Wondering why...T206 Shag Shaughnessy

[packs]

Do you really think thats why though? I've seen plenty of collectors at shows asking dealers for the card because they heard its hard to get. I never heard anyone mention they sought the card because of his ties to Notre Dame or football. It seems to me that the card only took off in recent years when everyone on the board wanted one, and more than just the one necessary to complete the set.

[tedzan]

I have been collecting T206's for 30 years and Shaughnessy has been a tough card to find for many, many years.
He was a very well liked guy by many whose lives he touched. And, this T206 card is essentially the only BB card
that is available. His other cards, whatever few there are, are not that available.


TED Z

[sgbernard]

Ted, I'm not sure I agree: when I sold my T206s in 2007, Shag was selling for a little premium over other SLers, but not much. Basically, I think I remember him selling like one of the rarer SLers, which is fair. Prices are really high now, and I think it's mostly due to people discovering the pose (partly because of this board) and wanting an example. I had never heard the Notre Dame connection, but I had heard on Net54 a dozen times how cool that card with a green background and a popped collar looks. I bet if you search for "popped collar" you'll come up with a few threads. I would reckon it's the image and its popularity, and not Shag's other connections at work here.

This isn't a bad thing, but this board does have a bit of a "kingmaker" effect on certain cards. We're a community, and when someone comes on saying how cool this card or that one is, we're apt to want it, and that's going to drive the price up. I can definitely think of other examples of this (T206 Rhodes arm outstretched, T206 Ritchey with the "dove" come to mind. E90-1 Oakes is another).

[Leon]

Originally Posted by sgbernard

Ted, I'm not sure I agree: when I sold my T206s in 2007, Shag was selling for a little premium over other SLers, but not much. Basically, I think I remember him selling like one of the rarer SLers, which is fair. Prices are really high now, and I think it's mostly due to people discovering the pose (partly because of this board) and wanting an example. I had never heard the Notre Dame connection, but I had heard on Net54 a dozen times how cool that card with a green background and a popped collar looks. I bet if you search for "popped collar" you'll come up with a few threads. I would reckon it's the image and its popularity, and not Shag's other connections at work here.

This isn't a bad thing, but this board does have a bit of a "kingmaker" effect on certain cards. We're a community, and when someone comes on saying how cool this card or that one is, we're apt to want it, and that's going to drive the price up. I can definitely think of other examples of this (T206 Rhodes arm outstretched, T206 Ritchey with the "dove" come to mind. E90-1 Oakes is another).

There are thousands of collectors outside of Net54baseball.com but it does seem like when the gang gets on the bandwagon the prices go up. I have seen it happen numerous times. Shag just has a following and if I had to guess it would be all of the above, that makes the price higher than most other SL'ers. When I picked up my E222 Shag (along with my AWA), many years ago, from my now partner Scott B., I posted it on the board and Scott Forrest said he thought it looked like Dracula. Now every time I see a Shag I think of Barnabus Collins...kind of weird, I know.

[sgbernard]

Originally Posted by Leon

There are thousands of collectors outside of Net54baseball.com.

Leon, first, yes, he looks like Barnabas Collins, but that makes your card distinctly "Non-sports" and it doesn't fit into your collection, so you will have to sell it to me.

Are there really thousands of collectors for pre-war cards that aren't on Net54? I've been here long enough to see, ahem, "splinter" groups form, and some of these groups have gone their separate ways.
I guess there are the whales who don't really post, and a couple dealers who don't. But I would wager that most people who are buying T206s will google "T206", find the board, and head that way at least once. At least they find "OldCardboard" and then they click on the link here. Am I exaggerating to think that 50-75% (maybe more) of people who collect pre-war at least lurk on this board? I've never been to the National, but at the Philly show, most of the people I see are those that I have seen on this board at some point. I think we have more power than we think to influence a card's popularity (and price).

[toppcat]

I had to pay about triple book for my example last year and was happy to nail it, having lost out on quite a few prior. The whole Southern Leaguer/Rockin' Do/Historical Figure/HOF'er-here-and-there appeal of the card has to have an effect on it.

[T206Collector]

...is all I can think of when it comes to this card, which also reminds me of the Rhoades Arm Extended hype of a few years ago.

[Leon]

I should have qualified my response a little bit. I think if we were to say "serious pre-war baseball card collectors on the internet"....then I think we capture a majority by some measure...maybe just a little over a majority but I would think at least 51% have at least seen (or heard of) Net54baseball.com. I was sort of thinking ALL baseball card collectors, and in that case, I think we are a very small fraction of total baseball card collectors. I would guess a very, very small percentage. All that being said I don't know of any better forums for pre-war baseball cards but I am biased. best regards

[pgellis]

I thought that I had heard that a few years ago (or more), someone decided to try to corner the market on the T206 Shaughnessy card. They bought up all the examples that they could get their hands on and then, later, talked up the buzz on the card to try inflate their manufactured scarcity of this card.

Maybe just a rumor, but that is what I recall hearing about this particular card.

[Jacklitsch]

Originally Posted by pgellis

I thought that I had heard that a few years ago (or more), someone decided to try to corner the market on the T206 Shaughnessy card. They bought up all the examples that they could get their hands on and then, later, talked up the buzz on the card to try inflate their manufactured scarcity of this card.

Maybe just a rumor, but that is what I recall hearing about this particular card.

I think Huggins of Huggins & Scott had 27 of them at a recent Sun Time show.

[terjung]

I always thought it was due to the combination of his name and his hair that made it stand-out and more highly collectible.

[bbcard1]

I picked up a Canadian Goudey of Shag...the playoff system he designed and that bears his name is still in use in some leagues, I understand.