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1909-1911 T206 White Border Near - Complete Set PSA Graded (520 of 524)

Sold For: $255,200
Year: 1909
Auction: 2006 Spring
Lot #: 2
Auction: Prewar Baseball - T Tobacco Cards
Presented is the third highest-graded T206 set on the PSA registry, a total of 520 cards, offered as a single lot. The completion of any T206 set is an extraordinary achievement. The completion of a set in such spectacular high-grade, as presented here, represents one of the most incredible card-collecting achievements possible. This is a remarkably high-grade complete set. The entire set (missing only the "Big 4") is graded and encapsulated by PSA. The grade point average is 5.73. The set includes two PSA NM-MT 8, 102 PSA NM 7, 183 PSA EX-MT 6, 221 PSA EX 5, eleven PSA VG-EX 4 (including O'Hara, St. Louis), and one PSA 3 VG (Demmitt, St. Louis). Due to their high value, Plank and Magie are being offered separately. The 1909-1911 T206 "White Borders" set is universally regarded as the single most important and popular baseball card set of the 1910 era. Of all of the complete sets ever assembled, the fact that this is the third finest complete set on the PSA Registry speaks volumes and communicates more than we could ever say in words. This is the finest T206 set that we have ever seen or handled, and we have sold dozens of complete sets of T206 over the past thirty-six years, and handled literally tens of thousands of individual T206 cards during this time as well. This is a world-class investment-grade set of the most important issue in the entire world of card collecting. It is also the finest set to ever be offered at a single time as a complete set. Of special note with reference to value is the fact that T206s graded NM-MT 8 and MINT 9 by PSA often sell for many times the SMR list price, and in many cases for thousands of dollars each. The offered set is comprised not of PSA 8s and PSA 9s, but is almost exclusively comprised of cards in grades which we define as representing the "sweet spot" of value for collectors: Ex, Ex-Mt, and Near Mint condition. All but a few cards range in grade from PSA EX 5 to PSA NM 7. Of the seventy-four Hall of Famers, twelve are graded PSA NR-MT 7, twenty are PSA EX-MT 6, forty-one are PSA EX 5, and one is graded PSA 4 VG-EX. The overall PSA grade point average of the seventy-four Hall of Famers is 5.58. The grades for the entire set can easily be accessed online on the PSA Registry under "The Josh Wolf Collection." For convenience, we are also providing here the grades of all seventy-four Hall of Famers and additional key cards: PSA grading composite: Two cards grade PSA NM-MT 8: Killian - port. (one of five graded at this level, with none graded higher) and Donlin - fielding (one of only two graded at this level, with none graded higher). 102 cards are graded PSA NM 7: including Beckley, Bresnahan (port.), Brown (Chicago), Chase (black cap), Chase (white cap), Clarke (bat), Clarke (port.), G. Davis, Duffy, Flick, Gandil (Black Sox), Jennings (one hand, El Principe De Gales back), Joss (port.), Joss (hands at chest), Kleinow (Boston, Polar Bear back), and Speaker. 183 cards are graded PSA EX-MT 6: including Baker, Bender (trees, Cycle back), Bresnahan (bat), G. Brown (Wash., Sovereign back), Brown (Cubs), Chance (batting), Chase (holding trophy), Griffith (bat), Huggins (hands at mouth), Huggins (port.), Johnson (hands at chest), Kelley, Lajoie (bat), Mathewson (dark cap), McGinnity, McGraw (finger in air), McGraw (no cap), Tinker (bat off), Wallace, Wheat (El Principe De Gales back), Willis (throwing), and Young (glove shows). 221 cards are graded PSA EX 5: including Bender (trees), Bender (port., Sovereign back), Brown (port.), Chance (red), Chance (yellow, Old Mill back), Chase (blue), Chase (pink), Chesbro, Cicotte (Black Sox), Cobb (green), Cobb (red), Cobb (bat off, Old Mill back), Cobb (bat on), Collins (Phila.), J. Collins (Minn.), Crawford (throwing, Sovereign back), Crawford (bat), Evers (port.), Evers (Chicago), Griffith (port.), Jennings (both hands, Old Mill back), Jennings (port.), Johnson (port.), Keeler (port.), Keeler (bat), Lajoie (port.), Lajoie (throwing), Marquard (hands at thighs), Marquard (follow thru), Marquard (port.), Mathewson (port.), Mathewson (white cap), McGraw (glove), McGraw (cap), Tinker (bat on), Tinker (hands at knees), Tinker (port.), Waddell (port.), Waddell (throwing), Walsh, Willis (Pitt.), Willis (bat), Young (bare hand), and Young (port.). 11 cards are graded PSA VG-EX 4: including Dahlen (Bklyn), Elberfeld (Wash., port.), Evers (Cubs), O'Hara (St. Louis), and F. Smith (Chi. & Bost.). One card is graded VG 3: Demmitt (St. Louis). One of the striking qualities of this set is that it is so carefully assembled, with an eye for centering and the overall visual appeal for each card across the board. There are no weak cards. And as anyone who has collected PSA graded T206s can attest, cards which are graded EX often appear to be EX-MT, cards which are graded EX-MT can often appear to be NR-MT, and cards which are graded NM can often appear to be NM-MT. That is certainly the case here, as each card was added to this set not based on the numerical grade provided by the PSA label, but dictated by the merit and visual appeal of each card on an individual basis. This set was not just assembled with a discerning eye, it was assembled with an appreciation for value. Conservatively graded PSA 5, PSA 6, and PSA 7 T206s provide an extraordinary value compared to higher-graded examples, which sell for such an extraordinary premium that assembling a set in NM or NM-MT condition would not have been practical, and might not have even been possible. This is a set which comes with a built-in "insurance policy." It can always be broken up, and depending on what it sells for, a buyer might actually be rewarded for doing so. We were very surprised that our consignor elected to offer this collection in complete set form. Our recommendation was to at least consider breaking the set down into a number of more affordable units to maximize value, but so much work has gone into its assembly, that this was not an appealing option. The offering of the set as a single unit was the vision of the consignor, so we must accommodate his wishes. We cannot overemphasize that this is one of the most extraordinary and unique collecting opportunities we have ever had the privilege of offering. The SMR lists T206s at far more modest values than we usually see in the marketplace. Common cards in PSA 5 EX are listed at $90; common cards in PSA 6 EX-MT list for $150, and common cards in PSA 7 NM list for $275. Hall of Famers are in most cases similarly low. At these modest levels, the SMR value of the set exceeds $120,000. We realize that few collectors can potentially seriously consider buying a complete set of this caliber, but for those who can consider such a commitment, this set represents a remarkable and unique opportunity. Total 520 cards. Reserve $50,000. Estimate $100,000+. SOLD FOR $255,200.00
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