Would You Rather...?

It would be impossible to put together a complete list of the way that collecting vintage cards is different that modern.  One of the most fascinating to me is how differently vintage collectors can view the same card.  If the card is highly graded, most collectors will want to add it to their collection, if the price is right. 

If it's a low grade copy, opinions vary much more.  Some will want one that is perfectly centered and will sacrifice other aspects.  Some are more interested in the color and how it pops.  Some care more about size.  Some won't take a card that has ANY paper loss or writing. 

None of the above are serious concerns for modern collectors.  It doesn't matter how shiny your card is, there's likely another ten thousand of them available.  If it's a card of manufactured scarcity, your options are limited and maybe you elect to purchase something you otherwise wouldn't just so you can complete that rainbow! 

I've seen copies of some T206 cards that I own up for sale, in somewhat similar shape and also at different prices than I paid for my copies.  So, that got me thinking...am I happier with my copy or would I prefer one of the copies for sale. 

However, I'm bringing the question to you...which copy would you prefer if the cost was the same?  Any of course...why?  Please leave comments, I'm interested to know what y'all thing! 

Below are two copies of the T206 Christy Mathewson portrait.  Which one would you rather have in your collection?

The second card I'd like to hear your thoughts on gives you THREE options.  Which T206 Tris Speaker would you prefer to own?

Alright, have at it!  Happy collecting y'all! 

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out on free money.  There are times you can use it and get cash back on eBay purchases.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $300 in two years.  FREE CARDS!  I promise you it's legit and easy to use.

OCAAT: T206 Tris Speaker

If you liked yesterday's OCAAT, I think you'll like this one as well.  Originally this was going to be the first OCAAT post, but I added yesterday's card to my collection first and decided to post it first. 

I picked this T206 Tris Speaker up from a Facebook group in the fall.  By happenstance I was on my laptop, saw the notification and quickly pulled the trigger.  I actually passed on it initially but thought about 15-20 seconds on it and changed my mind.  I'm so happy that I did. 

1909-1911 American Tobacco Company (T206) Tris Speaker

After I claimed it, there were multiple comments on the card.  The consensus in the room was that I got it for a steal of a price.  Since I made this decision without consulting any of my experts, that was reassuring. 

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, you buy the card and not the holder.  Fellow group members commented about the awesome color of the card and how it might be the best looking PSA 1 you'll ever see. 

LINK:  See other "One Card At a Time" posts

Obviously the color is so great because this was in a scrapbook for years and likely decades.  You can see the indicators - staining on the front corners and the paper loss on the back.  That paper loss "doomed" this card to be graded a "1," but it also is the only reason I was able to get this card at the price I did. 

The amount I paid for it is the second most I've ever spent on an individual card.  Given the option, I'd do it again. 

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out on free money.  There are times you can use it and get cash back on eBay purchases.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $300 in two years.  FREE CARDS!  I promise you it's legit and easy to use. 

OCAAT: T206 Christy Mathewson

What is "OCAAT?"  Isn't it obvious?  It means one card at a time.  It's just me blogging about some of the cards in my collection, one card at a time. 

When I started acquiring T206 cards a couple years ago, I didn't think I'd really end up with any of the big names.  I've posted about some T206 acquisitions on this blog, including the two cards I'd ever spent the money on.  I never really thought I'd pick up any of the big name Hall-of-Famers in the set, until I saw this beautiful Christy Mathewson at a card show back in the fall. 

1909-1911 American Tobacco Company (T206) Christy Mathewson

As soon as I saw the price on it, I was intrigued.  I normally wouldn't buy a card of this value ungraded (because I'm not confident in spotting fakes), but I trusted the seller.  I've bought more of my T206 cards off the seller (Roger) than anyone else and knew that I was going to get a discount off the sticker price.  I messaged two of my trusted T206 guys asking what a copy of the card, in that condition would go for.  Since I never had thoughts of picking up this card, I hadn't done any research.  Both of my sources confirmed what I thought, Roger was either at or (GASP!) slightly below going market rate. 

I decided on four additional T206s and asked him what he wanted for them.  It was EXACTLY the number I had in my head and I pulled the trigger!  The way I calculate my math when I buy a lot of cards, I paid at least $50 below going market rate. 

There are always those people that will look at it and point out all the imperfections.  Does it have rounded corners?  Sure it does.  Any T206 I buy likely will.  The paper loss automatically makes this a "1" if graded.  If not for that paper loss, I wouldn't have this card right now. 

There are a couple of phrases you'll hear often with vintage collectors and they both apply to this card.

• "Eye appeal" - Though it would be graded a "1," the color on this copy is solid.  It looks better than many others that would get the same grade, despite the paper loss.  Also, the paper loss is in a place that doesn't take away from the eye appeal.  
• "Buy the card, not the holder" - It's somewhat related to the above bullet point.  Don't buy a card because of the grade, but it for the card itself.  Not all cards in a grade are equal.  Buy what you like.  Also, there's always the possibility that the card wasn't given a grade that many others think it should receive.  

You know what?  This card looks really nice in the binder with all my other ungraded T206s!  

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out on free money.  There are times you can use it and get cash back on eBay purchases.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $300 in two years.  FREE CARDS!  I promise you it's legit and easy to use. 

Mail Backlog

One of the reasons that I've decided to start the videos is for efficiency.  When the mail days are heavy, I get backlogged.  Then, I start dreading all the posts that I need to write.

In this video, I get caught up on incoming mail.  I believe there are a couple of things you've seen before, but most is new.  Included are some cards from Kerry of Cards on Cards.  I have some things pulled aside for you and hope to have out next week, Kerry!

This is all a learning for me, so any constructive criticism is appreciated.  You don't have to mention the tripod falling over...I picked up on that being a bad thing. HA! 

 

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Make sure if you're shopping online (including eBay) that you're using ebates.  Four times a year, the amount I get back is put into my Paypal account, and I have it for more cards.  Click on that link and once you've spent $25 (remember to go THROUGH ebates), you'll get $10 put into your account.  

My Sports Card Direct store - If you're only interested in a card or two, I can do PWE shipping and save you the money.  Just gotta let me know.  

Finally, please help me out by subscribing to my YouTube page and liking videos.  It does help out a lot.  You can also follow me on Twitter at @beansbcardblog.

A Card You've Seen A Lot Here -or- T206 Scoops Carey

You've certainly seen this Scoops Carey card if you read my blog with any regularity.  However, I couldn't pass up a raw copy of the card on COMC, considering the price.  I got it for the price of a couple of those Bowman blasters everyone's buying in hopes of hitting the lottery.  

1909-11 The American Tobacco Company T206 White Border #NNO Scoops Carey 

This is the second post in a row that doesn't change my monster number, but I'm more than okay with that.  

My monster number now stands at 28 (of 524).  On T206Insider, my set is now at 12.1, good for 48th.  You can find a gallery of what I have on my Collector Focus page.

If you'd like to learn more about the T206 set, there are plenty of resources.  A very popular one is Scot Reader's "Inside T206."  Others I like are Net 54 and T206 Insider (links above to both), as well as the blog on That T206 Life.

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I've decided to try selling on Sports Card Direct again.  Hopefully you'll take a look at my page and see if there's anything you're interested in.  I can always sell off the site and ship in a PWE if you're only looking for a card or two and don't want to pay $3 shipping.  I'm going to start listing more cards daily.  It's time to get out of a lot of my stuff.  

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back from purchases there.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $150 in a year.  FREE CARDS!  Another $40 was depostied into my Paypal account earlier this month.

If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  You can also find me on Trading Card Database.  I love trading cards, when it makes sense.  Happy collecting!

T206 Kid Elberfeld -or- Which One Would You Rather Have?

Outside of my Scoops Carey cards, I didn't have any T206 duplicates until this one arrived from COMC last week.  I picked this one up over a year ago.  I was willing to pay $20 for it because it's scarcity ranking is 71, per T206 Insider.  I relisted it with a ridiculous price figuring nobody would buy it and I'd eventually have it shipped home.  It's home now.  

1909-11 The American Tobacco Company T206 White Border #NNO Kid Elberfeld (New York Variation)

Per the book "THE T206 COLLECTION The Players & Their Stories," Elberfeld was known as "The Tabasco Kid" because he often argued with umpires and was ejected frequently from games.  He was one of the top shortstops in the game and when he and Honus Wagner were in the minors, many considered Elberfeld the better prospect.  After his playing career he managed in the minors for 15 years and retired from the game at 61.  

As mentioned, this is my second copy of the card.  It's obviously in poor shape and not as visually appealing as my other copy.  

However, that copy is graded "authentic" because it's trimmed.  I'm also not a fan of cards in slabs, unless it's a high price card or I have another reason.  I ask you, which of the two would you prefer to have in your collection, and why?  I choose the raw copy, but I'm sure that many will disagree with me.  I'm interested to hear other bloggers' thoughts.  

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I've decided to try selling on Sports Card Direct again.  Hopefully you'll take a look at my page and see if there's anything you're interested in.  I can always sell off the site and ship in a PWE if you're only looking for a card or two and don't want to pay $3 shipping.  I'm going to start listing more cards daily.  It's time to get out of a lot of my stuff.  

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back from purchases there.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $150 in a year.  FREE CARDS!  Another $40 was depostied into my Paypal account last week.

If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  You can also find me on Trading Card Database.  I love trading cards, when it makes sense.  Happy collecting!

T206 Claude Rossman -or- A New Back!

There's a yearly spring show in our area that I'm not a fan of.  The reason?  It's run by a local company that claims to be "the largest buyer of sports cards and sports memorabilia in the US."  However, they make no effort to connect with the local card community.  I still go to the show, despite the $5 admission, because there are sellers we don't see locally any other time.  

My opinion is that this show is getting worse by the year.  A couple of the sellers that I spent the most with at last year's show weren't there.  More disappointing yet is that the exhibitor I hoped to see wasn't there.  He double committed and instead of coming to the Dallas area, he went to a bigger show in Houston.  I don't blame him.  

A guy that works with him had a little bit of that seller's stuff there, but none of the real goodies.  At least he was there, as it was the only table I saw with any amount of pre-war.  The options were limited but I bought one card because it was a new advertising back to my growing collection. 

1909-11 The American Tobacco Company T206 White Border #NNO Claude Rossman 

Yeah, there's some paper loss.  Yeah, I'm pretty sure that it's been trimmed.  The price wasn't bad and it's the first Sovereign back for me.  

According to the book "THE T206 COLLECTION The Players & Their Stories," Claude Rossman was the original Chuck Knoblauch.  After heavily contributing to the Tigers' 1907 and 1908 teams, he was out of the majors in 1909.  Rossman would freeze when he needed to throw the ball, allowing runners to advance because he didn't want to risk throwing.  He was later able to put together five good seasons in the minors as an outfielder before retiring.  

Freezing in the field may have been foreshadowing.  Rossman's neurological and mental health declined and he died in a mental hospital at just 46.  

Per T206 Insider, Rossman's cards aren't all that scarce, at just 227th.  The back is more scarce.  Sovereign Apple Green backs are the 22nd most scarce of the 36 backs.  

My monster number now stands at 28 (of 524).  On T206Insider, my set is now at 12.1, good for 48th.  You can find a gallery of what I have on my Collector Focus page.

If you'd like to learn more about the T206 set, there are plenty of resources.  A very popular one is Scot Reader's "Inside T206."  Others I like are Net 54 and T206 Insider (links above to both), as well as the blog on That T206 Life.

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I've decided to try selling on Sports Card Direct again.  Hopefully you'll take a look at my page and see if there's anything you're interested in.  I can always sell off the site and ship in a PWE if you're only looking for a card or two and don't want to pay $3 shipping.

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back from purchases there.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $150 in a year.  FREE CARDS!  I have another $40+ going into my Paypal account in the next couple weeks.

If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  You can also find me on Trading Card Database.  I love trading cards, when it makes sense.  Happy collecting!

T206 George Gibson -or- Facebook Fun

A couple of weeks ago I posted about a Net54 pickup and mentioned that there were a couple more to come.  My plan was to post them in the nest few days, but we all know what can happen to plans.  Today's post is just one card.  I picked it up a couple of days after I joined a tobacco card page on Facebook.  

I still consider myself new to T206s and since I don't have unlimited funds, I can't just buy anything that I come across.  Right now I look for very cheap beaters, good deals on very clean cards or other cards that I have a particular motivation to pick up.  

This card falls into the last group.  I picked it up because it's George Gibson and I love Richard's dedication to him.  Richard and I send messages back and forth on Net54 (though I'm HORRIBLE about replying), I enjoy seeing his collection and I love reading his blog, Moon Gibson.  

1909-11 The American Tobacco Company T206 White Border #NNO George Gibson 

According to the book "THE T206 COLLECTION The Players & Their Stories," Gibson was a player and manager for 21 years.  His bat was average, but he made his name defensively, developing young pitchers and for playing.  In 1909 he broke the record for consecutive games at 112 and the streak didn't end until 140 games.  He was the first baseball player elected into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame and later was elected into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987.  

Gibson is one of the tougher commons, per T206 Insider.  This is one that I've wanted for a few months, but haven't searched out.  This was the first one I'd seen come along (without searching). so the scarcity ranking of 86 makes sense to me.  

My monster number now stands at 28 (of 524).  On T206Insider, my set is now at 12.1, good for 48th.  You can find a gallery of what I have on my Collector Focus page.

If you'd like to learn more about the T206 set, there are plenty of resources.  A very popular one is Scot Reader's "Inside T206."  Others I like are Net 54 and T206 Insider (links above to both), as well as the blog on That T206 Life.

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I've decided to try selling on Sports Card Direct again.  Hopefully you'll take a look at my page and see if there's anything you're interested in.  I can always sell off the site and ship in a PWE if you're only looking for a card or two and don't want to pay $3 shipping.

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back from purchases there.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $150 in a year.  FREE CARDS!  I have another $40+ going into my Paypal account in the next couple weeks.

If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  You can also find me on Trading Card Database.  I love trading cards, when it makes sense.  Happy collecting!

Now, It's A Party

In the last couple of weeks I was fortunate enough to add seven new T206 cards to my collection.  Five came from on transaction on Net54, one from a Facebook group and the final one I picked up at a card show Saturday.  It was disappointing that there were only five or so T206s available at the entire show, but I was thrilled to walk away with what I did.

These first five are all raw beaters, but for the price, I was thrilled to grow my collection a bit.  I picked them up for about the lowest price you can find them for anymore.  They aren't the prettiest, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it's better to have a beater than none at all (as long as you don't overpay).

1909-11 The American Tobacco Company T206 White Border #NNO Peaches Graham 

Per the book "THE T206 COLLECTION The Players & Their Stories," Peaches Graham played all infield positions, the outfield and even pitched one time during his seven major league seasons.  His most productive season was 1910, collecting 82 hits and batting .282.  His son Jack later played in the majors from 1946 to 1949.

Even though the card isn't in great shape, it's a tougher common.  Per T206 Insider, this front is the 108th scarcest (of 524).  The pinhole and paper loss aren't ideal, but the card has very good color and looks great in the binder.

1909-11 The American Tobacco Company T206 White Border #NNO Harry Hinchman 

Not having a large quantity of pre-war cards, I was surprised when I realized that Harry Hinchman only has three cards from his playing days, and I have two of them.  He's also pictured on a T201 card with Charles Hickman.  I picked that card up because Hickman attended West Virginia University.

Hinchman played just 15 games in the majors, according to The T206 Collection.  He batted .216 in 51 at-bats for the 1907 Cleveland Naps.  He played 19 seasons in the minors, batting .260, and managed for years in the minors.

T206 Insider lists the Hinchman card as 416th in scarcity.  Since it's pretty common, and this one is in about as poor shape as a card can be, I'm sure that at some point I'll upgrade this one without even trying.

1909-11 The American Tobacco Company T206 White Border #NNO Dick Hoblitzell 

Researching to write this post, this card became one of my favorite T206 cards.  The first sentence of his profile in The T206 Collection is "Dick "Hobby" Hoblitzell was only 19 years old when the Reds purchased him late in the 1908 season from the Clarksburg Bees of the Western Pennsylvania League."

I grew up in Morgantown, WV and there's a town named Clarkburg about 45 minutes south.  It's still really close to Pennsylvania.  A quick interwebz search confirmed my theory, he did play just 45 miles down the road.  Sure, I don't know who he is, but I enjoy the T206 cards for the history as much as anything.  I found it fascinating.  Perhaps I'm just easily amused.

Per the book, he hit .308 as a rookie in 1909, good for third in the National League.  He was sold to teh Red Sox in July 1914 and hit .319 for them that season during a pennant race.  He later played in the 1915 and 1916 World Series.  He left the team to serve in the Army Dental Corps during WWI.

He later became a minor league player/manager before retiring to run the family farm.  He then later hosted a radio sports show, was a newspaper sports columnist, a youth baseball umpire and was active in local politics.

According to T206 Insider this is a tougher common, with a scarcity rank of 140.  There's some paper loss on the front, but I got more of this card than some of the others in the lot!

1909-11 The American Tobacco Company T206 White Border #NNO John Hummel 

"Silent John" Hummel played for the Brooklyn teams for more than a decade, starting at age 22.  He was versatile in the field, playing all non-pitching positions except third base and catcher.  After a stint with the Yankees, he was a player/manager in the minors for five teams.  He retired at 43, hitting a career .298 in the minors and .254 in the majors.  (All of that info per "The T206 Collection)

This is one of the more common cards in the set, having a scarcity ranking of 455.  Odds are I will upgrade this card somewhere down the road. 

1909-11 The American Tobacco Company T206 White Border #NNO Ed Killian (portrait)

Per The T206 Collection, Ed Killian played just eight seasons.  It appears he made the most of them, though.  He won 20 games twice and his 2.38 ERA is 24th all-time.  He gave up fewer home runs than anyone in history (thought I don't know the qualifiers on it) and once went 1001 (yes I typed that correctly) innings between home runs allowed. 

I now have both Ed Killian fronts and this one is in better shape, if you can believe that.  I picked up the throwing version for $5 a little over a year ago. This portrait version is much more common, per T206 Insider, with a scarcity ranking of just 452. 

I'll show the final two cards in a few days.  The numbers below reflect my total collection, though.

My monster number now stands at 28 (of 524).  On T206Insider, my set is now at 12.1, good for 48th.  The condition of the cards I have certainly keeps me down.  It's all in fun, though.  You can find a gallery of what I have on my Collector Focus page.

If you'd like to learn more about the T206 set, there are plenty of resources.  A very popular one is Scot Reader's "Inside T206."  Others I like are Net 54 and T206 Insider (links above to both), as well as the blog on That T206 Life.

My Rainbow

A couple of weeks ago I posted about picking up a T213-1 Scoops Carey.  It left me just one card shy of the four-card T206/T213 rainbow.  It happened quickly, but I picked up the T206 Hindu back shortly after the T213.  It came from the same Net54 user I picked up the T213.  My rainbow is now complete. 

This copy didn't set me back as much as the T213, but it was still the second most that I've ever paid for a single card.  Despite the lack of similar sales, I felt good with the price.  Another SGC10 sold on ebay for about what I paid, but that sale was more than six years ago. 

Trading card collecting can be a fascinating hobby.  There are five (or less) copies of the T213-1 and eight (or less) copies of the T206 Hindu back graded by SGC that exist.  I picked both of them up out of the same collection. 

So, what's next? 

I want to put together the same rainbow of Woodie Thornton and Carlton Molesworth.  Like Carey, Thornton attended my alma mater, West Virginia University.  Molesworth is the only player in the set as a member of the Birmingham team.  I was born in Birmingham.  Both of these are long-term projects and I'll only casually search for copies. 

I'd also like to pick up the only other card picturing Scoops Carey, but it's likely just a dream.  The problem is that he's in the E107 set.  Per Pre-War Cards, "One of the rarest and most expensive E-card issues is the 1903-1904 E107 Breisch-Williams set."

The validity of that statement is easily proven.  Beckett book value on the E107 Scoops Carey is $1500.  Vintage Card Prices history only indicates six sales of the card (VCP tracks only graded copies sold through major auction houses and eBay).  A SCG10 copy sold in September 2010 for $427.  Three different SGC30 copies have sold, for $1058 (5/2008), $1880 (5/2009) and $1320 (6/2016).  Two different SGC60 copies have sold, one for $1912 (5/2014) and the other for $3600 (10/2016).  That's it.  There are no recorded sales of PSA graded copies. 

There are ten or less graded copies of the card in existence:

SGC Pop Report

According to their Pop Reports, neither PSA or BGS has graded a copy of the card.  

This leaves the realistic "what's next" as something that I've seen a few collectors write early on this year.  I plan to focus on and enjoy the cards in my collection more and focus less on adding more things. 

I've been working the last few months to get more organized.  A couple of weekends ago I spent over $100 for some heavy duty storage for my cards.  I have a long way to go in both organization and entering my collection into Trading Card Database.  This is likely "what's next" for me.  

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back from purchases there.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $150 in a year.  FREE CARDS!

If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  You can also find me on Trading Card Database.  I love trading cards, when it makes sense.  Happy collecting!

Three Scoops

I've collected cards for more than 30 years, but I don't have many "big" cards.  I think it's related to the fact that even as a kid, money burnt a hole in my pocket, as my parents called it.  I've been one to buy cards when I could, instead of saving for high dollar ones.

Before my latest pickup, I had never spent more than $200 on a card.  I spent more than that on this one.

It looks like a T206, but it's actually a T213-1 card.  There is much debate among collectors if the T213-1s should actually be classified as T206 but that change will never happen.  One person that believes they should be is Anson of Pre-War Cards, whose opinion I greatly respect.  If you're interested to read more about that, click on the link below.

LINK:  T213-1 Coupon: If it Looks like a T206 and Smells like a T206…

One of my collecting goals for 2018 was to add one of the two T206ish Scoops Carey cards, SGC graded, to my collection.  The ultimate goal is to have the "rainbow" of all four backs, SGC graded.  If you know me, or read one of my recent posts on my other blog, you know that I love the black borders on the slabs. 

I already have the two easiest and cheapest copies to find, the T206 Piedmont and Old Mill backs.  This T213-1 and the T206 Hindu back are significantly tougher to come by.  When you add that I want it SGC graded, it becomes a challenge. 

Per Vintage Card Prices, the most recently copy of the card (VCP only tracks graded cards, sold on eBay or auction houses) sold in November 2016.  The only other recorded sale was in 2007.  Another number that legitimizes the cards scarcity is that just ten copies of the card have been graded, five each by PSA and SGC (that's if none of them were cracked and cross submitted). 

At the end of the day, I was looking for a 100+ year old card that there are five (or less) copies of.  I thought it would be years before I saw a copy but I was wrong.  Another collector on Net54 owned this copy and was looking to sell. 

The paper loss on the front bothers me but it wasn't enough to keep me from buying.  I knew that it might be years before I'd see a copy of the card for sale again.  If and when I do, there's no guarantee that I will get it.  Given the opportunity I will upgrade this card.  The four other copies are graded 10, 30, 30 and 50 so they all should have better eye appeal. 

Until then, I am more than happy with this purchase.  Although the card cost more than I've ever spent before, I believe that the price was in line with the limited market.  Besides, who knows if I'll even have another opportunity?

LINK (Net54):  Interesting trivia about 1910 COUPON (T213-1) cards...show us some of these rare gems

I mentioned that is my third of the four cards.  Is there a better way to show them than side-by-side?  I think not. 

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back from purchases there.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $150 in a year.  They put $63 in my Paypal account last month!  FREE CARDS!

If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  You can also find me on Trading Card Database.  I love trading cards, when it makes sense.  Happy collecting!

It Arrived - T206 Scoops Carey

I don't usually bid on eBay auctions until the end.  This card is in my saved searches and when it came up I placed a somewhat strong bid immediately.  I knew I wouldn't win it for that price and I don't even know why I bid so early.  I forgot about it.  Then I received notification with a couple of hours that it was close to ending and was still high bidder.  I watched the countdown while sitting at a high school choir performance and couldn't believe that I won the auction.  More than a week later I'm still dumbfounded.

1909-11 T36 Scoops Carey Old Mill Back

This is the first double I've picked up from the set and it doesn't add to my "number."  It is one of the cards I want to complete a back run of since he attended my alma mater.  I believe there are four back variations and the two I have are the most common.  I'm usually very analytical and remember most things, but the nuances of the T206 set have been difficult for me to wrap my head around.

Adding this card to my collection keeps me at 21 cards (front only) from the T206 set.  If you're interested, you can see my T206 cards here.

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back from purchases there.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $150 in a year (including $15 back on one Black Friday purchase last week).  FREE CARDS!  If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  Happy collecting!

Black Friday at the LCS

This post is a little delayed, but you'll have that sometimes. 

I don't like Black Friday shopping and thankfully the stepson is 16, so we don't need to be out in the madness searching for "kid" gifts.  Last year we hit up a couple of places in the late afternoon once things died down.  This year, I just hit SMP Sports Cards. 

A couple of Fridays prior I was told the plan.  So, I planned to go in and spend a hundred bucks and get my bonus packs.  I've been going in each payday (every other week) and picking up a box of 2017-18 O-Pee-Chees.  I picked up another one to work toward my set.  I didn't do a box break post because it's not really worth it.  O-Pee-Chee is the set builder set. 

Wanting to hit the $100 threshold, I overpaid for a T206 card.  Any of the other 364 days of the year I'd have passed.  He had a handful at the same price, so I checked T206 Insider to find which of them was the most scarce to buy.  The winner was Germany Schaefer, the 185th scarcest card in the set. 

From "The T206 Collection: The Players & Their Stories," "Herman 'Germany' Schaefer is the only player in MLB history who actually store first base.  White trying to beat the White Sox for the Senators on August 4, 1911, Schaefer was on first and Clyde Milan was on third with the winning run in the ninth.  They tried a delayed double steal but catcher Fred Payne did not throw to second to get Schaefer.  On the next pitch, Schaefer "stole" first, running back to the base to taunt Payne that you was going to steal second again.  He did so on the next pitch but got caught before he could reach second base.  Milan ran for home but not in time to score.  The practice was outlawed after that.  Known for his prannks and showmanship on the field, Schaefer used humor to rattle the opposing team.  It is said that a vaudeville act her performed with Tigers teammate Charley O'Leary was the inspiration for MGM's Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949) with Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra.  Althought he was battling pulmonary tuberculosis, Schaefer was hired to scout for the Giants in 1919.  Unfortunately he passed away soon after while scouting in update New York."

Adding this card to my collection puts me at 21 cards from the T206 set.  If you're interested, you can see the 21 cards here.

For hitting the previously mentioned $100 threshold, I received a bag of promotional packs.  Inside were two of the Topps (Bowman) Holiday packs, a pack of Panini Black Friday (he put the thick packs with a hit into these) and also a Panini NBA Player of the Day pack.  Also, I received one of the thinner Panini Black Friday packs. 

Unfortunately, there wasn't anything in them that really fit into my collection.  I posted them the same in a Facebook BST group, but nobody was interested.  If Trading Card Database ever gets the checklists entered into their site, I will put them in with my traders. 

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back from purchases there.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $150 in a year (including $15 back on one Black Friday purchase last week).  FREE CARDS!  If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  Happy collecting!

Monster Monday

Hey Arn, how many new T206s did I acquire?

My favorite vintage dealer, Roger, was set up last weekend at a show about ten minutes from my house.  When I saw him over Labor Day weekend he told me that he's picked up some lower grade T206s recently but had forgotten them.  He promised to bring them next time, and did.  I was hoping for lower grade (and lower prices) but still left with four new cards for my collection.

1909-11 The American Tobacco Company T206 White Border #NNO Cy Barger 

• Per T206 Insider this card ranks 241 (of 524) in scarcity.  The back is 36th of 36 in scarcity.
• According to "The T206 Collection: The Players & Their Stories," "Eros "Cy" Barger attended Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky before his baseball days.  Barger was a right-handed pitcher, utility infielder and outfielder in the majors.  He has no decisions in the American League, but won 15 games in 1919 and 11 games in 1911 for Brooklyn.  He won a total of 19 games over two years with the Rebels.  Barger played nine seasons in the minors around his three stints in the majors.  In 1909, he went 23-13 for the Rochester Bronchos in the Eastern League, earning another shot at the big leagues.  He was player/manager for the Memphis Chickasaws of the Southern Association from 1917 through 1919.  He wrapped up his playing career in 1919 with a 115-79 minor league pitching record.  Barger returned to the game in 1921 to manager the St. Petersburg Saints in the Florida State League for one season.?

1909-11 The American Tobacco Company T206 White Border #NNO Fielder Jones (Hands on Hips)

•  Per T206 Insider this card ranks 139 in scarcity.  The back rank is 30 of 26th in scarcity.
•  From "The T206 Collection," "A fine ballplayer and manager, Fielder Jones player with pennant winners Brooklyn (1899, 1900) and Chicago (1901).  There was no World Series in 1899 or 1901, but in 1900 Brooklyn took the win.  Jones had a 70-game in reaching base at least once, and he hit over .300 six times.  He batted .354 in 1896, but as a part-time player.  His best year was 1901, when he batted .321.  Considered one of the most intelligent managers of all-time, Jones is known for leading the 'Hitless Wonders' White Sox to the 1906 World Series championship solely on pitching, defense and baserunning.  The team batting average was .230.  After his stint with the White Sox, he coached for Oregon State University and served as President of the Northwestern League from 1912 to 1914.  He then managed the St. Louis Terriers and the St. Louis Browns before retiring to go into the lumber business in Oregon." 

1909-11 The American Tobacco Company T206 White Border #NNO Art Kruger

• Art Kruger ranks 230th in scarcity and the back ranks 32nd in scarcity.
• From "The T206 Collection," "After four years with the Oakland Oaks in the Pacific Coast League, Art Kruger launched his MLB career with the Reds.  In 1907 he batted a paltry .232 and was promptly sent back down to the minors.  He played two seasons for the Columbus Senators in the American Association, batting .290 in 1909, and was again promoted to the big leagues.  After playing only 16 games split between the Naps and the Doves, Kruger was sent back down to the Portland Beavers in the Pacific Coast League.  He has several good seasons there, hitting as high as .299 in 1912.  The 1914 season found Kruger back in the majors, playing for Kansas City in the Federal League, where he batter .259 with 114 hits, 47 RBI and 11 stolen bases in 441 at-bats, his best season by far.  After the 1915 season, he finally called it quits when he was 34 years old."

1909-11 The American Tobacco Company T206 White Border #NNO Ira Thomas

• Ira Thomas is 84th in scarcity per T206 Insider and the back is 36th (most common).
• From "The T206 Collection," At 6 feet 2 inches Ira Thomas was not your typical catcher, but he caught 450 MLB games over ten season, seven under Connie Mack in Philadelphia.  As team captain and catcher for the A's, he won four pennants and three World Series, but only caught as many as 100 games once, in 1911.  Thomas hit .273 that season, slugged .340, collected 150 assists behind the plate and finished eighth in American League MVP voting.  After his playing days, he coached for the A's and was owner/manager of the Texas League's Shreveport Gassers in 1923 and 1924.  In 1925, Thomas found his niche as chief scout for the A's, discovering Lefty Grove and Al Simmons, among others.  He scouted for the A's until he moved back east to scout for the Yankees at age 75 in 1956.

Adding these four card to my collection has me up to 20 cards from the T206 set.  If you're interested, you can see the 20 cards here.

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back from purchases there.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $100 in about seven months.  FREE CARDS!  If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  Happy collecting!

Mysterious Monster Mailday

Three package were delivered to me at work today.  It was a darn good mail day.  Two packages were cards and the other was my order of two tees from Outkick the Coverage.

When I walked into the house, I saw a bubble mailer on the table.  I wasn't expecting anything.  The return address was Shane's, of the Off The Wall blog.

The first thing I did was read the enclosed letter and that alone made my jaw drop.

It's not every day that I get a T206 card in the mail!  I recall Shane emailed or messaged me a few weeks ago asking if I was collecting T206 cards.  I told him that I wasn't "working on the set," but I was picking up cheap cards from the monster when I came into them.  I didn't think anything more into it.

Something else I loved was the note to read up on the player's background.  Last weekend I ordered "The T206 Collection: The Players & Their Stories," a book that give brief biographies on all players pictured on the 520 cards in the T206 set.  This is a great chance to use the book for the first time other than my cursory glance the day it arrived.

As I type this, I haven't done the research yet.  Since "his hands" was in quotes, I'm guessing it has something to do with fielding gloves.  I believe that time frame is too early for batting gloves.  We shall see after the picture.

1909-11 T206 #42 Lena Blackburne

Welp, my guess was incorrect.  According to the book: "Russell "Lena" Blackburne is known more for his Lena Blackburne Rubbing Mud than for his days as a player, coach and manager.  Prior to 1938, the options for dulling the shine on baseballs were dirt from the playing field or tobacco juice.  Blackburne found that the muck from a special mud hole near the Delaware River worked without staining the ball.  The location is still a secret, but Blackburne started a pretty good business; the mud is still used by major league baseball.  A below average player, he played off and on in the minors through 1932 around his MLB tours, putting together a .283 batting average in 5,736 at-bats in 14 minor league seasons.  He played in the Eastern League for the Providence Grays in 1909, as pictured on his T206 card.  He also managed and coached with various minor and major league teams, including the White Sox, the A's, and the Toronto Maple Leafs in the International League, and the Lancaster Red Roses in the Interstate League."

WOW!  Thanks for both the card and the lesson in baseball history, Shane!  It is truly appreciated and I'm thrilled to add this card to my small stack of T206s.  This is the 16th T206 in my collection and my first PSA graded copy.

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back from purchases there.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $100 in about seven months.  FREE CARDS!  If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  Happy collecting!

Saturday Show Spoils

It was card show day again today!  I didn't plan on picking up much and walked out with more than I planned to.  I walked away very happy though.

Before I went to the show, I stopped by Triple Cards in Plano.  They are one of the Topps Baseball Card Day participating stores so I wanted to stop in and claim my pack.  You can check out what I walked out with here.

When I first got to the show, Stephan was already there (with Angela) and he was digging through Rich's boxes of cards.  I'm not even sure he looked at other tables the entire show.  After chatting for awhile, I made my rounds.

I chatted up the gentleman that's promoting the new Fort Worth card show.  He will be moving the shows to Saturdays on some future dates.  I guess that means I won't be attending many since college football is just TWO WEEKS AWAY!

I talked with Nate momentarily.  He submits to BGS frequently and I need to get my Auston Matthews Canvas Young Guns submitted.  He looked at it for me a couple of months ago and believes it's easily a 9.5,  WINNING!

My purchase was from a seller that I've bought from before.  He always has an impressive 3-for-$1 box and I raided it again today.

The next two scans are cards I picked up off one of the regular sellers at local card shows.  I don't dig through his stuff often (he has SO much), but went through a few boxes today and picked these five cards up for $30.

It's been probably a year since I've picked up any cards for my 1955 All-American set.  It's fallen off the radar as I've learned more about other cards.  I believe another thing that keeps me from finishing it off is that there's just so many of the cards out there.  Dave puts "book" value on his cards and then everything is half that or less.  The Germany Schulz has a book value of $30 and this one is in great shape.  I was happy to pay $15 for it in that condition but his son told me $10.  YES, PLEASE!  Hindsight is 20/20, but I should have seen what he wanted for the other ones he has.  They would be doubles, but all would be set upgrades for me.

I actually bought the cards in the second scan at a different time and got them for $20.  The Will Clark has a canvas finish.  I picked this card up solely to send to Clark and have him sign for me.  I'm not striving to collect all cards of hometown hero Jedd Gyorko.  There's just too much and it's like pissing into the wind.  However, I do want to pick up any cards from the baseball sets I like (Heritage, Gypsy Queen and Allen & Ginter) and I didn't have this autograph yet.

I will likely never put together the 2000 Fleer Club 3000 Memorabilia set and this is the first one that I have acquired.  If anyone has any of them that they don't want, please let me know.  I don't have many Tony Gwynn cards, but I pick up some if I come across them at the right price.  Memorabilia cards are "meh" to me anymore but this one is from back when they were a much bigger deal.  I do still need a Tony Gwynn autograph.

I picked up the two cards below from Rich.  I probably overpaid for them (considering the Stautner condition), but I've gotten some good deals in the past and it takes the sting off it.

As I was about to leave and looked down at my watch, it was 20 after the hour.  It was just ten minutes until the hourly drawing for a $15 voucher to spend with any dealer.  I figured it was worth the wait, so I stayed.  Yup, my ticket number was drawn.  There was nothing I'd seen and REALLY wanted but passed on.

I had looked through Leon's T206 cards earlier and recalled that he had a few cheapies.  The Hobe Ferris card is a pretty common card in the set and it's not overly impressive.  However, I didn't have it and it was free.  Hard to beat that combination!  This is the 15th T206 in my collection.

1909-11 T206 #171 Hobe Ferris

It was a good day!

If you shop online and haven't signed up and used ebates yet, you're missing out.  I also use it on eBay to get money back from purchases there.  Between referrals and cash back, I've gotten over $100 in about seven months.  FREE CARDS!  If you're on Twitter, please give me a follow.  Happy collecting!