1907-09 H.M. Taylor Postcard – Ty Cobb Rookie Card (SGC 40/3) - “1 of 2” – Only 1 SGC Example Graded Higher!
This 1907 H.M. Taylor Ty Cobb SGC 40/3 postcard resides as one of the “Georgia Peach’s” inaugural appearances on any baseball card, and is widely regarded as one of Ty Cobb’s true rookie cards! Ty Cobb broke into the Major Leagues with the Detroit Tigers in 1905, playing in a mere 41 games while hitting a paltry .240. Quickly, Cobb bounced back in 1906 to bat an impressive .316, the first of an unfathomable 23 consecutive years of exceeding the exalted .300 benchmark. Throughout his incomparable 24 seasons, he led the American League a record 12 years in batting average including an incredible 9 consecutive years from 1907 thru 1915! He also happened to exceed the exalted .400 mark three times, with all of the above totaling to an unimaginable .367 lifetime average. After his sterling 1906 season, he stroked 212 hits in 1907, his first full season in which he batted .350, and led the American League in hitting for the first of his incredible 12 league leading seasons. Due to his newly found star status, manufacturers began utilizing his image on various cardboard related products throughout the 1907 season including several postcards and the seldom surfacing and ultra valuable W600 Sporting Life Cabinet. Some of the postcard issues include the A.C. Dietsche, Wolverine News, H.M. Taylor, and Novelty Cutlery with all of these issues staking claim (along with the W600 Sporting Life Cabinet) as Cobb’s rookie card. So which of the above is actually Cobb’s true rookie card? Bottom line is no definitive answer exists since they were all produced during the 1907 season and equally share the renowned distinction as being Cobb’s inaugural Major League cardboard issue. The H.M. Taylor Cobb SGC 40/3 presented here is an extremely tough card to locate, with only eight other SGC encapsulated copies extant of which only one other carries a “VG-3” grade and a SOLE specimen is graded higher! The imposing Cobb batting stance just may suffice as his most impressive image on ANY baseball card as a youthful Cobb stares down the overmatched pitcher with the classic grandstand background. While the illustration does favor the upper border, the crystal clear focus and impeccable contrast “steal the show”, with the technical assessment primarily attributed to expected corner wear ad some reverse side soiling. The postcard undivided verso is un-cancelled, and no glaring blemishes are evident on either side. What could be more impressive than one of the immortal Ty Cobb’s inaugural and obscure Major League 1907 cardboard issues, portraying the legendary Detroit star in one of his most imposing batting black & white early 20th century images!
I was looking forward at maybe bidding on this one and have something
special..now that Leon claims to have one, i'll pass it by for something else.
