This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/11/2013
Presented is an extraordinary example of one of the most famous baseball cards ever produced: a 350 series PSA 5 example of the ultra-rare T206 Eddie Plank card. While virtually all of the fanfare goes to the legendary Honus Wagner card, the Plank card is almost as scarce, thought to have a total population of around 100 compared to approximately 60 for the Wagner. With such a minor disparity in the number of known specimens, it's only a matter of time before the value of a T206 Plank starts to approach Wagner price levels at comparable grade. Explanations as to the scarcity of the Plank card are without conclusive evidence; one theory holds that the printing plate for the Plank card was broken in early production. However, the card exists with both the 150 series and, to a lesser extent, 350 series reverse. Thus the Plank plate would have completed the 150 series and broken during 350 series production, making it just as numerous as any other issue from the 150 series, which it certainly is not. Like the Wagner card, the most accepted rationale is that Plank had the card pulled from production because he did not want his name used to endorse tobacco products. Although he is prominently featured in virtually all of the candy card sets from that time period, his absence from the T3, T201, T202, T205 and T207 sets, all tobacco issues, supports this theory, but he does appear in the T204 Ramly and T5 Pinkerton sets and it still would not explain why there weren't more specimens in the 150 series. Could it be that he had the card pulled during the 150 series but it was inadvertently added back to the 350 series, forcing Plank to request that his likeness be removed once again? We may never know the answer, but one thing is certain; the T206 Eddie Plank card ranks with the Honus Wagner and 1933 Goudey Lajoie as the most elite issues of the 20th Century. While the PSA grade for this offered masterpiece is enough to entice any world-class collector and amaze even the most casual enthusiast with an appreciation for greatness, the physical attributes of this incredible gem take the observer past the boundary of imagination! The white border surrounding "Gettysburg Eddie" is radiant and spotless, showing no sign of its 100+ years of age and providing the frame for an iconic central image that boasts precise registration and a flawlessly delivered deep blue background, traits that are almost always sub-par for this issue. To the naked eye, the corners appear advanced of the technical grade, exhibiting typical enamel loss at the extreme tips under magnification though the perpendicularity of the actual pasteboard is largely unaffected. As a result, the endpoints appear sharper than most examples of equal grade, further intensifying the presentation of a tour de force that hardly needs assistance to inspire awe. This is not just a PSA 5; it's an amazing PSA 5, and just so happens to be one of the rarest issues ever produced! There are a handful, and only a handful, of T206 Planks in the world that have managed a higher grade, but few if any can match the front surface quality of this one. As proud as we are to offer it, it will pale in comparison to the pride of the winning bidder for acquiring one of the most beautiful specimens in existence! Now offered: T206 Eddie Plank, 350 series, PSA 5!