Building a complete T206 in any grade (minus the "big four" of Wagner, Plank and the Magie and Doyle variations) is akin to climbing Mount Everest; some fortunate few reach the summit but all too often the climber has to retreat without claiming the prize. So goes it with collectors on the prowl for the 520 pieces to the T206 puzzle, "the monster" as it's known within the hobby. Because of the size of the set and the method of distribution well over a century ago, it was nearly impossible for a collector to assemble a complete set in real time. It really wasn't until the implementation of the world wide web and online auction sites, allowing collectors from around the country to communicate their haves and needs, that complete sets were even possible without devoting a lifetime toward it. The featured collection is a wonderful achievement in the hobby with the set-builder deserving all the accolades that are due, a complete and top-ranked T206 set with an impressive 4.272 set rating. Every card in the collection falls between the grade of PSA 6 to PSA 3; a respectable mid-grade representation of the greatest baseball card collection ever produced. Key PSA 6 specimens are Hall of Famers Baker and Chance (Batting) with Chance (Red Portrait) graded PSA 5.5 and PSA 5 examples of Bender (no trees), Chase (portrait - pink), Crawford (with bat), Duffy, Evers (portrait), Flick, Joss (pitching), Keeler (with bat), Marquard (follow through), Marquard (hands at thighs), McGraw (portrait with cap), Speaker, Tinker (bat off shoulder), Waddell (portrait), and Willis (with bat). Of the quartet of T206 Cobb cards, the "bat off shoulder" is graded PSA 4, the red and green portraits are graded PSA 3.5 and the "bat on shoulder" is graded PSA 3. Other key cards include Mathewson dark cap PSA 4.5, Mathewson white cap PSA 4.5, Mathewson portrait PSA 4, W. Johnson hands at chest PSA 4, W. Johnson portrait PSA 4, C. Young bare hand shows PSA 4.5, C. Young portrait PSA 4, C. Young glove shows PSA 4, and the two very difficult variations in Demmitt St. Louis PSA 4 and O'Hara St. Louis PSA 3. For a complete breakdown of cards, grade and population, please visit our website for a link to the PSA Set Registry. This set is being offered in its entirety as well as individual lots. At the end of the auction, the set will be sold to the highest aggregate bidding, whether that is the sum of the individual lots or the highest bid for the complete set. Our website will continuously update whichever method of sale has the higher bidding total throughout the auction process. Placing a bid on this lot constitutes bidding on the complete set.
LINK: 1909-11 T206 Complete Set #10 Current Finest