If you could only choose one

[e107collector]

Consider the following scenerio:

You walk into a room, and there in front of you, lies the most valuable baseball cards, all in very good condition. They are as follows:

1. T206 Honus Wagner
2. T206 Eddie Plank
3. E107 Honus Wagner
4. E107 Christy Mathewson
5. Baltimore News Babe Ruth
6. T210 Joe Jackson
7. Just So Cy Young
8. Old Judge Cap Anson in Uniform
9. Texas Tommy Type 1 Ty Cobb
10. Four Base Hits King Kelley
11. T206 Doyle Error

You are told you can only leave with one card. Which card would you choose and why?

I would probably be torn between the Baltimore News Ruth and the E107 Wagner. Even though the Ruth is more valuable, I would more than likely choose the E107 Wagner. It's my favorite card of all time, and has a great image of a young Wagner in my opinion.

What do you guys think?

Tony

[Jcfowler6]

So disappointed that the 1989 Billy Ripken $*%& Face card didn't make the list.

No really the T206 Wagner Card would be my choice. It's the card to end all cards. This card has more books written about it than any I can think of. There are movies based on this card for crying out loud. People that have never seen a baseball card know about this card. It is the card the rest of our hobby is based on.

I would be like a 13 year old girl in the front row of a Beetles concert if I were in the same room as this card, even if it was ripped in 4 pieces and on fire.

And J H Wagner can be argued to be the greatest player of all times. Best short stop ever and best Pirate ever at least.

[sportscardpete]

e107 Mathewson.. in particular the really nice one that sold in Heritage a year or two ago. That card was amazing.

[tbob]

T210 Jackson. I guess I may be the only collector who votes for Joe but it is a great card.

[Robextend]

T206 Wagner...this should be a poll!!

[alsup2311]

It would have to be the T210 Joe Jackson for me. That card has captured my imagination more than once.

[thetruthisoutthere]

The Matty E107.

511 wins and over 7300 innings pitched. How the heck did his arm not fall off. Amazing!!!

[Gradedcardman]

The Doyle, the rarest of the 206's IMO.

[Epps]

I agree with the T210 Jackson. He's my favorite player and the card is my avatar. Plus it's from a great set. One day..

[Bicem]

Just So Young.

And if value was taken out of the equation... Just So Young.

[Danny Smith]

T206 plank is my dream card. Id take the plank and run.

[murcerfan]

Baltimore News Babe Ruth


...without hesitation.

[terjung]

I presume that we aren't talking about just grabbing the most valuable one in terms of resale so that we could get other stuff.

Assuming that the one card is going to be one that is kept, I'd pick the E107 Wagner. (keying in on the fact that it is in VG condition)

[vintagecpa]

Easily the Ruth.

[Section103]

What a great question! I have no idea. So much so, I really dont think I can answer the question. I might just punt and take the T206 Wagner because its "the card" in the mainstream eye and I have no doubt that at some point I'd probably have to liquidate it just because it's too valuable. But I might take the Joe Jackson if Im feeling it.

[paul]

I'd be torn between the Ruth and the Young, but I'd probably go with the Ruth.

By the way, I don't think there is a Kalamazoo Bats of Kelly, is there?

[joeadcock]

T206 Wagner:beautiful card

[3-2-count]

T206 Wags portrait by a landslide for me based off of sheer beauty. Couldn't go wrong with any of these choices though.

[camlov2]

I am probably going to ruin the thread with my answer but here goes-

The t-206 Wagner, but I would sell it.
This would allow two things

1) I could then say that I had owned a t-206 Wagner
2) I would then have the money to purchase a couple cards from the list.
(the key from the list would be the Baltimore Ruth)

[ullmandds]

511 wins belongs to cy young...no other comes close...I'd choose the t206 wags for similar reasons as mentioned...it immediately evokes an emotional response in me no other card approaches.

[benderbroeth]

i think the better question would be all the cards minus the wagner, because lets face it most people will make the "duh" choice and choose the wagner, like me...take the wagner out of the question and i would choose the old judge cap anson just for the age, or the t206 eddie plank...for my edward collection

[oldjudge]

I'm a 19th century guy so my chioces come down to the Anson, the Kelly and the Young. All are rare (less than five copies) and all represent great players. However, only one is from a great card set so--I go with the Anson in Uniform.

[Brendan]

Now, purely from a value standpoint, I would go with the Wagner. It's the type of card that will impress non-collectors because they have heard about it. If the Wagner didn't have the press attached to it, I would go with the Ruth with the second choice being the Young.

[vintagerookies51]

The obvious choice would be to pick the t206 wagner. You could sell it to get 2+ other dream cards. However, if value wasn't a factor, I'd go with the Just So Young.

[bcbgcbrcb]

Baltimore News Ruth

[Wayne]

I would say the T-206 Wagner. If I wasnt collecting the set it would be T-210 Joe Jackson. Because I dont have an original of his

[ctownboy]

Easy,

1) Young
2) Anson
3) Kelly

If you have the money, most of the other cards are "easy" to acquire. Even with mega bucks, getting one of these three would probably take some time.

David

[triwak]

Baltimore News Babe! It's a miracle that card even exists!

[glchen]

Baltimore News Ruth. Wonder if the red or blue is rarer?

[ls7plus]

Originally Posted by murcerfan

Baltimore News Babe Ruth


...without hesitation.

+1. When it's all said and done, there is only one [at the top of the hill].

Thought provoking thread!

Best,

Larry

[teetwoohsix]

I'd easily snag the T206 Wagner, because that's the set I'm trying to complete and that's the one card I'm pretty sure I'll never have a chance to own

I can do without the Doyle error, although it would be cool to have (of course) but I'll be just as fine with the regular version.

If someone beat me to the Wagner, I'd be scrambling for the Plank T206

Cool thread !!!

Sincerely, Clayton

[iwantitiwinit]

T206 Plank, I don't know why, maybe because I somehow have it in my head that I could someday actually afford this card while I do not believe I could ever own the Wagner.

[benchod]

Tough choice between the Baltimore News Ruth or Just So Young
I guess I would pick the Young and hope to get a Ruth later

[Leon]

Assuming, as others have said, we aren't picking the most expensive only to resell and buy another, I would pick the Baltimore News Ruth. The Just So Young would be next, then probably the T206 Wags....

[novakjr]

Originally Posted by camlov2

I am probably going to ruin the thread with my answer but here goes-

The t-206 Wagner, but I would sell it.
This would allow two things

1) I could then say that I had owned a t-206 Wagner
2) I would then have the money to purchase a couple cards from the list.
(the key from the list would be the Baltimore Ruth)

I was gonna say the exact same thing.. The sale price alone from the Wagner could easily buy a good chunk of the list..

Now, if I weren't allowed to sell the card. I'd go with the Just So Young. It's absolutely my favorite card ever..

[Bill Stone]

I would gladly take the t210 Jackson.

[T206Collector]

The only card that would distract me from a T206 Wagner would be a signed T206 Cobb...

[pgellis]

I would take the T206 Doyle. I'm trying to complete this set someday (yeah right!). The Doyle is much more rare than the Wagner. You just don't see the Doyle come up for sale at all. You do see the Wagner & Plank come up probably a couple of times every year.

Doyle would be my choice!

[Baseball Rarities]

Originally Posted by glchen

Baltimore News Ruth. Wonder if the red or blue is rarer?

I think that there are 10 known to exist - 6 blue and 4 red.

[YankeeCollector]

Baltimore News Ruth

There will NEVER be anyone like him.

A guy locked in 0-0 pitching duels with the great Walter Johnson and then hitting 714 HRs.


Imagine Justin Verlander becoming an OF and hitting 60 hrs in a season. It will never happen again!

[Hot Springs Bathers]

Because I have chased the T206s off and on since the mid-70s it would have to be the Wagner, a card I never even typed on my want lists back in the old typewriter days!

[Baseball Rarities]

Another vote for the Baltimore News Ruth.

It is hard to believe that just two months before these cards were produced, Ruth was still a student at St. Marys.

[atx840]

Doyle for investment, Plank for pleasure. Tough choice.

[GaryPassamonte]

If you mean the Four Base Hits Kelly, it gets my vote.

[Bobsbats]

I know most people have said the Wagner, so you could sell it and buy others, but I have never seen an Anson in uniform in person before. The Kelly Four Base Hits is a great card too.....but for me, knowing there is really only less than 5 of the Anson Old Judge, hands down thats which one I choose.

[e107collector]

Originally Posted by GaryPassamonte

If you mean the Four Base Hits Kelly, it gets my vote.

Gary, you are correct, I just editied the original post. I don't know why I was thinking Kalamazoo Bats.

The thread seems to have quite a diverse array of responses. The T210 Jax, T206 Wagner, and Just So Young seem to be the most popular.

No one wants the Type 1 Texas Tommy Cobb?

Tony

[uffda51]

4BH Kelly, edging out Anson in uniform.

[jp1216]

Originally Posted by Jcfowler6

So disappointed that the 1989 Billy Ripken $*%& Face card didn't make the list.

HEY!!! jk

I'd take the T206 Wagner. A favorite of mine!

[Jason]

I want to say the Anson but I think I would instantly regret that decision.The Wagner for sure.Not for resale value just because I want it.Great thread,hard decision to make.

[steve B]

Ok, I'd be happy with any of them. And choosing is very tough. All great cards, and all great players.

I'd probably go with the just so Young. But most of the others are really close.

Oddly for me the last on the list is the Wagner. I saw one up close at a small auction a few years ago and my reaction really surprised me. I went mostly to see the Wagner. And there was a brief thrill. But that was replaced by the thought that it was just a T206, a creased, written on, worn T206 that was probably worth more than all the others there combined. But it just didn't thrill me. I still don't know why.

Steve B