T206 backs: can someone make a list

[Abravefan11]

The following list is the one Jim Rivera and I are currently working from. We have discussed at great length recently moving a few of the backs up or down the list but for now they remain put.

1 - Ty Cobb
2 - Old Mill (Southern Leagues) - Brown*
3 - Lenox - Brown
4 - Broad Leaf 460
5 - Drum 350
6 - Uzit
7 - Hindu - Red
8 - Lenox - Black
***Red Cross Type 1***
9 - Broad Leaf 350
10 - Blank Back*
***Coupon Type 1***
11 - Carolina Brights
12 - Piedmont 350-460 Factory No.42
13 - American Beauty 460
14 - Hindu - Brown
15 - American Beauty 350 (No Frame)
16 - Sovereign 460
17 - Cycle 460
18 - Tolstoi
19 - Sweet Caporal 350-460 Factory No.25
20 - El Principe De Gales
21 - American Beauty 350 (Frame)
22 - Sovereign 350 (Apple Green)
23 - Sweet Caporal 350-460 Factory No.42
24 - Cycle 350
25 - Old Mill (Southern Leagues) - Black
26 - Sovereign 150
27 - Sweet Caporal 150 Factory No.649 Overprint
28 - Sweet Caporal 350-460 Factory No.42 Overprint
29 - Old Mill (Base Ball Subjects)
30 - Polar Bear
31 - Sovereign 350 (Forest Green)
32 - Sweet Caporal 150 Factory No.25
33 - Sweet Caporal 350-460 Factory No.30
34 - Sweet Caporal 150 Factory No.30
35 - Piedmont 150 Factory No.25
36 - Piedmont 350-460 Factory No.25
37 - Sweet Caporal 350 Factory No.25
38 - Sweet Caporal 350 Factory No.30
39 - Piedmont 350 Factory No.25

This list is based solely on the overall scarcity of one back in relation to another. No emphasis or additional weight was placed on a particular subject or subset within a back group that is believed or perceived to be more difficult than the rest.

Each collector’s experience will be different and they may find that over a short period of time or with a given subject that their difficulty in acquiring different backs doesn’t exactly match this list.

Ty Cobb Tobacco
This back is controversial to say the least and many collectors do not feel it is a T206 while others believe it is. Compelling arguments have been made for both sides but neither have yet to produce sufficient evidence in our opinion to definitively show it is or isn’t part of the same set. Until that time it will remain on our list as it was originally classified as a T206.

Red Cross & Coupon Type 1
We don’t believe that either of these backs are part of the T206 set and haven’t included them on the current list for that reason. However many collectors do believe they are or possibly could be T206’s so we included them in this post, unnumbered, to show where we believe they would be ranked if included.

Old Mill (SL) – Brown & Blank Back
These two backs were not inserted into packs and both are essentially printers scrap. Some may not consider these necessary for a complete back run.

[freakhappy]

Thanks Tim and everyone else for supplying a lot of great info...keep it coming!

Mike

[AndyG09]

[QUOTE=Abravefan11;912643]The following list is the one Jim Rivera and I are currently working from. We have discussed at great length recently moving a few of the backs up or down the list but for now they remain put.


Tim,

Just curious what you guys may be debating? The work you did on the SC Fact. 25 really opened my eyes to their difficulty. The 150 Subj. especially. Thanks again for putting that together.

Best,

Andy

[Leon]

Hey Tim
Notwithstanding the debate to include blank backs, you have seen less bl350s?

[sreader3]

I think Tim's "working" list is more accurate than the initial list posted on this thread. Piedmont 42 is more difficult than American Beauty 460, Brown Hindu, American Beauty 350 No Frame, Sovereign 460 and Cycle 460 in my experience.

My only quibble with Tim's "working" list is a matter of opinion, not fact. I would strike the Old Mill Brown and Blank backs because I think they are printer's scrap that ATC never intended to issue. I feel the same way about the Old Mill single and double overstrikes.

Scot

[Abravefan11]

Andy - The list as a whole is a good representation of the scarcity of the backs in relation to one another but it's by no means something that can be proven as fact when comparing backs closely positioned on the list. There will be debate and as we've said every collector will have their own experience. The main area we've been discussing moving a few backs up or down is between #12 through #17. A good case can be made for leaving them as they are or moving several around. Each of these backs will go through cyclical periods where more of one than another will come to market so for the time we continue to leave them as they are.

Leon - The blank back and Broad Leaf 350 are two backs that are close in our opinion in scarcity. Though you may see more BL 350's come to market, blank backs are very popular and tend to be tucked away. There are a number of large private collections that when combined number into the hundreds. Again this list is based on our opinion and though they're close we feel the BL 350 is one spot higher on the list. Others may see it differently and that is to be expected.

Scot - I understand your opinion completely and couldn't disagree. We chose to keep the Old Mill (SL)-Brown and blank back on the list due to their great demand but will always reference that they are scrap and not issued in packs.

[Mikehealer]

Are there really more Coupon Type 1's out there than Broad Leaf 350's? I would have thought the opposite.

[Abravefan11]

Hi Mike - First let me say that a couple folks have referred to the list I posted as "Tim's" and I want to make sure it's clear that the list I posted is a collaboration between myself, Jim Rivera, Brian Weisner and another long time tough back collector and T206 researcher.

As far as the Coupon Type 1 and BL 350's it's another debatable point. When we decided to add them to this list we discussed there position at length. Our reasoning for placing the Coupon's lower is due to the number of complete, near complete and sizable partial sets that exist and the lack of known large BL 350 collections. Maybe scattered across the collecting community there are more BL 350's than Coupon Type 1's but based on our information we feel the BL 350 is slightly more difficult. But with any other back comparison someone else may see it differently and that's all good.