Opinions on this Bock Hooker T206

[53toppscollector]

I won this card at auction from gregmorris, who I usually think is pretty much spot on in his grading of raw. This card was listed as "low grade (filler) in terms of condition. Given that Hooker is a SL and a tough card, I was happy to get it for around $100 anyway, because I knew I'd need this one eventually.

I expected to find wrinkles or issues with the card when it arrived, however, I put it under my black light and saw no hints of recoloring, and beyond just a small ding in the top right front corner, the card looks like its in excellent shape. Edges are nice, centering is decent, color on the front is nice, and the back is clean with no paper loss.

So, am I missing something here? Did he just miscategorize the card as low grade? I assume if they thought it was trimmed, they'd have put that in the title.

Thoughts?

[Bpm0014]

1. Great looking card!

2. If anything, it may be trimmed down the left border.

[Rhotchkiss]

From the scans, I think its a great looking card. I agree that if there as an issue, its along that left edge. But nothing jumps out as obvious.

[Pre War Starter]

Measure it
That’ll probably tell you if it’s been trimmed???

[53toppscollector]

I'm not sure measuring it will be super helpful, given the irregular size of T206 cards in general. I'm going to send it to SGC and see what they say. If it comes back trimmed, yeah well. If it isn't trimmed, I think it will grade really well all things considered

[frankbmd]

I’d be happy with that hooker.

[MVSNYC]

Trimmed. Besides looking rather narrow, the left edge is not perfectly straight, it has a slight angle to it. If you turn your computer or phone sideways, it'll reveal itself.

Otherwise, a crisp example.

[drumback]

There was no Bock Hooker. His name was Buck Hooker. It was misspelled in an early Sport Americana price guide, and people have gotten it wrong ever since.

[3-2-count]

At first glance in my opinion, all 4 sides have been trimmed a bit.

[Bpm0014]

I’d be happy with that hooker.

Hahahahahahahahaha

[toledo_mudhen]

Why would anyone trim the left edge?

If I'm trimming that card then its gonna be on the right edge.

[Snowman]

Originally Posted by Pre War Starter

Measure it
That’ll probably tell you if it’s been trimmed???

lol

[Kidnapped18]

Originally Posted by drumback

There was no Bock Hooker. His name was Buck Hooker. It was misspelled in an early Sport Americana price guide, and people have gotten it wrong ever since.

+1

[mrreality68]

nice card and proud addition to any t206 collection

[FrankWakefield]

It looks like it was trimmed, to me. And whoever did it was fairly skilled at it. The left side is definitely trimmed, and the top is ever so slightly trimmed. I think the bottom was not trimmed, and I am fairly sure the right side wasn't bothered at all (evident from the slight discoloration to that side as evident from the back. If you're not inclined to measure it, stack it among several decent white border cards, and i think you'll find that Hooker is ever so slightly skinny and a touch short.

If it goes to a third party grader, it'll probably come back trimmed or A, or they may well grade it with a number, but that doesn't change the card; it has been carefully trimmed a bit. If it were my card I'd pay a few dollars to NOT have it graded, if I was held hostage about that. I would wanna crack it outa the slab, I'd want it in a 15 pocket sheet and then in a ring binder. It's a great looking card, I'd want it in my collection instantly and continuing; instead of in the hands of some grading company for a few months and then in the hands of one of their yahoo graders for 20 seconds...

I got interested in looking up newspaper articles about South Atlantic League games years ago because I was annoyed that Dr. Beckett's guides wouldn't have the first names for some of those players in the T206 list. They had to have first names... I found a few, and evidently others did, too. After a few years the names appeared; and some player identifications were corrected (I got the Colgan's Lelivelt correctly identified as Bill, when it had been listed as Jack. Did you know they were brothers born in The Netherlands?) Anyway, those guys above are right about Hooker's first name.

It's a great looking card. That card would sell well here, and please email me if you get ready to sell it. I congratulate you on espying that card and acquiring it.

[53toppscollector]

All, thanks for the comments and feedback.

Though I really don't like doing it, I think I am just going to return the card to gregmorris. They are very cool about refunds. I know they typically list "trimmed" in their ebay listing titles if they suspect the card has been trimmed, they didn't in this case, and when I looked at the card again yesterday after I posted it, I am now feeling like it is definitely trimmed. In that case, it isn't worth my time to get it graded when there is an 80% chance it comes back trimmed, and even if it doesn't and it gets a number grade, I will feel kind of weird about it.

I appreciate everyone weighing in on the card, I am sure it will get re-listed again in a few weeks, so maybe you can snag it on ebay for even less than I paid for it. Had it not been trimmed, the price I got it at was a real bargain.

[FrankWakefield]

What!!???!

You say you have $100 in it. I'll buy it for more than that. You could sell it here and make money.

[53toppscollector]

Originally Posted by FrankWakefield

What!!???!

You say you have $100 in it. I'll buy it for more than that. You could sell it here and make money.

If you want, sure. I sent you an email.