This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/8/2017
The current high bids for the cumulative group of singles, $80,444.00 is currently higher than the total for the complete set, $53,082.00 (this lot is currently losing)
While many vintage collectors don't refer to them as "baseball cards" because of their size, there's no doubt that the T3 Turkey Red baseball set is always at or near the top of the list for favorite issues of all-time. Issued by the American Tobacco Company in 1910 and 1911, the Turkey Red series is widely considered the most beautiful sports set ever produced. Broken into two series (#1-50 and #77-126) with a 26 boxer set referred to as T9's sandwiched in between, the T3 collection provided an alternative to the tiny tobacco cards of the day by offering 5 3/4" x 8" artistic masterpieces that were shipped from the company when 10 coupons from Turkey Red cigarettes or 25 coupons from Fez and Old Mill cigarettes were redeemed. According to the vouchers, you were instructed to list three selections in order of your preference, and that the baseball players would be ready to ship one month earlier than the boxers. Many of the poses for the T3 baseball subjects were also used in the legendary T206 set while the T9 boxers share the same image used in the T218 Champions set. One of the most coveted issues ever produced, these cabinet cards offer a full-color lithography with deep, varying pigments that is unrivaled for eye-appeal. Although extremely few examples have survived above the VG/EX to EX level, they still captivate enthusiasts with their amazing presence. Even with such a power-packed lineup of players in the T3 series, with about 25% of the subjects now in the Baseball Hall of Fame, one cannot help but wonder what a specimen of Shoeless Joe Jackson or Honus Wagner would look like had it been produced, not to mention the astronomical price they would bring in today's market. Offered here is a magnificently high-grade near-complete set of 79 cards that ranks #5 overall on the PSA Set Registry with an overall GPA of 4.832. Key specimens include PSA 6 examples of Bobby Wallace and Rube Waddell with none graded higher, PSA 5 cards of Christy Mathewson (MK) and Walter Johnson, Bresnahan, Chase, Collins, Evers, Griffith, Jennings, Joss, Lajoie and Keeler, and a PSA 4 Cy Young. Every card in the collection is graded PSA 4 or higher with 50 of the cards graded PSA 5 or better. For a complete breakdown of grades, population and examples needed to complete the set, please visit our website for a link to the PSA Set Registry. This collection is being offered in individual lots as well as in its entirety, and the method of sale will be the higher of the set price versus the aggregate sum of the individual lots.