T206 Cy Young Portrait

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.

When it comes to durability and winning, this man set the standard, a standard that may never be approached. While most experts do not consider Cy Young to be the most dominant pitcher in history, his 511 career wins are simply mind-boggling. Just think for a second. You would have to win 20 games per year, every year, for 25 consecutive years to reach 500. As if winning 500 wasn’t tough enough, you would still need to win 11 more games to reach Young! Young completed 749 games and pitched 7,354 innings in his career, both all-time records. Young’s three no-hitters and a career ERA of 2.63 just add to his legacy, and his name graces the MLB award for pitching excellence. Young has three cards to choose from within the T206 set and, with the exception of the super rarities, all three cards are considered tougher than most other Hall of Fame cards in the set. Along with the Mathewson, the Young Portrait is one of the tougher portraits in the T206 set to find in high-grade.

Not for sale, but contact me if you’d like me to entertain an offer.