First T206 Wagner Being Offered In Public Auction Since December 2001

Written by T206museum (August, 2003)

SportsCards Plus is having a Honus Wagner Estate auction and featuring a T206 Honus Wagner PSA-1. Such T206 Wagner is the first one being offered since December 2001. The demand of such "Holy Grail" is extremely high in the past year and a half. Collectors finally have a chance to make their dreams come true. This auction will be ended on August 14, 2003.

Lot 454 - 1909-11 T206 White Border Honus Wagner PSA 1 PR-FR

The period from 1909-15 is regarded by many as the golden age of baseball cards. In order to capitalize on the burgeoning popularity of America's National Pastime, cards once again, became a viable way for tobacco and candy companies to promote their products. In 1909 the American Tobacco Company issued its landmark T206 set of baseball cards. The set, issued over a three-year span from 1909-1911 featured virtually all of the baseball players of the day, and eventually included 523 different cards. The T206 set is the seminal issue from that era, containing some of the most beautiful, original and expensive cards ever produced. With the short-lived production of a card featuring the great Honus Wagner, it would also lay claim to one of the most revered and desired objects in the entire collecting world. Numerous myths have been perpetuated with regard to the reason for the scarcity of the T206 Honus Wagner card. One of the prevailing theories was that Wagner insisted that he be paid by the tobacco companies for the use of his image, causing the production of his card to be halted. Today, most knowledgeable collectors subscribe to the well-documented theory that Wagner simply did not want children to be influenced into buying cigarettes just to get a picture of him. Over the course of the last century, volumes been written and countless tales have been spun about the T206 Wagner card. It has become an icon for our hobby, and a part of classic American Folklore. To this day, it is estimated that only about 50 examples of the T206 Wagner have surfaced. Only a handful of those known grade above the VG range. SportsCards Plus is pleased to present, for the first time publicly, this exhilarating example of the most desirable baseball card in the world. Graded PR-FR 1 by PSA, the card bears multiple creases affecting both surfaces. Three-quarters of Wagner's face is minimally affected, however a 2" crease running diagonally from the top border to the middle of the right border crosses his forehead and passes just above his left eye. The widely recognizable image of Wagner remains vividly focused and crisp. The image is nicely centered and all four corners are well rounded. The boldly printed Sweet Caporal (150 series) reverse shows a fair degree of soiling, and some light staining. Despite these effects of handling, this T206 Wagner, like all its brethren, has a palpable aura of supreme importance. Owning "a Wagner" is a dream for every collector in America familiar with its legend. Among the priviliged fraternity of collectors who are able to fulfill their dream of owning a T206 Wagner, it has become exceedingly rare that one is willing to part with what is looked upon as the ultimate achievement in the hobby. This card is definitive proof that dreams really do come true.

Opening Bid: $35,000
Final Bid: $92,256