Posted By:
Scott ElkinsI do have a response for your statement about Mastro buying the Wagner. Fact is there was something wrong with it - he would only show it to Rob Lifson at a quick glance to where Rob could not get a good look - even though he used Rob's $$$ to buy it! So, that goes to show he knew something was wrong with it. Also, the Copeland guy was buying up everything, so Mastro probably figured, since other dealers were selling Copeland trimmed cards at outrageous prices, he could sell Copeland just about any Wagner (especially coming from Mastro)!
Another theory would be that Mastro simply thought these guys ran into a "Proof Sheet" and the cards would look a little different. As you stated, Mastro knew about cards at the time and even owned at least one other Wagner (which he gave Rob Lifson instead of giving him the $25k he used of Rob's to buy THE Wagner and 60 or so other cards including the Piedmont Plank).
Personally, I believe Bill saw $$$ and a future sale to Copeland in the Wagner and that is all that was on his mind that day. Of course Jim, we are on dangerous ground here in our theories, as we are trying to figure out what Mastro was thinking that day - something that CANNOT be done!
OK - now I have answered all the questions regarding the Wagner from my point of view. I have one question for all of you who think these Piedmont Wagners were printed in 1909 - WHERE IS THE PROVENANCE OF ONE PIEDMONT WAGNER THAT GOES BACK BEFORE THE 1950'S? THE Wagner can only be traced back to the early 80's and a FL flea market. The Bray Wagner can only be traced back to 1958 - doesn't that raise a red flag to anyone? If not, simply go back to the above back scans and that should definitely raise a red flag to anyone who has owned T206's in the past!