This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/7/2009
Graded PSA 7 with just 4 like it in its NEAR MINT class and just 5 superiors, all at the NM/MT 8 level. Offered for serious consideration is one of the top 10 Sporting Life Honus Wagner Pastel Backgrounds on record at PSA. With such an exceptionally bold print impression, however, and with such admirable centering, I'd comfortably consider the presented copy among the top 5 to 7 known, of both varieties, and not just at PSA, but anywhere. Its only technical faults appear to be some mild and hardly perceptible toning in the top border and some microtouches of enamel loss to each of the still-sharp corners. The edges appear NM/MT to even MINT, the reverse is immaculate, and the color-tinted obverse is as bold as can possibly be found on the finest Sporting Life examples extant, consequently producing an elevated, indeed sublime contrast, uncommon for the issue in any grade. The so-called "pastel" of the background, finally, is a noticeably deeper shade of yellow than anything soft or subdued, apropos for this perennial Pirate and mythical MLB icon, featured here in precisely the same Carl Horner pose made famous by the T206 issue. Heck, if you're still a few hundred chips short of owning one of those 57 known masterpieces, why not seriously consider this "yellow" Wagner, which reports just 42 total examples on record at PSA? While certainly not as rich as the T206, it engrosses the admiring enthusiast with each re-inspection. But don't just take my word for it; turn the page and come back later, super-size the scan on line, study the image, and enjoy!