Populations of vintage cards

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Posted By: Seth B.

Out of sheer curiousity, how rare are vintage cards? I say this because runscott's E9 Cobb post piqued my interest. Obviously, the time passed since these cards were made has a lot to do with how many exist, but for the standard cards, not the uncommon or rare instances, how big were the print runs for say T-206 or the larger caramel issues?

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Posted By: Cycleback

I'm not commenting on the accuracy as I don't know, but I've heard knowledgeable people state that there are around 2,000 each of the common T206s. And the T206s are about the most plentiful cards from the era.

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Posted By: Julie

N338-2 Ewings besides mine, but I know there are 5-10 of each player at most (see leon's incredible find a few threads back "a little piece of gold").

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Posted By: bimmy

psa has graded about 25,000 t206s and sgc 10,000...about

dont know how much help that is.

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Posted By: fkw

Ive also heard there are roughly 2000 of each (commons) T206 card in existance (roughly 1,000,000 total T206 cards survive today). T206 is the most common of all T cards (hundreds are on eBay every week). Many inexperienced collectors/fans thinking the T206 Honus Wagner card is the rarest card in the hobby. The fact is, there are thousands of vintage baseball cards far rarer than the T206 Wagner....... Every single card from T208, T209, T211, T213-1, T213-3, T214, T215, T216, T217 etc. are far rarer that the so called Very Rare T206 Honus Wagner. The Wagner is not a true rarity, it just happens to be from the most popular baseball card set of all time, pictures one of the most popular players, and has a good story behind it (along with big time hype!). The bottom line, the T206 Wagner's (and Plank's) are not rare as far as vintage cards go, they are just highly sought after (supply and demand) and a must for a complete set of the king of all baseball card sets. My opinion the super rare (a couple known) 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth should be the only card selling in the 6 figure + amount.


To me, If you only see 1-3 examples of a certain type of card on eBay per year, Id say the set is very rare and most likely there are less than 5-10 of each player known. If you have never seen an example of a type of card on eBay (or maybe 1 every couple years) the set is very rare (ie. T208, T217, E222, Big Eater, E92 Croft "red ink", Balimore News, D380, Crescent Ice Cream, Allegheny, Tarzan Bread, Pebble Beach Clothing, Western Playground, D303 Mothers Bread, Clarks Bread, D304 Martens Bakery, BF104, Demaree Diecuts, Cardinet Oakland Oaks, Derby Cigar, Leader Novelty Co., 1923 Fleer, Honey Boy, Leader Theatre. Over the last 25 years Ive seen far more examples of the very rare "Just So Tobacco" tradecards than any Holmes to Homes Bread, Greiners Bread (do they really exist?), Martens Bakery, Korger Bread (I own one, do others exist?).

ca.1913 Cardinet Candy Oakland Oaks
Anyone (besides M.Macrae) own any of these?


ca.1941 Kroger Bread
Anyone seen another from this set?

Rare big $$ cards are out there in eBay land, if you look hard enough,.... ie the 1886 Lorillard Detroit card ($12,000 high book) that sold yesturday (in the scrapbook category), with the seller thinking it was a $5-$10 item at best (and she didnt even think it was the best item on the scrapbook page). 4-5 years ago (with my luck) I would have won the Lorillards card for about $50-$100,.... But the big finds dont exist for me anymore (I still find them, but so do others with far bigger wallets) Damn! Oh well, Thats what makes eBay treasure hunting so fun Happy Hunting fkw

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Posted By: leon

I would have to agree with you on scarcity of the obscure issues. As a die hard type collector (although not technically one as I do have multiples from series I enjoy) it is very difficult to find a lot of the cards you mentioned. I do own one of the Oakland Oaks cards as well as my good friend , and board member-JC. I also have been luckey enough to acquire the only 2 Holmes to Homes Bread cards I have ever seen. You want scarcity? How many Western Playgrounds has all of the board members combined ever seen for sale? For me the answer is 1 (from a private offer from Mark Macrae around a year ago) Now about the blue Old Put I won in the Sloate auction....first one I have seen with that background,anyone else seen one?.....and one last thing...I thought the Lorillad card went for more than it should have on ebay. I paid about 1800 for a fairly nice one about 3 yrs ago in a regular auction. And I thought my snipe of about 1k was going to get it oh well.....

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Posted By: Julie

...Enquiring minds want to know.

Of course it may not be anyone on the Forum.

BaRRY DECLARED THE PRICE TO BE "AMAZING." BUT I SAY, WHAT IT SELLS FOR IS WHAT IT'S WORTH, AS A RULE. bwS ARE HARD TO FIND, ESP. hofERS.

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Posted By: spaceops03

Julie,

It was a regular poster but I'll let him identify himself ! (and no it's not me)

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Posted By: Brian (Shammus)

I'd like to know the answer to this question myself. I dropped out of bidding when the card reached $1791. I've heard a couple of rumors but don't want to name names. I'll just let the winner come forward if he/she reads this....Congrats though on whomever did win this auction

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Posted By: Glen V

I have an Oakland Oaks card too (think Frank used the picture of mine above). Mark gave me estimates on population, but I've forgotten the exact numbers. Think its around 60-100, and many of those are trimmed/missing the name.

Hard to get a good count on cards. Some people won't tell to keep the numbers down/value up. Plus cards keep being discovered - I picked up 8 Leader Novelty cards last year that were just found in a photo album. Leon's find of Western Playgrounds added 40 to a population of maybe 60-80? How many more might turn up?

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Posted By: warshawlaw

1928 Exhibit PCL: One just sold on ebay for slightly over $100; it was the only one I have so I did not bid higher (stupidly). I've seen three cards from the set in five years of active searching. Bloody darn rare cards!

1922 Eastern Exhibits are very, very tough too. Only a few come up each year on ebay and nowhere near a full set has come up over the last three years. I've got four from the set, two of which I've not seen for sale except on a full set that was auctioned a while ago.

1923-1924 Exhibits are very tough too--rarely seen.

Zeenuts of popular players don't seem to surface much. I'd hazard a guess that Magie and Demmitt show up far more often than Zeenut HOFers. I haven't seen a Thorpe in years.

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Posted By: Trevor Hocking

Ok I was the one who won the Lorillard Detroit card for $3,250. I thought that was a great price considering it is the toughest in the set and you just don't see them. But this item was not for my personal collection, I had another collector in mind who will be giving about double what I paid in trade. So it was a great price for me. As far as Leon paying $1,800 for one three years ago, I would glady pay whatever anyone paid for a 19th century baseball item three years ago. Plus I think the Lorillard's book around $7,000 three years ago. That's a pretty big jump in three years. By the way which one was it and do you have a scan please I would love to be jelouse again. Leon you truly are LUCKY!!!
Trevor Hocking

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Posted By: JC

Ok... I won the E107 Wadell in the Sloate auction along with 3 of the Gypsy Queens and the Large Gypsy Queen as well. Got the Big Eater from Lew as well... I wanted the Kalamazoo Bat and the Harry Wright N173 but did not pull the trigger at the price.. I have been the under bidder alot lately on Ebay and the only way I can buy things now is thru major auctions.... Why is that? Is this a sign to come? Trevor nice score on your Ebay find and way to execute the buy! Please give me a link to look at it... Thanks JC "husband-of-tammy"

I think I will just act like I'm in 2009, when buying at today's prices... That's the only way to buy... I know Terry practices that when selling!

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Posted By: Andy Baran

Julie,

Al Rosen auctioned an SF Hess Ewing shortly after you posted that you purchased one, so there are at least 2 out there.

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Posted By: Anonymous

Mr. "world revolves around me' loses one T208
after bidding absolutley stupid $$
and all is wrong with the world.

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Posted By: Halleygator

Hey JC:

Was the Waddell card graded?

I was just curious as to what shape it was in, because I have one that is pretty bad (SGC 10) and wanted to get some sort of idea of its comparative value.

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How did the one you bought compare to this one? Thanks!

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Posted By: JC

Hello, judging from Barry description and the scan.. The Waddell I won for I think 1700.00 total is about 2 grades higher than yours. barry's card has 3 pretty good corners and one problem corner with little staining and light creases. I'll have it up in my gallery when it comes in today I hope..