REA reveals a 24 year mystery....the PIEDMONT Plank

[Leon]

One of our members did win it but I am not at liberty to say who....

[e107collector]

I agree with Ted, I thought it would've gone higher in price than it did.

I find it interesting that if this was the Gretzky Wagner mate, why did this card get an authentic grade, but the Wagner got an "8?" They were cut from the same sheet, and graded by the same company. Just my 2 cents.

[Doug]

Originally Posted by e107collector

I agree with Ted, I thought it would've gone higher in price than it did.

I find it interesting that if this was the Gretzky Wagner mate, why did this card get an authentic grade, but the Wagner got an "8?" They were cut from the same sheet, and graded by the same company. Just my 2 cents.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who was wondering the same thing.

[cfc1909]

great info Ted-wish I was the board member who won it

[benjulmag]

Ted,

So I'm clear, are you saying the scarcity of the Plank is because that card "reluctantly" had to be pulled when the Wagner was?

If so, respectfully that raises issues with me. You have in a previous thread made a persuasive argument that the absence/scarcity of various Philadelphia AL team members (Collins (only one pose-excluding the proof), Coombs, Mack, Plank) might be because of business conflicts/loyalties Connie Mack had between caramel and tobacco interests. That made a lot of sense to me. If in fact the only reason Plank was pulled was because of issues Wagner alone had, it makes no sense to me, given Planks significant promenance at the time, why another plate wouldn't be created with his image. After all, T206's were manufactured for two years. Seems to me that if Plank had no issues with his image being used, prudent business practice would literally compel his image be used to sell cigarettes. Philadephia is a major market.

[FrankWakefield]

I can see that if Wagner is whining about his image being used without compensation, and about the same time some of the Athletics players have raised the issue of the use of their image because of their caramel company loyalties or at the request of their owner, then it seems plausible that American Litho would pull the plate that had Wagner and Plank, thereby ridding themselves of two problems. So it still seems consistent to me.

[Mark]

Frank
Remind me what evidence we have that Honus Wagner was whining about his image being used without compensation.
Mark

(quick reply test)

[FrankWakefield]

My recollection is that Olbermann had an article somewhere about it, and had language from an old issue of TSN about it. My understanding is that Wagner wanted compensation, or more compensation, and American Litho decided to not pay more, halting production of his cards instead.

This is talks a bit about it, down in there a ways...

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/trea...utont005.shtml


This has a bit more.... Although this article is incorrect about there being 54 major leaguers and 76 Hall of Famers...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honus_Wagner

[White Borders]

Hi Ted,

I'd be interested in getting your thots on which other players might have been on this Wagner / Plank plate (or was it actually a stone)?

Best Regards,
Craig

[Mark]

Frank
In my opinion, there is no evidence that he wanted more money for the use of his image. Yes, he lent his image to a cigar. But most little kids were not smoking cigars or chewing tobacco back then. But like now some kids smoked cigarettes. As the Wagner family has always told it, he objected to kids buying cigarettes to get his picture. Look at what contemporaries like Tommy Leach say about Wagner's sincere love of children in the Glory of Their Times. I think the theory that Olberman is circulating is a little cynical.
Mark

[barrysloate]

Of course of interest to me, as cited by a few posters above, is how the Wagner got graded a PSA 8. Since PSA correctly assigned an Authentic grade to the Plank, would they care to explain the grade for the Wagner. They are either both high grade or both Authentic; a split decision makes no sense.

And while this topic has been discussed ad nauseum in the past, having this Plank surface certainly sheds new light on the discussion.

[Brian Weisner]

Hi Guys,
Yes, this is the second Piedmont Plank.... Halper had one with a "white" background that was trimmed that has been sold a few times...

Be well Brian

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by barrysloate

Of course of interest to me, as cited by a few posters above, is how the Wagner got graded a PSA 8. Since PSA correctly assigned an Authentic grade to the Plank, would they care to explain the grade for the Wagner. They are either both high grade or both Authentic; a split decision makes no sense.

It's all about the Benjamins--doesn't have to make sense as long as someone is buying.

[Theoldprofessor]

And who else do you suppose was on the sheet? There aren't any other T206s for which only 75-100 examples are known. (Demmitt & O'Hara? Don't know how many are out there, but in any case we know why they're so scarce.) So Honus gets ticked off at tobacco and his sheet, which also contains Plank, is pulled, and everybody but Plank is reprinted elsewhere? Just asking.

Bob

[Theoldprofessor]

Ted;

Thanks. I was writing when you were posting.

Bob

[sreader3]

Hi Ted,

I'm having trouble finding the email I have with your phone #.

Please email me w/ your #.

Thanks.

Scot

[Peter_Spaeth]

"And in a 2005 interview, Bill Hughes, a member of the grading service team that issued the card's high grade - Professional Sports Authenticator gave it a PSA 8 on a scale of 1-10 - admitted he knew the card had been cut from a sheet when he graded it.

"The card is so outstanding, it would have been sacrilegious to call that card trimmed and completely devalue it," Hughes explained."

[bond73]

There are a lot more Plank with SC350 Subject f30 backs than SC150 Subject f30 back but I have NEVER seen a Plank SC150 with f25 back.

Ted, are you sure Plank with SC150 f25 exist?

[reisshead]

Were there other cards pulled with these, or was it only Wagner and Plank?