This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/7/2009
Featured front and center on the offered 1904 Pittsburg Leader schedule card is none other than "The King of Ball Players," Honus Wagner. Graded SGC 40 VG 3, the presented specimen is 1 of just 3 scant copies on record at SGC, with 0 known to PSA. Built to last long enough to survive the entire season in the wallets and pockets of Pittsburgh's blue collar crowd, it was constructed of a lightly ribbed plastic celluloid material, and it's surprising that more examples haven't survived the ravages of time. Despite some mild toning and negligible stains throughout both surfaces, the piece presents at about the EX/MT to even NM level overall but has been significantly downgraded due to three predominantly unobtrusive bends, one evident above the word "Pittsburg" on the right obverse, the other two sandwiching the word "Sporting" on the right. These bends have resulted in the loss of ink to a handful of letters on the otherwise boldly printed front surface, with no real effect on the fine lines and dates of the schedule printed on back. Wagner's image shows a touch of wear as well, but is surprisingly and pleasantly accurate considering the celluloid composition of the piece. Noticeably attractive Victorian era fonts dominate the front, which is further accented by a subtle Victorian design surrounding the Wagner headshot and foreshadowing a similar design that would be employed on the famously ornate T204 Ramly Cigarettes issue half a decade later.