Wagner T206 Auctioned in 1981

[riggs336]

Originally Posted by chriskim

Come on guys!... pls don't flop this thread to against Mr. Lew Lipset. Lew is one of the legend!

While I never dealt with him in person, I had many interactions with Mr. Lipset

through mail, telephone and email. He was always courteous and helpful.

[brianp-beme]

In all fairness, I was probably in my early to mid 20's when the 'T3 at the card show' incident occurred that I described earlier. He may have just been one of those 'get off my lawn' dealer types when it came to young'uns.

I definitely recognize his contribution to the hobby, and on here I have probably mentioned his Encyclopedia of Baseball Cards books in my posts more often than anyone else. But really, not even to thank me for instantly returning a card he accidentally handed to me for free...?

Brian

[insidethewrapper]

Has this card ever been verified to have been pulled from a cigarette pack ? I have heard about "cut from a sheet " and "has large margins" and "being trimmed " etc. sounds like more of a proof card than a regular issued card. Need T206 experts to respond . Has anyone seen an" average Joe's" collection or relative's estate of T206's or an " attic find" and a Wagner was in that Lot of cards ? I haven't. Need T206 experts to respond. Thanks

[steve B]

Originally Posted by insidethewrapper

Has this card ever been verified to have been pulled from a cigarette pack ? I have heard about "cut from a sheet " and "has large margins" and "being trimmed " etc. sounds like more of a proof card than a regular issued card. Need T206 experts to respond . Has anyone seen an" average Joe's" collection or relative's estate of T206's or an " attic find" and a Wagner was in that Lot of cards ? I haven't. Need T206 experts to respond. Thanks

Yes, there was one auctioned in Woodbury CT early 90's? Late 80's? I forget the year. Probably late 80's as T206 resource shows sales back to 1991.

It was a couple days after Thanksgiving, and I grew up in Woodbury. Family still in the area, so I had to go to the auction. They had a pretty big batch of T205 and T206 that had been stored in a cigarette carton for a long time. Most were pretty worn.
The collection included a Wagner.

They actually held the auction briefly a big money buyer could get there for the card. He was running late.
It sold for 30,000. And was sold a couple more times between dealers over the next year or two. It was very subject to advertising "grade creep" being appropriately f-g in the original auction and ending up being called g-vg (No alterations, just hype)

I bought a t205 minor leaguer.... At least I have a card that was in the same box as a Wagner..

[Tao_Moko]

$30k is pretty amazing. I wonder what card now we'll be looking back on in 30-40 years and saying the same thing. It will be hard to eclipse the media and collector attention Wagner has brought.

Lew was always kind to me, but I was a young preteen guy working in a card shop and he liked that I knew what questions to ask. I was ignored at many a table back then and though outstanding customer service is not uncommon, I would bet that table profiling is still alive and well in the industry. I would also agree that Lew graded his cards more fairly to himself, but that was pretty much a standard and still is("undergraded") for the seller.