Babe Ruth 100th Anniversary Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/19/2014
Offered is a near-complete 1909-1911 T206 set (517 of 524), missing only the "Big 4" (Wagner, Plank, Magie, and Doyle/NY NL), plus the Demmitt and O'Hara St. Louis variations and Kleinow -Boston.
The 1909-1911 T206 White Border set is generally regarded as the single most important and popular baseball-card set of the early 20th century, and along with the 1933 Goudey and 1952 Topps sets are known “The Big 3” baseball card sets. Completing the T206 set is a very big challenge to assemble in any grade. These cards are mostly low-to-mid grade, with 294 cards clipped on the lower left border including all three Cy Young cards, both Walter Johnson’s, Cobb (2, red & bat off shoulder), and Mathewson (2, portrait & dark cap). There are many other HOFers containing clipped lower left corners which are noted below with a (CL). In addition, 40 of the 48 tough Southern Leaguers contain this flaw. However, the difficulty in assembling the T206 set cannot be understated as time, availability and financial capabilities prohibit many collectors from this task. This is already a near full assembled unit.
Any T206 set has a tremendous break value and most quality sets are broken up and sold individually – ironically, oftentimes to help create even more complete sets. This T206 set is highlighted by over 70 Hall of Famers, including four Ty Cobb cards, three Christy Mathewson cards, two Walter Johnson cards, and three Cy Young examples, plus the scarce Southern Leaguers and Elberfeld – Washington. Interestingly, Hal Chase commands the greatest representation with five different cards. Although in lower-to-mid grade, this is still a very pleasing set, with most cards having bright colors and crisp focus as originally issued. Many of the clipped cards appear nicer than the examples which are complete.
Includes: Graded Cards (12) - SGC 20 GOOD 2 – 2 cards with Cobb/green and Cobb/bat on; SGC 20 FAIR 1.5 – 1 card, Mathewson/white cap; SGC AUTHENTIC – 9 cards with Cobb/red, Cobb/bat off, Johnson/port, Johnson/chest, Mathewson/port, Mathewson/dark cap, Young/Port, Young/bare hand and Young/glove. Ungraded Cards - Baker (VG-EX), Beckley (CL), Bender/no trees (VG), Bender/trees (CL), Bender/port (VG), Bresnahan/port (GD), Bresnahan/bat (CL), G. Brown/Wash (GD), Brown/Chi (CL), Brown/Cubs (FR), Brown/port (CL), Chance/bat (FR), Chance/red (PR), Chance/yellow (CL), Chase/trophy (GD/VG), Chase/blue (CL), Chase/pink (FR), Chase/dark cap (CL), Chase/white cap (FR/GD), Chesbro (CL), Cicotte (CL), Clarke/bat (GD/VG), Clarke/port (CL), Collins/Phil (CL), Collins/Minn (CL), Crawford/throw (VG/EX), Crawford/bat (GD/VG), Dahlen/Brooklyn (CL), G. Davis (CL), Duffy (GD/VG), Elberfeld/port, Wash (CL), Evers/port (FR), Evers/Chi (CL), Evers/Cubs (VG), Flick (CL), Gandil (FR), Griffith/bat (CL), Griffith/port (CL), Huggins/hands (CL), Huggins/port (FR/GD), Jennings/one hand (CL), Jennings/both hands (GD), Jennings/port (CL), Joss/hands (CL), Joss/port (trimmed), Keeler/port (CL), Keeler/bat (CL), Kelley (GD), Lajoie/port (CL), Lajoie/throw (GD), Lajoie/bat (PR), Marquard/hands (FR), Marquard/pitch (VG), Marquard/port (CL), McGinnity (CL), McGraw/finger (CL), McGraw/glove (VG/EX), McGraw/port (trimmed), McGraw/cap (FR), Smith/Chi & Bos (GD), Speaker (CL), Tinker/bat off (GD/VG), Tinker/bat on (GD/VG), Tinker/knees (CL), Tinker/port (CL), Waddell/port (VG), Waddell/throw (FR/GD), Wallace (VG/EX), Walsh (VG), Wheat (VG), Willis/port (VG), Willis/throw (CL), Willis/bat (CL).
The overall set grades 10% VG or better, 20% FR/GD, 15% PR, and 55% with clipped corners, plus a few trimmed and miscut.
This is a very attractive low-to-middle grade near-complete set of the 1910 era's most classic tobacco card issue, representing an outstanding collector value including all the major Hall of Famers, missing only the toughest of variations and rarities.