Big Find - What Would You Do? Scenario 1

[abothebear]

Sometimes when I can't sleep, I imagine a scenario where I find a hoard of T206s. I am not a T206 collector, but having the largest audience, T206s are one of the better cards to find a hoard of. The scenario changes a little bit each time I run through it, as does my sequence of actions. I thought it would be fun to see what others might do. I also know that some of you have actually experienced this, so you've gone down this road for real, not just in half-sleep dreaming.

Scenario 1 - This one is fairly straightforward. You've bought an old house you intend to turn into a rental unit. After closing you go through your new house and find some old crates that were left in the crawl space. You bring them down to the kitchen and set them on the counter and start looking through them. In one crate you find three cigar boxes packed to the lid with loose t206 cards (maybe 1000 - 1200 total). At first glance, they seemed to have been casually tossed in these boxes immediately after pulling them from the cigarette pack. Maybe the original smoker had little immediate interest but did not want to throw them away, maybe he'd give them to the neighbor boy if you thought of it when he next saw him. Their condition is unhandled, but they've been in a loose pile in a wooden cigar box for over a hundred years, so they should, for the most part, be in top shape. Initially, you see Sweet Cap 150 and Old Mill backs.

What do you do? Step by step, even down to details like - do you go buy white gloves to handle them with? or do you check with a lawyer about ownership laws?. And you can take it as far as when the cards are firmly in your own collection or are up for trade or sale or auction somewhere.

[pawpawdiv9]

1st- i be changing my draws, b/c most folks would s*** themselves by now if they found a hoard of t206's.
Best chance is finding old photo albulms with them pasted inside.

[Mark17]

I would buy the best safe on the market, put it in my homestead and bolt or concrete it into the foundation, and put the cards in it. Then, I would go through them looking for Wagner, Plank, Magie, Doyle, and set aside other valuable cards (Cobb, etc.) I would then get them graded, a few at a time, starting with the most expensive.

In other words, I would be very quiet about the find, and gradually bring them into the hobby over a number of years.

[philliesfan]

I would also change my shorts for the reason stated before.

I don't think there is a matter of ownership because you bought the house / property. If the previous owner left it behind I would consider it abandoned property. I am not a lawyer so I do not know the actual laws about this. I would also not publicize what I found.

As far as the cards, I would get them in penny sleeves and card savers and locked away if a home safe. Of coarse I would let my family members know what is in there and of the value just in case I passed on........like if I had a heart attack if I found a Wagner...haha.

I would fly out to PSA with the better cards and get them graded with the walk through service. Other top cards would go to a lesser service but I would stay at a hotel and pick them up when ready. I would sell a few of the more expensive cards at auction and with the proceeds grade everything else.

I would sell off all of the common ones slowly over a period of time before selling the remainder of the more expensive ones.

This is just off the top of my head what I would do. Not that I thought about it before.......yeah right.

Bob

[bnorth]

Break them down into 4 groups by price/condition. Sell them in 4 consecutive auctions with the same AH in order from least to most expensive. I would let the AH deal with having them graded. Would also wait to have each group graded till as soon as possible before they go to auction.

My dream find is T210s.

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by Mark17

I would buy the best safe on the market, put it in my homestead and bolt or concrete it into the foundation, and put the cards in it. Then, I would go through them looking for Wagner, Plank, Magie, Doyle, and set aside other valuable cards (Cobb, etc.) I would then get them graded, a few at a time, starting with the most expensive.

In other words, I would be very quiet about the find, and gradually bring them into the hobby over a number of years.

I like this approach but if those big 4 graded high. especially the Wagner, let's say a 6/7 or better, which is possible in OP's scenario, you would be hard pressed to not disclose the provenance. A new to the hobby Wagner 7 would get a lot of scrutiny and questions from the hobby.

And would also be an instant court case brought by the previous owner of the house. The law is on your side but you never know with a jury, so your lawyer would advise a settlement once the Wagner sells.

[raulus]

Originally Posted by Casey2296

I like this approach but if those big 4 graded high. especially the Wagner, let's say a 6/7 or better, which is possible in OP's scenario, you would be hard pressed to not disclose the provenance. A new to the hobby Wagner 7 would get a lot of scrutiny and questions from the hobby.

Maybe I'm over-thinking this, but even a T206 Wagner PSA Authentic would get lots of questions, scrutiny, and excitement, let alone a PSA 7...(!!!)

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by Casey2296

I like this approach but if those big 4 graded high. especially the Wagner, let's say a 6/7 or better, which is possible in OP's scenario, you would be hard pressed to not disclose the provenance. A new to the hobby Wagner 7 would get a lot of scrutiny and questions from the hobby.

And would also be an instant court case brought by the previous owner of the house. The law is on your side but you never know with a jury, so your lawyer would advise a settlement once the Wagner sells.

I have a simple lifestyle that I'm comfortable with, and don't need a multi-million dollar hassle. If there was something like a Doyle or Wagner, I'd keep it quiet, and let it be part of my estate after my demise. At that point, no taxes, no questions to answer, etc. Either that, or I'd donate it anonymously to St. Judes, which is where most of my modest estate is headed anyway.

I would not let the find become a headache or worry, and I don't need or want a private helicopter, yacht, or McLaren.

[Exhibitman]

I'd drive over to my LCS and buy about six boxes of Card Savers. I don't have anything like enough of them on hand. Once I got back, I'd sit down and put all of the cards into holders before I handled them any further. I would then do what we all do with new cards: look them over, evaluate what they are, and so on.

If the lot plus what I have add up to some form of set (short or with some mix of rare ones) I'd keep it. If not, hopefully, I could finish my T206 HOFers from the pile. That would be nice. I'd probably upgrade a few of my crappy ones too. That also would be nice.

I'd next call Al at LOTG and ask him to pick up the rest and sell them for me. I know Al would do a fantastic job of sorting the cards, getting the valuable ones slabbed, and marketing them with the personal care he always shows consignors. Maybe I would stagger the sales into different tax years to avoid bracket creep but that's a bit too granular of an answer for the call of the question.

In short, keep the ones I need, sell the rest. After all, it's just stuff and I cannot take it with me when I die. Though I definitely want to be buried in a card suit



Hopefully the cigar boxes are nice ones too. If so, I'd keep those for display.

[mrreality68]

Get them graded and then auction them and then search for a Ruth or Jackson with the proceeds

[abothebear]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Maybe I would stagger the sales into different tax years to avoid bracket creep but that's a bit too granular of an answer for the call of the question... Hopefully, the cigar boxes are nice ones too. If so, I'd keep those for display.

Not too granular for the question at all. There is a lot to consider in such a situation.

I plan on something like this happening to me someday. If I ask it as a hypothetical now, I won't have to draw attention to myself when it really happens.

I think I'd call my photographer/video friend up and use the discovery (and some of the sales proceeds) as a springboard to make a documentary on T206s in general. Many of you would eventually be getting calls to be interviewed to add your particular angle of expertise to the big picture.

Oh, I should add that if anyone does find something like this, I'd still do the documentary if you want to bring me into the process.

Additionally, if anyone wants to be a producer (i.e. fund) my documentary anyway (without a new find to be the entry point), I can easily build it on some of the recent finds that have happened. Send me a PM if you are interested.

.

[Orioles1954]

Our auction house recently a handled a similar find. 2,000 Obaks, Collins-McCarthy, Zeenuts, Mono, Pacific Biscuits stuffed in a shoebox. Pulled out 3 Ruths, several Cobbs, a couple Joe Jacksons, Weaver, etc. All untouched. I usually handle “new to hobby” pre-war finds multiple times per year. They’re out there.

[Yoda]

I would take another hit from the opium pipe, drift off again and this time find an unopened factory set of 1915 Cracker Jacks.

[jingram058]

Originally Posted by Yoda

I would take another hit from the opium pipe, drift off again and this time find an unopened factory set of 1915 Cracker Jacks.

Yeah, brother! ^^^ THAT ^^^ is the answer, right there!

[JollyElm]

I'd trade them all for a carton of eggs. Of course, that wouldn't be enough. I'd have to add in a significant amount of cash on my end, too.

[G1911]

Catalog them in my spreadsheet, have a blast flipping through them all, mix them with the ones I already have and put duplicates with the same front/back combos up for trade for any I don't have.

If there was a Wagner, I'd have to sell it. Would love to keep it, but I'd rather retire young than have a single card.

[FrankWakefield]

Some bunch of ball card collectors you call yourselves... shame on you, focusing on selling them. If finding a bunch of cards like that leads to selling them all, then that might be the end of my collecting... I hope that doesn't happen.

Think about staying quiet, then, instead, stay silent.

Maybe then do a calm assessment of what you have there... and how it integrates and affects the focus your collection.

[Eric72]

Simple question, easy answer.

They're cards. If they were mine, I'd put them in my collection and enjoy them.

[Bill77]

I would go through the whole stack, figure out what is there and combine them with my meager collection. I would then update my Monster Number and then try to figure out how I am going to store them all. I would probably think about selling multiple times but end up keeping them all because I am just a card hoarder at heart.

[Jeff_cvc]

Originally Posted by mrreality68

Get them graded and then auction them and then search for a Ruth or Jackson with the proceeds

Of course you would! Your Jackson collection is already awesome, I couldn't imagine what you would want to add to it?? T210 Jackson?

[mrreality68]

Originally Posted by Jeff_cvc

Of course you would! Your Jackson collection is already awesome, I couldn't imagine what you would want to add to it?? T210 Jackson?

Thanks I appreciate the kind words on my collection.

However, there are so many Jackson’s out there I still need from my dream card the T210, the 1911 Pinkerton, the Boston Garter, the 1915 CJ, the Green Blanket, the Pennants (different colors), the 1920 Holsum Bread, the Texas Tommy, the Felix Mendelssohn ,just to name a few

[LEHR]

Originally Posted by Mark17

In other words, I would be very quiet about the find, and gradually bring them into the hobby over a number of years.

This is my first thought when reading about any big find.

I'm not a T206 collector, so, with 1,000-1,200 nice cards I'd slowly grade the T206's and sell or trade them off for things I wanted over the next decade. If I found a Wagner as soon as it was slabbed and consigned I'd immediately give a 90 day notice at work and retire because even the sale of a PSA/SGC Authentic would put me WAY over my retirement number goal.

[55koufax]

Although not T206s, I had a big find of other vintage (Topps) cards. Unopened cello packs. Took them to PSA several years ago. I paid for a mold for them to be in unopened pack holders. If I had to do it over again, I would have never paid for the mold just so PSA could keep it and potentially re-use without paying one penny for it.

[gonefishin]

Originally Posted by 55koufax

Although not T206s, I had a big find of other vintage (Topps) cards. Unopened cello packs. Took them to PSA several years ago. I paid for a mold for them to be in unopened pack holders. If I had to do it over again, I would have never paid for the mold just so PSA could keep it and potentially re-use without paying one penny for it.

That's too bad - do they currently use it?

Like you, I too have been lucky enough purchase some cello packs that were so rare people didn't think they existed. I did have PSA authenticate, grade and encapsulate them, I'm just thankful I didn't have to purchase a mold! So, thank you for your contribution.

[StraightRaceCards]

I think about this scenario often

My hope would be to buy a house, find 1000 t206’s stored up somewhere

Step 1- catalog collection. Take 2 days off work, and create a master spread sheet

Step 2- put in a safe at the bank & insure the find

Step 3- keep the cards that aren’t duplicates & sell the rest

Step 4- like others said, if any of the big 4 are found, I would slowly bring them into the market by personally flying into SGC and grading them. Private sale if possible, if not, consign.

How does one even find a private Wagner buyer without bringing attention on a oneself?

Step 5- enjoy every minute of this process and feel grateful that pieces of cardboard bring so much joy.

Bonus step- come up with a hilarious name for the find, so the cards bring a chuckle to the hobby for years to come!

Yes, I think about this question often!

[abothebear]

Originally Posted by LarsHoneyToast

Bonus step- come up with a hilarious name for the find, so the cards bring a chuckle to the hobby for years to come!

Yes, I think about this question often!

Love it.

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by LarsHoneyToast

Bonus step- come up with a hilarious name for the find, so the cards bring a chuckle to the hobby for years to come!

Yes, I think about this question often!

How bout the "Even a Blind Squirrel" find.

[Directly]

Real find 1990--a full time Antique dealer and collector for 60 years residing in southern Illinois passed away. I'm guessing not having any know realities the City ordered the contents of old house needing of paint to clean it out. Where, ? the the city dump--a trash collector came across several cheese boxes, upon opening neatly stacked lay close to 1000 T206 and hundreds of E92 caramel cards. Also old cast iron toys still in the boxes. I assume he had bought or collected since a kid? (the trash man did offer the whole lot to a local Missouri antique for $200.00, mean while he found out they were valuable and start calling--fact one well know famous dealer said he was fibbing and hung up on him--although he did end up buying most of them!)

The sad part on my end I had visited and bought a few item from him--he always asked anything I was looking for Nope, I never thought to ask about baseball cards? I did ask him about a huge Log Cabin Syrup tin display, 200.00 he replied and a Tiffany Lamp, $3,000--Nope I didn't buy either, years later I heard the old Log Cabin store display auctioned for $20,000 at some Indianapolis Indiana auction.

Could this happen again, possibly, but not like this!--moral of the story==just ask!