T218 Tolstoi Backs

[BradH]

Love this topic and this set!!

Like the previous posters, I've had a ton of T218s over the years and very few Tolstoi backs. Without looking at my database, I believe I currently have about 700 total cards and only 4 Tolstoi backs, but this is in no way representative of the ratio, as I've trimmed my collection down in recent years and sold lots of Mecca and Hassan backs (but I kept the Tolstoi backs).

In my research, and in some of the posts on this topic here on Net54 in recent years, it seems that the distribution between Hassan and Mecca backs are fairly even, but Mecca is slightly more common than Hassan, by maybe a 55:45 ratio.

The 1% rule for Tolstoi sounds way high to me. In fact, I really don't think it's a stretch to say that Tolstoi backs run at about a 500-to-1 ratio to the other brands. Maybe I'm way off, just going off my own observation and talking with fellow collectors.

I am not suggesting that Tolstoi backs should be 500 times more valuable - I think the prices that Exhibitman posted seem about right and are in line with what I've paid.

I would bet my house that a full 153-card set can NOT be completed in Tolstoi backs. In fact, if someone here on the board is closing in on a full set of the boxers, I'd love to see them. I haven't heard of that before.

[RBrown]

Here's a list of what I have:

Ben Jordan
Ben Jordan
Bob Fitzsimmons
Charlie Goldman
Charlie Mitchell
Frankie Madden
Freddie Welsh
Freddie Welsh
Honey Mellody
Jack Burke
Jack Dempsey
Jack Johnson
Jack O'Brien
James J. Corbett
James J. Corbett
Jeffries vs. Sharkey
Jeffries vs. Sharkey
Jem Driscoll and Glover
Jem Mace
Jem Mace
Joe Choynski
Joe Gans
Joe Wagner
John C. Heenan
John Heenan vs. Sayers
John L. Sullivan
John L. Sullivan vs. Kilrain
Johnny Frayne
Johnny Frayne
Johnny Frayne
Kid Lavigne
Kid McCoy
Kid McCoy
Leach Cross
Leach Cross
Marvin Hart
Marvin Hart
Marvin Hart
Mike Donovan
Mike Donovan
Pal Moore
Peter Maher
Randall and Turner
Tom Sharkey
Tommy Burns
Tommy Burns
Tommy Burns
Tommy Burns
Tommy Ryan
Tug Wilson
Tug Wilson
Tug Wilson
Young Corbett
Young Erne
Young Erne
Young Erne
Young Griffo

[governor]

RBrown - wow, the Fort Knox of Tolstoi's...nice work.

Clearly Tolstoi's are to the T218s what Drum's are to the T206s...if only the market knew.

[BradH]

Great list, RBrown - looks as if you have about 40 different ones?!

I've never seen anyone with that many. Just curious how long it has taken you to acquire those and if maybe you were able to get a bunch of them in one large lot/purchase?

Great job.

[butcher354435]

Brad, Adam was referring to the 27 known T218 boxers with a Tolstoi reverse. I'm at 25 of 27 and if anyone has either of the 2 I need I would trade you 2 in return.

[butcher354435]

The list RBrown has above appears to include T220's. The T220 Tolstoi's are much easier to find with several known comlplete sets.

[Exhibitman]

RBrown,Brad:

T220:



T218:

[RBrown]

Brad,

It's taken over five years! I did purchase ten I did not have from a guy in upstate NY!

Looking for more I don't have........

Bob

[DaveW]

There are 50 different T218s with Tolstoi backs. I own about 10 of the track guys and have never paid more than $10 for one even though I agree that they are pretty rare - maybe 1 in 500. Most sellers don't realize how rare they are and the non-boxers don't seem to attract much attention on EBay.