How many copies of T206 exist today?

[chalupacollects]

Originally Posted by G1911

The easy answer is way, way more than 500, but we don't know. There were likely millions of a T206 common printed.

We have some data points on T cards.

For example, from Fullgraff's records and court records for T225-1 have found at least 21,000,000 cards printed in multiple print runs of as many as 5 million cards in a single day, from August of 1909 to February of 1910 of its 25 subjects. 840,000 printed of each subject, assuming the print runs I have accounted for were 100% of the print runs. This set is not particularly rare today, but nor is it one of the common T sets (t206, T206, T59, T29, etc.). There are several T206 Batch's today for every T225-1 Driscoll's. The survival rate is far below 1%.

T206 figures are not known; and the estimates that assume they were in every Piedmont and Sweet Cap pack for the entire duration the set existed is not a good guesstimate. We could probably extrapolate from sets that are known and relative scarcities to ballpark it as a rough starting point.

Given that the American Tobacco Company owned about 200 manufacturers of cigarettes by 1910 including A&G and OJ and had revenues of $316 million, if there was a card in every pack and each pack was $0.10 that would be 3.16 billion cards produced. So, the big question is how many baseball cards were produced and how many survived?

Note: by 1911 ATC was broken up by the feds as a monopoly with RJ Reynolds and Philip Morris being created out of that breakup.

[G1911]

Originally Posted by chalupacollects

Given that the American Tobacco Company owned about 200 manufacturers of cigarettes by 1910 including A&G and OJ and had revenues of $316 million, if there was a card in every pack and each pack was $0.10 that would be 3.16 billion cards produced. So, the big question is how many baseball cards were produced and how many survived?

Note: by 1911 ATC was broken up by the feds as a monopoly with RJ Reynolds and Philip Morris being created out of that breakup.

There was not a card in every pack. Some packs had two. Many, many packs had 0. Some brands never issued a set even once during the T card period. We can’t arrive at a reasonable answer by this method.

[doug.goodman]

I only care what TedZ thinks...

[vintagesportscollector]

Looking at this from supply and DEMAND, let’s flip the question - how many T206 collectors are there? Those who have or are actively building a significant number of cards. Based on an assumed demand, and a gauge of prices, we can estimate a supply.

Based on a shot in the dark on demand, if there were only 500+ of each, prices would be much much higher. I too think 3,000+, but possibly more closer 10,000 plus for commons.

I am not a T206 collector, but I am still hoarding these 20 or so common cards that collected about 20 years ago.

[Johnny T]

What I find amazing is that with all of these examples apparently available, not one collector has put together the entire set....EVER!!!

[RCFire82]

👆 Ever ?

[Pat R]

Originally Posted by Johnny T

What I find amazing is that with all of these examples apparently available, not one collector has put together the entire set....EVER!!!

If you are talking about 524 several people have done that. If you are talking about a current master set that would be impossible even if the person attempting it had unlimited funds to try it.

[JustinD]

Originally Posted by Johnny T

What I find amazing is that with all of these examples apparently available, not one collector has put together the entire set....EVER!!!

What are you considering an entire set, because there have been plenty in have seen and heard of. We just had a member break a full set with Wagner and Doyle.

[toledo_mudhen]

Yea I questioned that also - The 524 is doable (and I am assuming more than a handful of people have gotten there)...... For Me - 520 is going to be a complete set and Yes I will get there.

[RCFire82]

I've got one...
What is the closest to a Master Set ever completed?
And who had (or current has) that number....?