-year major league career ended with 4 games in 1907. Buck then played most of the 1907 season with the Minneapolis Millers, hitting .335, while Jerry Freeman played for the same team and hit .362 (in his fourth season with Minneapolis).

[GeoPoto]

Card 10: Robert S. "Bob" Ganley. Outfielder for the Washington Senators in 1907-1909. 540 hits and 112 stolen bases in 5 MLB seasons. He debuted with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1905. His best season was 1907 for the Washington Senators as he posted a .337 OBP with 40 stolen bases and 73 runs scored.

Bob Ganley Piedmont 150: Ganley T206 cards are less common than some (PSA-549). PSA has graded thirteen Ganley T206 cards at PSA 7, one at PSA 7.5, and one at PSA 8. The Ganley T206 card is in Print Group 1.

Heritage/Rounders Entry: This PSA 7 has all of the surface, edge, and corner attributes one would expect at its grade. In addition, it has near perfect centering and strong borders. The back shows nicely with good centering and only minor fading. If I issued stickers, this card would get a good one.

My Entry: I have a PSA 4. My card has moderate wear issues with the surface, the edges, and the corners. The card is centered beautifully, maybe a little low for my taste. The borders are outstanding. The back is centered okay but shows considerable surface wear and toning.

Comparison: My card gives the H/R card a run for its money, but the H/R card wins out. It presents better in every regard, with better surface, edges, corners, and back. While my card matches it for centering and sizable borders, the overall nod has to go to the H/R card.

My conclusion: I like the H/R card better than mine. The H/R card is very attractive; my card is very likeable, but no match. The H/R card has outstanding centering and borders generous enough to tempt. Does the H/R card look like it could be trimmed? Of course it does. Any high grade T206 is going to prompt anxiety about trimming. That's the world we live in. But in this case, I would go with the H/R card over mine. (Note: It turns out I have a Ganley Piedmont 350 that I would not trade for this H/R Piedmont 150. I will show it in my next post. Unfortunately, it may resurface our anxieties regarding trimming.)

The bottom line: If we ignore resale value, I would trade my card for the H/R card. I admire my card for taking everything 115 years could offer and be still standing, but I'm taking the H/R card.

Additional Bob Ganley Fun Fact: He moved around so much that he was called "the globetrotter of organized baseball". He played for New Haven, Albany, Brockton, Columbus, Toledo, Marion, Schenectady, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Oakland, Johnstown, Des Moines and Newark, and that was just in the minors.