"Nicer is a subjective term"

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Posted By: E, Daniel

Stealing the line from Joe D off a different thread, and regarding his reference to the Boston Garter's Cobb just auctioned, has a 'nicer' card than this hit the hobby since the 1914 Baltimore Ruth?

Given Cobb's standing in the game as a top 3 all time player with Ruth and whoever else is your particular favourite, and the stunning nature of the card, the rarity and popularity of the issue... I'm guessing we're looking at the next $200K card in 5 years time.

Jeff, you really really should have ponied up .


Anyone else blown away by the card? And does the size of the issue bother anyone in terms of it being a baseball card (as opposed to trade card)?



Daniel

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Posted By: Corey R. Shanus

What makes comparing the Garter Cobb to the Baltimore News Ruth very misleading is the Ruth card is his first baseball card in his first professional year on his first professional team, which of course is not close to being the case with the Garter Cobb. In my view it is that aspect that makes the Ruth so special. So, not taking anything away from the Garter Cobb, but I don't think it compares to the Baltimore News Ruth.

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Posted By: Ken W.

I have to agree with Corey - The 1914 Ruth has more "significance." God, that Cobb is a nice card, though!

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Posted By: Josh Adams

Is there a linky for the BG Cobb auction?!

Thanks,
Josh

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Posted By: E, Daniel

The link:

http://www.huntauctions.com/online/imageviewer.cfm?auction_num=31&lot_num=459&lot_qual=&url_referer=search.cfm


Daniel

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Posted By: T206Collector

...but given that we don't wear sock garters anymore, the first article of clothing that comes to mind is, of course, a thong. Not exactly the image -- Cobb in a thong -- that I want to conjure up when I show off my baseball card collection!

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Posted By: boxingcardman

But is doesn't have the gravitas of Babe Ruth's first baseball card. I cannot think of a card I'd rather own (T206 Wagner included) than the Babe's first ever card.

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Posted By: peter chao

I'd rather have the Babe Ruth card. The Boston Garter Cobb isn't mainstream enough. Liquidity is always a concern nowadays.

Peter

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Posted By: jeffdrum

Peter,
I would hardly call either mainstream but call both extremely liquid!

edited for poor spelling

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Posted By: J Levine

Both very nice but for me, I like the Ruth.

Joshua

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Posted By: Ken W.

Actually, I think the card that I would most like to possess (and fondle?!) is the 1863 Jordan and Co. Harry Wright CDV. The one that has the advertisement for the baseball/cricket match on the back. Pretty much the first "baseball card", and of an extremely influential HOFer. Yep, that's my choice.

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Posted By: peter chao

Jeff,

REA last year heavily publicized a 1914 Baltimore Ruth in their auction. There was even some speculation that the card would one day be more valuable than the T-206 Wagner. That's all I meant by the card becoming more mainstream than the Boston Garter Cobb.

Peter

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

This may sound strange to some, but I've never ever bought a card with the thought of 'value' and appreciation in mind. Clearly that is the case based on my hoarding of every obscure Hal Chase card I can get my hands on -- not exactly a growing market for Hal Chase cards. The cards I buy are truly from discretionary income. I know that I can sell them (and might someday) if needed in an emergency or when I retire, etc. That being said, I just buy the stuff I like. I think the BG Cobb might have a smaller audience of zealots than, say, the Ruth rookie; but I just love Ty Cobb cards and I think the card is way cooler than the Ruth rookie. If one goes up in value more, I don't really care. Life is short, I won't be here forever and I want to enjoy what I can while I can. Who knows what tomorrow brings?

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Posted By: Joe D.

"nicer" than the Ruth card...

I think the Garter Cobb is definitely nicer.
I like the e107 Wagner more than the Ruth.
I like the T206 Wagner more than the Ruth.

I am lucky to own a card that I have shown here on more than one occasion - that I like better than just about any card I have seen (even more than the ones mentioned above). You might think I am crazy for thinking that way... but how wonderful is that? To have an item that you personally feel is the coolest thing out there.

Like Jeff said, I think that is what is all about... buy what you like.

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Joe, you taunt me with that avatar.

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Posted By: leon

personally I like the 1914 Ruth the best. I too, like Joe, feel I have one of the best cards I could ever own and it's old, old news now.....but still a very cherished item....so for me it's the Ruth over the Wags...though I would love to have a nice looking T206 Wags also......and a little taunting of meanie Jeff....

I saw this card out of the corner of my eye as I was leaving the National one yr....thanks to John Billingsly....it set me back under $200....oh how times have changed...

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Posted By: Joe D.

Jeff - I have no idea what you are talking about .

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Posted By: boxingcardman

I wasn't favoring the Ruth over the Cobb for value's sake. I happen to think that as the first card of the greatest player in history the Ruth pre-rookie is the greatest known card and I would want to own it for that reason.

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Wow. Both of those cards in a row. That's harsh. Leon, you've posted that one before and I bit my tongue. I think you should both sell me those damn cards quickly before I blow it all on Mastro's August auction.

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Posted By: peter chao

Adam,

There are two other factors which make the Ruth card "more mainstream" than the Cobb. It's a Prookie card and it's pretty much the normal baseball card size.

Peter

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Posted By: leon

Even less of a chance of you getting him now that I am a set collector...and this is the only set I collect....I am sure another will pop up sometime...I think I have seen one other...

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Posted By: Joe D.

just like Leon's card...

I am sure another "White Background" Chase T206 portrait will pop up somewhere.

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Ahh...the knife twists in deeper....

Leon, if you see any interesting Chase cards at the National give me a ring.

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Posted By: peter chao

I've got a T206 blue background Chase portrait, but those are pretty common...hmm.

If I see any interesting Hal Chase cards, I'll send you an e-mail.

Peter

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Posted By: boxingcardman

Hasn't anyone ever told you that before?

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Posted By: peter chao

I've had enough of cock fights...this thread deserves a friendly bump.

Peter

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Posted By: peter chao

Jeff has been through a tough battle with chickenfighters...let's look for Hal Chase cards that he might be interested in. A friendly bump.

Peter

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Posted By: boxingcardman

In Fred Lieb's "Baseball As I Have Known It" (1977). A fantastic book, BTW,as Lieb was the long-time head of the BWAA and on the Old Timers committee at the HOF and basically knew and saw everyone and everything baseball from the teens to the 60s. His chapter on Hal Chase is called "Hal Chase: He Had A Corkscrew Brain" and basically recites firsthand how Chase was known as a cheat for years but not finally run out of baseball until a Boston gambler came forward and produced a payoff check. Chase also cheated at cards with his teammates and had three managers condemn him for throwing games (Frank Chance, George Stallings and Christy Mathewson).

The book also has a really interesting chapter on Carl Mays. Lieb says that the Old Timers committee considered him regularly for HOF enshrinement but did not vote him in because he was widely believed to have thrown games in the 1921 series. Miller Huggins hated him so much that he told Lieb there were only two men in baseball he'd kick if they were down and out: Mays and Joe Bush (another one who tanked games).

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Speaking of Chase, did anyone notice the Walter Johnson letter in the upcoming Mastro auction? In his 1936 handwritten letter back to a fan, he gives his all-time American League team and includes Chase at first base.

http://www.mastroauctions.com/index.cfm?action=DisplayContent&ContentName=Lot%20Information&LotIndex=72890&CurrentRow=1

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Posted By: Dan Kravitz

Dirty, but well loved.

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Posted By: boxingcardman

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Posted By: Mark

"has a 'nicer' card than this hit the hobby since the 1914 Baltimore Ruth?"

Some might consider the SGC 70 Joe Jackson Boston Garter in Mastro to be nicer.