$50 Burning A Hole in My Pocket
 

Okay big spenders...

I've got $50 to spend on a baseball card... I'm a fan of the New York Giants...

Condition is not that big of a deal to me... eye appeal is. I've been going through ebay looking at stuff (it's like I'm Brian Sabean shopping for bargains)... I'd absolutely love a Christy Mathewson card, but I'm guessing it would have to have his head missing for me to afford it... I was considering a John McGraw card... maybe...

Any suggestions? Maybe an underrated set to consider... a few cards that fly under the radar? Fire away! (and thanks for any help!)

You can get the Carl Hubbell schedule postcard in nice condition for under $50.

If I had to stick to a strict budget, I'd probably go for some type cards, a t206 common, maybe a strip card or some sweet caporal pins. You could probably pick up one of each for $50 total.

Or go with a T206 Marquard, there are a few on ebay for $50

Thanks for the suggestions! I'll check 'em out!

Why do the strip cards always get graded "Authentic"... is it because they're hand cut or have I just missed those?

"A nickle aint worth a dime anymore!" Yogi:(

They were all hand cut, so most get authentic grades, but not all. It's in my personal collection, but I have a real nice Ross Youngs rookie graded a 5/60. Guess some people back then were just better at cutting on a dotted line

cards under $50
 

It would be a fun monthly contest to see who could buy the best card under $50. Great deals can still be had, especially if you wade through the 'auctions only' pre-war section on ebay. Someone pulled down a brown old mill for around $50 last month.

Finding a decent Matty for $50 would really be difficult. If you just wanted a Giants non-hofer, you can find lots of e and t series cards in nice shape for under $50.

Thanks so much (again) gang...

This place is awesome. I got a couple of very nice offers from Frank and John... and I accepted the first one... for some NY Giants t206s...

My second purchase of t206s... well on my way to conquering the Monster... if I live for another 287 years... ha ha... baby steps.

This site rocks.

NY Giants
 

The card in my avatar is Padney Gillespie, one of the original NY Giants. They were called the Giants because the NY team was literally taller than other teams. I don't remember what I paid, but it was around $150.

Easy.......t 205 mcgraw

That's a cool Gillespie, RC! I also like your suggestion of doing a thread based on what people can buy for $50 every once in a while... an annual thread, perhaps... or monthly?... I could only participate every once in while, but I'd love to see what people come up with.

I'm definitely going to revisit that T205 McGraw, Steve... I just checked and there are some there I can handle at a future date. Thanks!

I'm guessing you may only want a Matty from his playing days but there are some cheap 1940 playball Mathewsons that can be found on the bay.... some for under $50.... If it were me and if I didn't have a Matty yet I'd probably save up to buy a lower grade presentable T206 or T205 or some other issue from his playing days that could be had under $200. But for the price the 1940 playball wouldn't be a bad option....

Thanks Erick... Just looked that up and you're right... pretty cool!

I'm definitely going to nab that T206 some day... it'll be a beater, but I'll love it just the same...

John, try a T206 Mike Donlin. The fielding and sitting cards in particular.

Donlin was a great player, but wasn't around long enough to make the HOF. :)

1922 E121-120 cards are fairly affordable as a type card.

Thanks, Sean! Sounds good... (nice looking card, too!)

The 1922 E121-120 are a cool looking set... Don't think I've seen those before.

Cheers!

[U]John, are you looking for a graded card or raw? I collect E121-80 and E121-120 new York Yankees and Giants from 1921 and 1922. I call it my 1921 World Series Set. Just picked up upgrades for John Rawlings of the Giants and Joe Bush of the Yankees. Mine are SGC graded cards and the whole set looks awesome. A full set of 1922 E121-120 Giants are fairly reasonable to collect without breaking the bank. There was just a huge group of E121-120 cards that just finished on eBay a few nights ago.

Steve P loves his T205's :)

Glad you found something John. Hope it included a Bugs Raymond. IMO, this is a work of art. Could easily be had for less than $50. Sad story too how hard McGraw tried to control Bugs and couldn't do it.

hey zen - one just sold in the BST section for $45

Doesn't really matter to me, Ken. Probably raw... but if I found a graded card that would be fine, too... I LOVE the idea of collecting players from a single World Series! I'd just have to choose carefully... I'm guessing some years would be much more expensive than others... ha!

Love the Raymond card (but Everybody Loves Raymond, right, Slip?)

Anything under selling for less than $50 give me a glimmer of hope, Steve!

Wow, Steve... I didn't know that story... Just read about it after your post.

He first pitched for the Waterloo Microbes (is there a better name in sports history?)... Died as a result of a baseball bat? (Fractured skull)... wow.

Found this cool article published in The Day (Connecticut paper) back in 1909 (?)... It's all pretty interesting (including quotes from McGraw)... but I've highlighted the relevant portion...

http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/3729/5tyo.jpg

Great article John thanks.

"The Glory of Their Times" is a MUST read for anyone into early 20th century baseball history, but a great book about the 1908 pennant race which is a must read for any Giant, Cub, or Pirate fan is "The Unforgettable Season"

It is about the 1908 season when The Giants, Cubs, and Pirates all finished a game apart for the NL pennant race. Of course, poor Fred Merkle (UNFAIRLY!!!) became the scapegoat to Giants fans. It is 100% written using only newspaper articles of the day. I read it about 15 years ago, so I am due to read it again.

It is a very tough read at the beginning because of the way sportswriters used the English language back then, but if you can get through the beginning of the book and stay with it, it is an AMAZING read. It is like you are living through the 1908 season beginning in spring training till the season ends.

Wow, Slip... I have Glory Of Their Times and am just about to start it... but consider me sold on The Unforgettable Season. I WILL read that one... sounds awesome! THANKS!

Have you read Hoopla by Harry Stein? Awesome book about the Black Sox scandal and newspaper writers, etc.... I always thought "Eight Men Out" borrowed from that book... Check it out!

I haven't read that one, but I really enjoyed "Crazy '08" by Cait Murphy.

Who put the 't' in Marquardt? Are all his cards now worth more?

Here you go John. All E121-80 and E121-120 New York Giants

Yes, you can:

This may be the cheapest way to acquire a Matty from his playing days...sometimes you can find them even cheaper than this.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1905-Dye-New...item461298a739

Great catch! I didn't even see that!

So... editing error or is that how he spelled it back then and changed later?

wow...
 

That is awesome, Ken... That's a hell of a thing to see! Well done!

WOWZA! I've never seen that before... What an amazing piece!! Thanks for pointing that out and I'll be on the lookout!

Haven't read that. I will check it out. Eight Men Out was a book by Elliot Asinof many years before it was a movie. Great book and great movie too. The movie is 100% based on the book.

Sounds like fun I will check it out.

Maybe a case where the writer wasn't familiar with the rookie and got his name wrong?

That would look way cool framed and hanging on a wall

Staying with the New York Giants theme, but just for display (Yankees too):

John, it didn't quite make your $50 limit, but someone bought a trimmed T206 of Matty with great eye appeal on eBay the other day for $100. The seller still has a Marquard for about $30. If I was looking for a cheap Matty, I'd search for a Polo Grounds Game card or an end piece of a T202 Triple Folder ...

That's an amazing set, Brian... It's so cool to see them all next to each other...

Not a bad idea, Chris... That would tide me over until I could fork over the necessary cash for something else...

They are in a Penzoni case so I can take them out if I want. If you frame them, you can't see the backs. :-). Cases are hung on the wall.

Brian

Like your W575-1 Yankees. Only seen O'Leary once before. Are those cards on normal card stock or thicker card stock?

John,

Here are the E121-80 and E121-120 Yankees

Didn't realize they were in a Penzoni case. Those cases are great. I need to get one as soon as I figure out what to put in it.

Wow, Ken... So very excellent! I'm guessing I'll have something like that, ready to show everyone... in about... maybe... 93 years. :rolleyes:

Only took 6 years or so to get there. Buying upgrades as they come along.

Ken,

The cards are of normal stock. Here are a couple more with one labeled as Koester's and one labeled as W575-1:

Brian,

Very nice. I have the Hawks but mine has obviously been trimmed and on heavier card board stock.