t206 Christy Mathewson Dark Cap

The 1909 to 1911 T206 baseball card set has long been considered one of the most, if not the most, important issues in the entire hobby. The visual appeal of the cards, the immense size of the set, and the incredible player selection make this treasure a collector favorite. Along with the 1933 Goudey and 1952 Topps sets, the classic T206 set is one of “The Big Three” in the world of baseball cards.

You can easily make the argument that “The Monster,” as it is commonly referred to, is truly the pinnacle of all trading cards sets. It is much larger than the 1933 Goudey set, requiring more than twice the amount of cards to complete. It is also arguably more visually appealing than the 1952 Topps set due to the superb artwork used in the design.

Furthermore, the 524-card T206 set is home to the most valuable trading card in the world, the card that has become the symbol of the hobby itself. Of course, I am referring to the Mona Lisa of trading cards . . . the T206 Honus Wagner. The Wagner card shares the limelight with 75 other cards featuring members of baseball’s Hall of Fame, but it is worth more than the other 523 cards combined, assuming they are in the same condition. At the time of this writing (2009), the highest price ever paid for any trading card was $2.8 million, a Wagner example that was graded NM-MT 8 by Professional Sports Authenticator, the leading third-party authentication and grading service.

The T206 set contains a trio of cards featuring one of baseball’s best hurlers. Four times in his illustrious career, Christy Mathewson won 30 or more games with a career-high of 37 in 1908. Mathewson would achieve much of his success with the use of a specialty pitch that was most likened to a screwball. This pitch would fade away from lefties and nip the outside corners on right-handed hitters. With a career ERA of 2.13, it is clear that this pitch was very difficult to hit. Mathewson, like other top HOF players in the set, has more than one pose to choose from. The White Cap variation is considered to be the most difficult of the three Mathewson cards, but the Portrait is the most popular. In addition, the Mathewson Portrait is one of the toughest HOF portraits in the entire set to find in high-grade.

As one of the most popular subjects, these particular cards were handled roughly.  Pair that with the fact that this is a Polar Bear variation which housed the card in a loose tobacco pouch… and it’s any wonder this card is still graded at a 2.