This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/7/2009
The presented example of Ty Cobb's famous T206 red-backed "Portrait" variation has been recently graded NM/MT 8 by the cardboard perfectionists at PSA and is without question the single sharpest T206 Cobb specimen we've ever offered in the NM/MT 8 class. In fact, its self-evident centering preference for the left and bottom borders appears to be the only convincing obverse feature that presents below NM/MT+ condition, and the only front features that don't present at the MINT to even GEM MINT level are its two left corners, which show marginal wear (perceptible only under intense magnification) consistent with the NM/MT+ grade. The remaining obverse perimeter is so remarkably incisive that I'm tempted to call it GEM MINT, though we rarely hear that term uttered in the same breath with T206. Moving from the outside in, we next encounter brilliant bone-white borders that shimmer with a cleanliness uncommon for the issue. While there may be a few scattered microdots evident in the borders, which are perfectly typical of the issue, there is virtually no bleeding of the interior image into the unequivocally MINT borders. This is surprising when we consider that the red backdrop is so irresistibly brilliant that it appears to have been stamped multiple times with the famous German ink that gives T206s their uncommon color; it's surprising, in other words, that virtually none of this apparently excessive red ink has bled outward into the borders or inward into the image. The image itself is simply one of the finest renditions of Carl Horner's world famous portrait you'll ever encounter on the issue. It features an impeccable, indeed unimprovable, registration of the lithography, with absolutely zero traces of overlapping colors, and absolutely zero gaps in the color layers, both of which are more common to the issue than even tobacco stains! The precision of the image is further highlighted by a remarkably powerful impression of the colors, effectively serving to create a prominent contrast throughout Cobb's facial features, with a delightful shadowing effect that moves from left to right, rarely encountered on even the finest MINT to GEM MINT T206s on record. In sum, the image presents a pointedly pristine quality that will lure even the most advanced T206 collector into a trance, and I'd be the first to call it better than even the highest graded "Red Portrait" examples on record, but that would be somewhat of a mistake, since only 1 lone specimen has ever exceeded the NM/MT 8 level at PSA, and that at the marginally superior NM/MT+ 8.5 level. The reverse, on the other hand, features relatively accurate centering for the issue, with some very faint toning and extraneous ink from stacking in the upper center, as well a lightly touched lower left corner, both of which are perfectly in line with the professional opinion of NM/MT 8. In total, only 20 examples encompassing all back variations have ever attained this advanced grade (with just 1 higher) from a massive submission pool of 1,123 copies on record, to date, by far the largest number of T206 submissions for any particular issue. We've all seen several of those pinnacle 20 examples surface for sale in the last few years, so we can all bear witness to the irrefutable notion that this glorious specimen may just be the finest of them all!