A Gross of T206

[toppcat]

Well, after taking home fifty plus T206 from the National (all but one from a very nice deal courtesy of Net 54's own Ted Zanidakis) I toted up all my cards and realized I have 144 of them, or just over a quarter of the set. I am finally starting to feel like the set is moving! Overall it is probably between G and VG but some of that is due to back damage. I'll have to upgrade a handful of cards as well someday.

I have not yet decided if I will go for the 518 or 520 (with Demmitt and O'Hara variations) card near set but anything from Magie north will not be happening for me unless I hit Lotto. I kind of like the idea of having the two Polar Bear St. Loo variations someday.

I am also trying to get one of each back, including series and factory variations in my set and have 22 out of the 35 non-proof backs so far. I guess Carolina Brights is the toughest back I have, next I may start looking for a Lenox; we'll see.

Who else out there is working on a T206 set?

[4815162342]

I'm pursuing the T206 set in PSA 4 condition, alphabetically. I'm 18 months in, and I've only acquired 18. In my defense, if I go any faster, I would have a great collection a lot faster, but I wouldn't have a wife. I'd like to have both, so I'll keep my snail's pace.

[Browncow75]

I just re re re re (?) started my set and I am not going to be picky on condition at this point
Just going for the set minus the big four and I am at twenty three so far!

[iggyman]

Dave,

I'm working on that obscure set as well. Started in 1998 and its been the best 13 years of my life. My goal is to finish before 2020, although, I must admit that I'm crossing my fingers that the world won't end in 2012.

If memory serves, you have a superb T206 Cobb red (with some paper loss on the back) that you purchased from me on eBay a few years back. I got that card from the family of the original owner and before selling it I had it entombed. I've always liked that card and was proud to be its second owner. I remember seeing it on this board in raw form, and that made my day. Anyways, good luck with your quest and live long and prosper.

By the way, does anybody on this board know how to read this thing???
mayan.jpg

Lovely Day...

[ethicsprof]

best of luck,Dave.
i,too, chose to leave Magie northward alone and tamed the Monster
a couple of years ago.
the journey,to paraphrase iggy, was indeed an absolute delight.
i still have a couple of backs and packs that i want to pick up-- and have a couple of forum buddies looking for the best deals known to man for me!!!
I do love my type collecting now and have around 130 or so different types from
1903-1936 and this,too, is an absolute delight.
I am working slowly toward reaching Leon's millionth type.

remember the dictum:
the Monster wants you to quit. Don't listen to it.
all the best,ole buddy
barry

[Idiottax]

I just started collecting T206 cards about two months ago, when I saw some in person for sale for the first time at a local mall show. I purchased a very beat up Orval Overall portrait, since he was a player I was very interested in and have been off purchasing cards since then.

I'm up to just north of 30 cards, mostly in very low grade condition, since those cards tell a story and a history that a high grade card doesn't tell. My current plan is to collect up to 470, which would not include the Southern League cards, but I suspect knowing myself that getting so close would encourage me to work on those as well.

This message board is a really great resource to learn more about the cards and the hobby while I add to my collection.

[toppcat]

Originally Posted by iggyman

Dave,


If memory serves, you have a superb T206 Cobb red (with some paper loss on the back) that you purchased from me on eBay a few years back. I got that card from the family of the original owner and before selling it I had it entombed. I've always liked that card and was proud to be its second owner. I remember seeing it on this board in raw form, and that made my day. Anyways, good luck with your quest and live long and prosper.


Lovely Day...

Iggy-Still have it, plus a few other I got from you along the way. I did crack it though....in fact, here it is pre-jailbreak:



Barry-Type collecting is also an alluring addiction!

[Danny Smith]

I'm working on the monster and I'm about 280 cards in after 3 years. It has been fun as it was my gateway into vintage. I've got mostly commons and southern leaguers to go. A few hall of famers left but I've knocked out the majority of the major cards including magie and the two stl variations.

[yoyot1]

About 10 years into my low-grade set (probably actively collected only about 4 of those years). Have 505, plan to stop at 518. Latest pickup was the Walter Johnson portrait about a month ago.

[Steve D]

I'm seven years and 306 cards into my set. I'm working on a PSA 4 set minus Wagner, Plank, Doyle and Magie. Would like to get at least one of each back/series. I'm not really interested in the factory designations, but do want the different series variations within each brand.

Steve

[jupin11]

I'm 3 years in now, and I've picked up 268, including 70 HOFers. They're all 3s and 4s. Hoping to be done in 2-3 years. I'm slowly starting to sell off my type card collection in hopes of eventually landing a Plank, but that might be wishful thinking.

[Anthony S.]

I think I'm currently at 514 out of the 520 "non-set" set. No Big 4. Got as close as 519, only missing the O'Hara (St. Louis), but sold a few off last year. Shooting for a raw (only 2 are slabbed), no creases, no paper loss 520. Bought the first few as a kid in the late 1970's. For whatever reason, I seem to like to keep this set open, and not finish it. Sisyphus had a boulder, I've got T206.

[rp12367]

I am working on a Topps Buyback set. I'm at 276 with only 11 HOFer's. I have been working on the set for just over 4 years. Not sure if I could do the 520 even if I wanted too, some cards I just don't think exist as buybacks. I read an article about 5 or 6 years ago about a guy who has almost a complete buyback set. I forget where i read it ( if anyone remembers the article or has it please let me know). It has been harder than you can imagine especially with such a limited source. But I will get it done even if it takes the next 20 years.

[lharri3600]

i read the same article ralph. if memory serves me correctly (no serving me to good lately), he lives in michigan. as far as the monster goes i made it up 520 all psa 4's and 5's except o'hara and demmitt both 1's. in the past few months i've sold most of the set off. i have all 48 slers and a few hofers graded left for sale. i've just started a raw set and now have 367 raw so far. someone please help me stop!!

Originally Posted by rp12367

I am working on a Topps Buyback set. I'm at 276 with only 11 HOFer's. I have been working on the set for just over 4 years. Not sure if I could do the 520 even if I wanted too, some cards I just don't think exist as buybacks. I read an article about 5 or 6 years ago about a guy who has almost a complete buyback set. I forget where i read it ( if anyone remembers the article or has it please let me know). It has been harder than you can imagine especially with such a limited source. But I will get it done even if it takes the next 20 years.

[rp12367]

Originally Posted by lharri3600

i read the same article ralph. if memory serves me correctly (no serving me to good lately), he lives in michigan...someone please help me stop!!

Larry That sounds right, let me know if you remember more... as far as stopping there is NO HELP !!!

[iggyman]

Originally Posted by toppcat

Iggy-Still have it, plus a few other I got from you along the way. I did crack it though....in fact, here it is pre-jailbreak:

Dave, I purchased that Cobb in an eBay auction along with a scrapbook. I had exchanged some emails with the family of the original owner and they seemed so nice, which is why I'm partial to that T206 Cobb red card. The scrapbook contained a few T206's, W517's (including a Ruth), and a bunch of T218's (including a Jack Johnson). I still have all the cards except for the T206 Cobb. The reason the Cobb has back damage is because the daughter of the owner thought it was a good idea to try to remove the Cobb from the scrapbook . Luckily, once she saw what happened, a decision was made not to remove anything else. Okay, back to this great T206 thread...

Lovely Day...

[2dueces]

When I first started the venture into the monster I really didn't have a direction. I bought the cards that had the best eye appeal. Then I decided that I really enjoyed the portraits in the set. I sold off all my non portraits and concentrated on them. I haven't been active except for an Evers that completed my Cubs infield. I have many cards graded PSA 1 because of back damage but the eye appeal is striking and really affordable if you don't mind the paper loss. I don't. Most of my cards range in the 1-4 range with a few 5's mixed in. I also have tried to acquire at least one different back to complete a back set. That venture will also have to wait though as some of the rarer backs are a bit out of my card budget at this time. Haven't counted my inventory lately but I stand some where around 93 cards. Great set and they are readily available so collecting them is not a matter of rarity, just how addicted you want to be. Good luck in you collection and keep updating your pick ups.

[Comiskey]

Well, the T206 set has really taken over most of my card collecting these days. I started on a T206 subset (New York Giants) about 3-4 years ago and once I completed that I decided to continue with the set. So I decided that it would be fun to collect American Beauty backs since I was able to acquire a couple for my sub set. Then, I started to get into other backs, then miscits, and then I made a huge trade to acquire the Demmit and OHara variations!

So, here I sit with 202 different cards in the T206 set and on my way to hopefully completing the set in the next 5 years, although I am in no rush!

I have really tried to collect a lot of different backs along the way. And, some of the highlights of my T206 collection are my Red Cobb from the "Skydash" collection, the Demmit and OHara variations, Lundgren (Chicago) with an EPDG back, and a tons oddities and miscuts.

Finally, almost all of my cards are raw, with the exception of the OHara and Demmit variations. Every card that I have bought I have cracked out and placed into a tobacco sleeve/top loader, and then placed into a binder. The cards look incredible raw and I couldn't imagine them any other way!

Below is the breakdown of my set:

American beauty 350 (framed)- 30
American beauty 350 (no framed)-2
American Beauty 460-1
Broadleaf 350-1
Cycle 350- 1
Drum- 1
EPDG-17
Hindu- 13
Lenox- 1
Piedmont- 81
Polar Bear- 4
Sweet Cap-35
Sovereign- 3
Old Mill- 8
Tolstoi- 3
Uzit- 1

Miscuts- a dozen or so!


Happy collecting!

Jeff

[scottglevy]

I'm aiming to put together a vg-ex or better raw set. I've got about 85% of the set done in any condition ... but if you exclude my P/G/VG 'fillers' I'm probably just short of about 60% complete. No rush though, it's been a lot of fun trying to piece a quality raw set together.

SGL

P.S. I always seem to have duplicates in raw P/G/VG as I upgrade, so feel free to shoot me a line if you're looking for some.

[Northviewcats]

I started collecting T206s about four years ago. Started off buying only raw and switched to graded. I think at last count I was at 253. Condition matters to me, (SGC50-SGC80) so it is going pretty slow. I've also found myself straying into some e cards and Cubans. I may end up selling those someday to complete the monster, but I think I'm at least four years away from doing that.

I'm surprised at how many board members are on the same quest. This thread is starting to sound like an AA meeting.

Best,

Joe

[vintagetoppsguy]

Originally Posted by Northviewcats

I'm surprised at how many board members are on the same quest. This thread is starting to sound like an AA meeting.

My name is David and I have an addiction. I've been at it for about a year and a half and I have 58 cards (11%) all graded SGC 50. That grade keeps it affordable for me and the cards still have very nice eye appeal. I'll consider my set complete at 518 cards. I have a few others that are graded lower and some that are raw, but I do not count those as they will eventually be traded/sold off for my set needs.

[lharri3600]

looking for sid smith gd-vg. also i have a nice dahlen boston dupe

[mybuddyinc]

"A Gross of T206"

............ thought this thread was going to be about me

[tbob]

Originally Posted by 2dueces

When I first started the venture into the monster I really didn't have a direction. I bought the cards that had the best eye appeal. Then I decided that I really enjoyed the portraits in the set. I sold off all my non portraits and concentrated on them.

Might I suggest the M116 Sporting Life set? All portraits for you, beautiful pastel colors and just a lot of fun to collect. It is a huge set and there are tough "high numbers" but it is a doable set oevr time and prices, while increasingly lately, are still reasonable.

[Robextend]

I started my quest to collect a Tolstoi back set a few months ago. I have 50 (39 graded with 11 on the way) which includes 7 HOFers.

http://imageevent.com/vanslykefan/prewar1/tolstoibacks

That accounts for about 20% of the confirmed subjects. It has been a ton of fun adding each card to my set. Don't know when I will be done, if ever, but as I learned patience is key.

Rob

[lesliewestbrook]

I'm up to 81 cards...with a couple of southern league players thrown in. I've been picking up T206's here and there for about 5 years. I think my average price paid per card is around $14. We'll see how long that lasts

[bbcard1]

I am right at 200 in. It was mainly started by a purchase of 100 p-f for $100 a few years back including HOFers and several Southern leagures. Many of my hall of famers (cobb, Matthewson) are quite a bit nicer. I prefer raw cards. A little weathering and minor creasing doesn't bother me so long as the are no pieces missing and no writing on the front. Wish I would have started years ago, but I have all the Mattys, two of the Cobbs and most of the other HOFers, so i should be ok. The hardest thing to me about this grade is that there are really wild price fluctuations.

[teetwoohsix]

I love this set and am also currently trying to put it together. Alot of you are a lot further along than myself, I am only at around 60, all graded by SGC, BVG, or PSA- except 1. I am trying to stay in the V/G to V/G-E/X range, condition is also important to me- I do have 2 SGC 30's in the group.

I also want to have a representation of each back, and will also aim for the 518 mark. This set is so much fun, it will take me forever to get to 518, but I'm good with that !!!

I've been focusing on some other financial matters lately and it's hindered my progress for the moment, but will be back on track by the end of Sept. (can't wait !!)

One more thing- thanks to all of the board members who have sold cards to me or traded with me- I sure do appreciate it. My cards are on my profile page as a work in progress. Also, congrats Dave on picking up a nice sized group all at once !!

Sincerely, Clayton

[T206Collector]

I made it to 520, then sold off most to get Plank and Magie. I am currently over 300 in my return to the mountain. I am trying to put it together "in the raw" and am not being condition conscious at all. It's all about price for me. So far so good. Scanning them is a total bear. I am about half way there in terms of scans.

[tonyo]

I am currently at 63 hall of famers. Also have 12 non hofers left over from my lack-of-focus start last summer.

All lower grade.

I'm trying to hold back the reigns and apply the "it's a marathon not a sprint" suggestion. I did set a limit for myself at a certain percent of beckett value. So far so good on that, but I'm finding that I need to go over my limit to get an "acceptable" low grade on some of the bigger names. My average is still below my bar, but it'll be tough to maintain that since I still need all 4 Cobbs. I've haven't really been close on obtaining any of those within my price range!

Since I'm down to 14 hall of famers needed, I've already begun to think about what's next. I'll probably want to slightly upgrade some of the hall of famers from very-poor, then I'll likely test Barry's axiom and see if the Monster can get me to quit. If it doesn't, I've been thinking about collecting the 150 subjects subset then seeing where I go from there.

Really enjoying the set - it helps that they are so available - and I love all of the t206 discussion on these boards.

Tony

[T206Collector]

Originally Posted by tonyo

[T]hen I'll likely test Barry's axiom and see if the Monster can get me to quit.

If Barry's reading this, I want a royalty payment.

[tonyo]

Originally Posted by T206Collector

If Barry's reading this, I want a royalty payment.

That belongs to you? I think Barry has claimed it - I believe he mentions it in every t206 thread

[T206Collector]

Originally Posted by tonyo

That belongs to you? I think Barry has claimed it - I believe he mentions it in every t206 thread

Indeed he does.

[toppcat]

Great stories guys-the allure of the Monster is unsurpassed; so many have regrouped to collect it again and again. It's really the only full set (or close enough) I am collecting right now. I definitely went after the expensive HOFers and tough cards first because I knew if I didn't I might get discouraged. I am going to start focusing on Southern Leaguer's I still need in a few weeks, once I have time to concentrate on it all again.

[t206hound]

I honestly don't know how I got started, but in 2005 I started flipping T206s on Ebay hoping to get the four Cobbs for "free." It took me about two years (all PSA 1), and those were the only cards I intended to keep. I continued to flip until the end of 2007 when I took a couple of hits on high end cards that ended up being trimmed, ultimately taking a loss for the year.

Earlier this year I was looking at the Cobbs and decided to go for the set. At this point I have 162 cards (mostly SGC 10/20); 19 HOF (including the Cobbs), two SL and the Lundgren Chicago (thanks Iggy). I also have 18 miscut cards with at least a partial name on top. While I've spent more this year than I've made selling, the average price per card in my little monster collection is $8.36.

[richieb315]

I am up to 400 t-206 for my set. With a total of 698 total t-206s. Most are in lower end condition. But I love them all the same. I am looking foward to the day the set in complete.

[WillowGrove]

You may find my collecting story odd - I know I do - but after attending shows in the late 70's as a kid I took a hiatus from about 1984 until this January. My collection remained frozen in time. I found my tattered old want list, then found this great site and I was back.

I'm going for a raw set (sans hans, doyle, plank and magie) in vg, no back damage or bad creases. So the few cards I've picked up recently that are graded will be cracked outta those things when the time comes.

Right now I need 12 Southern Leaguers, Ohara and Demmitt. Interesting - that when I was collecting a lifetime ago I think I acquired my t206's in three different raw lots - and I had exactly ONE southern leaguer (Bay). Also from more of a research perspective -out of the roughly 600 raw cards I own, most from those 3 large lots from years ago- all were Pied or SCap backs with say 10 Sov., 10 Tolstoi, 2 Carolina Brights.

Someone mentioned displaying them raw in an album - that sounds great.

One thing I found - maybe you have too -is that it is more fun to stick to your goal than to acquire a card you need but that may be a bit outside of your ideal need - e.g you want raw but buy a graded version. Or you want vg and take on a good because you get antsy and just WANT the card. The few times I have not stuck to my goal, I've regretted it.

I have about 150 raw dupes, maybe I can help you. I also have an upgrade list in case you want to trade.

What a fun thread. Good luck everybody.

[tedzan]

Dave

Thanks for the kind words in your 1st post here. It was really great finally meeting you; and, I really enjoyed our BB & BB card
conversation.

Also, I was glad I could help you progress on The Monster. You mentioned that you'd like to acquire some Southern Leaguers.
I just acquired several 100 T206's....including 40 of the Southern Leaguers in the condition that you are collecting your set.

Give me a buzz, if you are interested.


Best regards,

TED Z

[Abravefan11]

My collecting focus is mainly Boston National type cards but the Monster is too fascinating to collect just a few. So I have been working on a Boston National super set for the last several years. The set includes 14 front images and my 100th front back combination is in the mail.

If anybody has an extra Beals Becker American Beauty let me know.

[toppcat]

Originally Posted by tedzan

Dave

Thanks for the kind words in your 1st post here. It was really great finally meeting you; and, I really enjoyed our BB & BB card
conversation.

Also, I was glad I could help you progress on The Monster. You mentioned that you'd like to acquire some Southern Leaguers.
I just acquired several 100 T206's....including 40 of the Southern Leaguers in the condition that you are collecting your set.

Give me a buzz, if you are interested.


Best regards,

TED Z

Thanks Ted, it was good to meet you too! I just sent you an e-mail.