One of the Big 4 on eBay

There is a decent SGC 1.5 T206 Eddie Plank on eBay right now.

It's a BIN or Best Offer right now with the BIN at $53,999.00.  I know there is a T206 Walter Johnson PSA 9 on the Bay at auction that is currently at $80,100.00 but I'm more interested in the Plank. 

I've always been fascinated by the Eddie Plank because it's such a nice looking card that just doesn't show up all that often.  I understand the PSA 9 Johnson is rare too in that condition, but I still like the Plank more.

 

The back bothers me a little bit as it has some clear writing.  You know I like back stamps but this writing doesn't do anything for me.

 

 

I'd still like to see if this one sells.  I can't imagine it would sell for the asking price when they have the offer option.  Maybe I'll do a follow up on the Johnson when that auction ends.  At least we'll know what the hammer price is there.

 

Enjoy the hobby all...it's a great one.



Some Random Pick Ups

Figured I would share some new pick ups I recently acquired.

This is just for fun really, but I trade cards with a bunch of guys and I recently received this card in a batch of others.  Its a 1966 Topps of Bill Faul, but what I love about it is the added details.  The scars, glasses, big tooth and goatee.  I love vintage cards like this that have writing all over them. 

 

Just look at this beauty,  I love it.

 

Earlier today I decided to pick up some 2018 Topps packs that were on sale for $1.50 each.  I wasn't expecting much more than just the fun of opening some packs.  But I was fairly excited to find this Evan Longoria jersey card.  I know it's not some huge hit, but any relic card is a cool pull for me. 

 

 

The only modern cards I really collect are the relic cards so I'm happy with this one.  I generally give away the rest of the cards to other guys I trade with. 

 

Lastly I was excited to pick up this new E93 Fred Clarke for that set.  This card puts me at 50% completion on the set. 

 

 

So those are some of my recent pick ups guys. A rather eclectic mix this time I think.  But all well loved cards. 

 

Enjoy the hobby all...it's a great one.





New Beckett Vintage Collector

I recently received the current issue of Beckett Vintage Collector.

It was actually gifted to me by a friend (hi Linda) because it had an article in it related to T206 back stamps.  I was thrilled to get it and read the article.  It even pictured several card images that I have featured in my Great T206 Back Stamp Project including one of my very own cards. 

I was a little surprised my project wasn't mentioned in the article at all, but that's not a big deal.  I was just happy that back stamps were getting recognition.  The article focused on a few specific stamps like the F Scott Fitzgerald stamps, Jefferson Burdick, Date stamps, and quite a bit of focus on the Howe McCormick collection of Ed McCullum.  That collection is amazing and I've very happy it was featured in the article. 

Then as I read more articles in the magazine, I started reading about the 1912 T207 set and noticed something.  The article was written by our friend Anson Whaley.  Nice article Anson.  Gave me more appreciation for the set that I didn't really have before.

So if you get a chance to pick up the issue, here is an image of it for reference.  I would recommend it.

 

 

Enjoy the hobby all...it's a great one.

ID Help - What are these?

I recently picked up these two very interesting cards of Frank Chance and Frank Baker.

As you can see, they are orange and blue and picture pretty bad images of two players.  They are labeled on the bottom front with the player's last name and a number.  And on the back with the players last name. 

 

 

But what are they?  Nobody seems to know exactly for what they were made.  Many think they were part of a board game and were attached to some sort of base that allowed them to be moved around the board.  Let's look at the details.

 

They are all different sizes and are not cut uniformly as seen below.  The examples below are not mine but represent all the ones I know of that exist other than my two.

 

 

As you can see they are cut rather haphazardly which, to me, shows they were not produced for a commercial board game with any sort of quality control.

 

They also all have similar paper loss on the bottoms, front and back, where they seems to have been some adhesive brushed on.  This obviously suggests they had something attached to them.



If you look closely you'll notice that there is another Chance printed on the bottom back of his card. 

 

This would suggest that multiples were meant to be produced.  But why print the front and back on the same side.  Perhaps they were meant to be folded over for some reason. 

 

Perhaps the most interesting trait is the fact that the heads are cut and pasted on the body of a single player and many of the cards show the same body for each player.  The bodies have been identified in photos of the 1910 team photos for the Chicago Cubs and the Philadelphia Athletics.  These two teams faced off in the World's Series that year.

 

 

If you look at the image used to Chance, you can see the player (Sheckard) who's upper body was used was actually sitting in the original photo.  So to create the players in the set, the creator had to use Sheckard's upper body, someone else's legs, and each player's head all pasted together.  For the Baker (and other players with the same body) they just pasted each player's head on the body.

 

Some collectors have shown suspicion that the font on the backs could be of a later date than 1910, however the font has been identified as Recut Caslon which has been in use since at least 1907 so it could've easily have been in popular use during 1910 when I think these cards were produced.

 

So what do you think?  What are these cards?  When were they produced and why?  I'd love to hear from you.

 

Enjoy the hobby all...it's a mysterious one.