which would you rather have for your HOF collection?

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Posted By: warshawlaw 

Assuming you are not going to shell out four figures for an M or E Wagner, which of these alternatives would you consider to be the most desirable way to get ol' Honus into a collection:

1. T200 Pittsburg team card

2. 1936 Goudey Wide Pen

3. 1948 Leaf

4. Some kind of postcard issued during his career

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Posted By: John

I would say postcard. I would tend to think I could find an image I would like better than the later images of him.

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Posted By: DENNIS

but i'm sure a lot of collectors would go for something that produced while he was active as a player.

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Posted By: jay behrens

I wouldn't shell out 4 figures for an M or E card, but will spend a few hundered dollars for a presntable example with crease and/or paper loss. I'd rather have a period card rather than something froma later date and somethig features jsut him, not a team or more than one player.

Jay

I saw weird stuff in that place last night. Wierd, strange, sick, twisted, eerie, godless, evil stuff. And I want in.

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Posted By: runscott

that's like asking "what's your favorite beer but it has to be a Coors product"

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Posted By: Judge Dred

From the presented options I'd take the T200. It has a pretty decent picture of Wagner on it (if you enlarge the image with a scanner it's even better).

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Posted By: Julie

both purchased for under a K (well under). If I have to get another, probably the Pittsburgh team card--i already have a Cleveland.

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Posted By: Brian H (misunderestimated)

Actually I think that the best option is none of the above. I would go with one of the game cards from the end of his playing career in the teens (Polo Grounds, National Game, Tom Barker in a lower grade. I think that oneof those would probably cost about the same as a decent '48 Leaf, T200 Pirates etc.

My general take on HOF collecting is that one should get a card of the HOFer from when they were actively doing whatever they are in the HOF for. So McGraw, Hanlon, Sparky Anderson and Mack (among others) should be managing, Branch Rickey should be as an Executive, and Honus Wagner should be as a player. There are some that are tougher to call -- Comiskey and Lopez come to mind.

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Posted By: Anonymous

I agree with Brian. I have a 1960 Fleer Wagner, but I don't consider myself to really own a card of his for my HOF collection, since it has to be while he was still playing. The earlier the card the better, the closer to when he was playing the better, but for me it will never be the same.

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Posted By: 823dek

Team card

Was in his playing days, has a great look( though I do not collect them ),better look of old time. (OPINION ONLY ) thanks

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Posted By: Chris B.

I always liked the R312 Vaughan/Wagner card. Neat colorized card of two HOFers...

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Posted By: Gilbert Maines

The most desireable way to get 'ol Honus into my collection is to buy a CJ in whatever condition the budget dictates. Currently tho, I have higher priorities, therefore my Wagner budget is zero. But his CJ is slowly moving up the priority list.

Gil

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Posted By: Jason

I'd take the T200. If anything because at least its from the era Wagner played... Plus I'm a sucker for the old stuff.

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Posted By: Adam J. Moraine

I have a BEAUTIFUL cream- colored album page signed by Honus. It is an older style shakey signature. He has added the notation "Pirates" underneath his signature. I have it framed and matted with a Beckett vintage sports collectibles magazine cover. The cover depics a large up close shot of his T- 206 tobacco card and an older photo of Honus taking a swing on the right hand side of the T- 206 card/ cover.

Best Regards,

Adam J. Moraine

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Posted By: Rob L

My only Wagner Piece:

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Posted By: john/z28jd

The t200 would be my choice because i like the older cards and the whole team is there of course.Its also when he played which i think is better.Also because i already have it so if i was going for a hall of fame collection hed be done already

this is my signature

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Posted By: warshawlaw

I have the T200, the Fine Pen and a T5-type postcard which was issued ca. 1912-1915. I see the merits and faults of each for adding Wagner to the collection. The team card has a great image of him that just radiates warmth. Shows the ease of a man with his teammates in a way that Cobb could never replicate. The Fine Pen is a neat item because it has a decent pose of Wagner playing ball as a coach at a time when the Pirates rescued him from poverty and more or less turned him into a good will ambassador and is about the cheapest card you can get from his days as a player and/or coach. The PC is probably the "best" item to represent him because it is contemporary with his career and shows him only, but I don't find it to be terribly attractive. Ideally, I'd prefer to have an M or an E card, but that's just not practical right now (need to settle a big case first, then look out world).

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Posted By: Darren J Duet MD

A postcard from his playing days.