T206 Red Cobb Pricing

[Leon]

Ok, so we know some prices have gone up quite a bit lately. But to me (and I have a small vested interest) it seems the red Cobby's have gained too much lately. I know supply and demand fairly well, demand being most important, but there are so, so many of these. It barely makes sense unless people are hoarding them.

[ClementeFanOh]

Hi Leon- I own the Red Cobb in an SGC 4, with Old Mill reverse. It's a great card with a "big border" distinction as well. I remember an article I read years ago that was entitled "Ty Cobb Beats the Stock Market" or something very similar to that. It's point was that truly collectible vintage cards often defeat negative economic trends, which is both counterintuitive and a bonus for people like us. I'm choosing to b e very happy about that Happy 4th!

Trent King

[Rhotchkiss]

I think t206 Cobbs, on whole, have gone up dramatically over the past 2-3 years. First, the green took off. Then red followed, which, bc of the pose, is the natural result of the green getting so expensive. I feel like lately the bat off has had its turn to rise in value (the poor bat on has not fared as well - yet - except in higher grades, in which case they can be dang expensive). I think these rising t206 cobb values follow the rise in Cobb pieces generally (e.g., all Cobb post cards, 1914 CJ, etc), and t206s in general, which have gone up a lot over the past years. And, I think there is room to grow.

Also, regarding rarity- the 1952 tops mantle is not particularly rare, but it’s value just keeps going up over time. As a friend once told me (hi Sarno), true rarity does not always = value. Demand creates the value and relative rarity results from how in demand the card is

[bnorth]

I have been watching the Authentic to SGC/PSA 2 for the last 2 years. The real beaters came up a little. The ones that have good eye appeal and good centering have gone up a lot.

I got this one in a trade from a fellow board member a few months ago. This one has nice eye appeal and great centering in my opinion.

[thatkidfromjerrymaguire]

My theory is that all of these new collectors we’ve been reading about coming back into the hobby with the quarantine ‘downtime’ really are affecting prices.

If you read the modern boards on blowout, there is a noticeable spike in modern. And some of those collectors are also likely to dip their toe in vintage. And anyone new to vintage is likely going to go after the hobby staples....Cobb, Ruth, Mantle.

I’ve been following the Red Cobb, the Goudey Ruth’s, and the 1952 Bowman mantle pretty closely, and have noticed price surges in all of them. For the Bowman Mantle in particular I’ve seen 30% to 50% increases in just the last couple months. Sometimes with the exact same card being resold. It’s crazy.

The biggest question is to when the prices will flatten out, and to what degree will they come back down. If at all.

[Blunder19]

I’m certainly not hoarding any of them

All kidding aside. The T206 set is one of the most popular sets. And the red cobb is one of the most popular cards in the set. I don’t see any reasons why prices would not continue to climb. New collectors coming into the hobby all the time.

[Exhibitman]

It's about as 'blue chip' as you can get. The # of cards is enormous but it is a staple of prewar collecting. As for pricing on the beaters, i don't think there is enough data to really generalize. I took a quick look at PSA's auction results for Piedmont and Sweet Caporal 1-1.5-2 and only a few have sold since the pandemic. Interestingly, there is only one PSA or SGC auction on eBay right now (the other cards are BINs), for a nice front, damaged back SC card and it is over a thousand bucks with 4 days to go. FWIW, I think the collectors who gravitated towards these lower grade Cobbs in the last few years were (are) completists who bought them to have them because of how quickly the greenies were going up, so they just aren't for sale right now. I know rising prices are what motivated me to buy my red portrait and my Cy Young portrait. I wasn't necessarily enamored of the cards but I figured I'd better get in on them while they were still reasonable. FOMO...

[investinrookies]

Originally Posted by Rhotchkiss

I think t206 Cobbs, on whole, have gone up dramatically over the past 2-3 years. First, the green took off. Then red followed, which, bc of the pose, is the natural result of the green getting so expensive. I feel like lately the bat off has had its turn to rise in value (the poor bat on has not fared as well - yet - except in higher grades, in which case they can be dang expensive). I think these rising t206 cobb values follow the rise in Cobb pieces generally (e.g., all Cobb post cards, 1914 CJ, etc), and t206s in general, which have gone up a lot over the past years. And, I think there is room to grow.

Also, regarding rarity- the 1952 tops mantle is not particularly rare, but it’s value just keeps going up over time. As a friend once told me (hi Sarno), true rarity does not always = value. Demand creates the value and relative rarity results from how in demand the card is

Love both the red/green Cobbs, got a nice green but still looking for a centered red with clean registration. Also, agree completely with your comments on the 52T Mantle, it just keeps going up and demand seems to be growing even more.

[1952boyntoncollector]

i wish you can get 'buy it now' updates


shortly before the green cobbs took off all the buy it nows were bought within a day..even deans cards etc.

kobe bryant cards and michael jordan rookies....

its that magical time when bidding on ebay goes far above listed cards that are for sale..ive been that 2nd bidder before that lost an item then a minute late bought a buy it now for 20 percent less for the exact same grade an appearance maybe a bit less appearance wise but not 20 percent worse..

[823dek]

well many here knew I had 44 REDS in my over 130 Cobb collection...Coupon 1 CArolina Brights Tolstoi, ,etc..I went back and got 23 more...my fav card. To me the newbies getting into pre war were paying top dollar and others followed trail ,kept adding price and people kept paying it and by doing so there arent many who will be able to afford them if this doesnt stop Is CObb getting his just due?...I dunno. I remember 12 yrs ago paying 5-700 for 2's and 8-900 for 3's and 1 1/2 yrs ago the guy who's ebay name was Deniro or something close had a nice SGC 40 was priced at 1880 and I had a hard time paying that amount and now 4500 ? There is not a balance here. I will not EVER pay up for these GREEN Cobbs and I used to have 17 ..I could have retired had PSA 5 and had an SGC 70. ALso had a SGC 30 that had 4 sharp corners 70-30 T-B that I sold to JoAnne Klein for 1300 that looked better then every 4 and some 5's. HAd both Kotten backs thin and thick traded to Aaron Seefeldt with a Jax and a CObb Cracker Jack for 2 suitcase Garters Walsh and Rucker FUN THAT WAS AND ALL LEADING TO THAT DEAL. I just paid heavy money for a Red CObb PSA 2.5 looks like a PSA 4 no creases a little film on back that doesnt effect text or look you cant tell it is just there...BLOOD RED...NOTHING MORE TO SAY

[DJCollector1]

Our view on this board might be a little skewed.
What I mean by that, is some here seem to think a "Red Cobb t206 is no big deal", since there are a bunch of them available. And many here own one, or many. I get that.

But to most "novice collectors" (or should I say less funded collectors), this is often a grail card.

Or more simply put, a "big card" that many would love to own and anchor their collections with.
Lets face it, you have one of the biggest names ever, one of the best hitters ever, in the most popular prewar set ever.
Its literally the perfect storm, for many collectors and frankly if you look at it like that, a jump in price should probably have happened long ago. (It is available, unlike the Doyle, and other extremely scarce rarities.... so its a card that can definitely be had, if you have the capital to do so)

Personally I have never owned one. I have been looking more and more into buying one the last 6-8 months, and it seems with each passing month they are going up and up.
Call it "fear of missing out" or whatever you wish, but to many of us, that do not own one, it still represents an (affordable???) opportunity to own a card of one of the true greats, in the most iconic prewar set there is.

I have a preference to the bat on and bat off cards myself, and I own none of those either. Though hopefully that will change in the coming months.

While I love many of the portrait cards, deep down I like the "baseball aspect" of holding a bat, and actually playing the game of baseball as opposed to the portraits.
I would be stoked to own any example truth be known, but I have a bit of a preference for the bat on/off cards honestly.

I know I'm in the minority though.

Although I don't think they can keep surging like they have been, I don't see them ever truly bottoming out.
I'd say its about as good of a prewar investment as you can make.

Maybe one day soon I will finally pull the trigger.

[Directly]

Walmart doesn't stock T206 Cobb cards on their shelves?--so its a sellers market?