T206 Reference / Reflections.....Tuesday Nite Trivia

[sreader3]

Thanks for the prompt Ted. I have shared this story before. I begged my mom to buy Steve Clark's The Complete Book of Baseball Cards from Pickwick bookstore in the Montclair (California) Plaza mall circa 1978. Which she did because I never asked for much. The T206 images in that book sparked my life-long love affair with the set. But I didn't acquire my first T206s until 1981 at a baseball card shop in Claremont, CA called "The Baseball Card Shoppe." I guess the extra "pe" after "shop" made it sound more erudite. Thumbing through page after page in shopkeeper Mark's T206 binder, I found nice EX copies of Alperman, Gilbert, Rhodes and Schreck, which I bought for $3 each. Alas, I couldn't afford the EX Cobb in the holder for $75 or the other Hall of Famers offered for about $50 per.

[tedzan]

Originally Posted by sreader3

Thanks for the prompt Ted. I have shared this story before. I begged my mom to buy Steve Clark's The Complete Book of Baseball Cards from Pickwick bookstore in the Montclair (California) Plaza mall circa 1978. Which she did because I never asked for much. The T206 images in that book sparked my life-long love affair with the set. But I didn't acquire my first T206s until 1981 at a baseball card shop in Claremont, CA called "The Baseball Card Shoppe." I guess the extra "pe" after "shop" made it sound more erudite. Thumbing through page after page in shopkeeper Mark's T206 binder, I found nice EX copies of Alperman, Gilbert, Rhodes and Schreck, which I bought for $3 each. Alas, I couldn't afford the EX Cobb in the holder for $75 or the other Hall of Famers offered for about $50 per.

Hi Scot

Great story, thanks for sharing it with us. It's interesting that in 1981 a Cobb was selling for $75. I guess that was "California prices" back then. On the East coast, a Cobb (Ex) was
selling for about $40 in 1981.

Take care my friend,

TED Z
.

[tedzan]

* * * * * * * * * * * * * T206 Reference, Theory's, Surveys, etc. * * * * * * * * * * * * *




Hey guys,

We've had several very interesting stories posted here. I could continue telling my stories from 44 years ago, but I rather hear your stories. It's always fun to reminisce about
our early BB hobby days. Therefore, I'm bumping this thread back up to Net54's 1st page hoping you will chime in with your story.
Don't be shy, just let it fly

If no new stories are posted here, I will have to tell you my story of how I acquired these two "gems" at a New Jersey show (Spring 1982). A really great experience.


. . . . . . . . . . . .


Thanks,

TED Z
.

[Ronnie73]

I unfortunately don't have any old card show stories acquiring my first T206's. But I remember T206's at the shows I'd go to. My first card show was in 1985. I was a bit late with the card shows. Earlier on, I was going to coin shows starting in 1980. But back to cards. I wasn't really in my comfort zone until 1989. But before that, I just didn't feel welcome at the vintage tables. Dealers didn't take me seriously and were not interested in talking to me like they were with others their own age. By 1989 I was more comfortable around them but I really didn't know anything about the cards from that time period and knew nothing about reprints. 1989 was an insane time to be at a card show. With the new release of Upper Deck and the Fleer Billy Ripken FF Error, it was an incredible experience. I didn't purchase my first T206 which was also my first pre-war card, until 2010. I had spent a couple years before that trying to learn as much as I could, just by searching the internet. It was Net54 where I learned the most. After my first few purchases of T206's, I then joined Net54. Starting T206's and joining Net54 were two of the best decisions I've made. I've gone from knowing nothing about the set, to being an advanced collector of T206's. Unfortunately I haven't added too many to my set since money is tighter and prices have sky rocketed. I occasionally think about what I could have in exchange for my T206 collection. Maybe one day I'll look further into it.

[tedzan]

Ron

Interesting story, in just 10 years you have achieved a lot regarding Tobacco cards....the real stuff and knowledge there of.

Thanks for posting.


TED Z
.

[tedzan]

* * * * * * * * * * * * * T206 Reference, Theory's, Surveys, etc. * * * * * * * * * * * * *




In the early 1980's, the biggest BB card Show in NJ was situated in the Meadowlands. Most of the big-time Dealers back then set up at this Show, starting with Barry Halper.
My 2 main missions that day in the Spring of 1982 were....acquiring some 1949 LEAF 2nd series (short-print) cards for my set. And to further my new project, The Monster.

I made the rounds of the dealer tables, and found quite a number of T206 cards to choose from. I spotted this sharp-looking Walter Johnson. I had to get it for my T206 set.
A friendly dealer from St. Louis sold it to me for ? ?
I leave it up to you to figure out what I paid for this Ex-MT card


At the far end of the showroom, I met Rick Starks and Jim Johnson, dealers from Erie (PA). I'll never forget them...... They made my day !
Their display had a 1949 LEAF Satchell Paige rookie card. I did not have much cash left, but I did have some cards for trade. Rick selected my 1955 TOPPS Ted Williams and
my Reggie Jackson rookie. The value of those 2 cards did not quite equal the price of the Paige card. I had just $100 left with me and I offered it to them. Rick gave me back
$20, so that I would have some cash for gas on my long trip back home.

We talked a while about the source of rare LEAF cards. Jim said they had acquired a large collection on a buying trip in Ohio that had a good number of these rare LEAF cards.
I noticed that they also had 4 more LEAF (Short-Prints)...... Whitey Kurowski, Danny Murtaugh, Eddie Stewart, and Harry Walker. I asked them if they could mail them to me.
Rick packaged up these 4 cards and gave them to me and told me to mail them a check when I returned home.

Subsequently, at the Willow Grove Show, Rick and Jim brought me about a couple of dozen 1949 LEAF Short-Print cards. They priced them at $25 each, which was a very fair
price back in those days. This made quite a dent in my want-list towards completing this most difficult of the post-WWII sets.


. .



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TED Z
.

[Tao_Moko]

I was 10 years old in the mid eighties and got my first "office" job after having grown up doing farm labor. That job was at a baseball card shop in Portsmouth Ohio. I was a subscriber to Lew Lipset's The Old Judge and really interested in the history of baseball. I had the key to open the shop, combo to unlock the safe and was even granted buying power 🤣. There were still walk ins with shoe boxes, but not often. A lot of early '70's cards in beat up shape mostly. However, one day a Clark Griffith portrait walked in the door and was had for $10. It had tape on it, creased and stained ,but that was all it took. I had the fever and still do 35 years later. My 13 years in the Marine Corps were largely absent for collecting but otherwise it has been a part of my life.