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.
This is, perhaps, the most popular issue to feature The Big Train. During the early part of the 20th Century, Walter Johnson’s dominance was staggering. With 417 total victories and a career ERA of 2.17, his numbers are remarkable. Johnson was the first of five men to be elected to the Hall of Fame in 1936 along with Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Christy Mathewson and Honus Wagner. Wow! What a select group. While the Johnson Portrait is certainly more popular, the Hands at Chest variation is considered to be more difficult. This is due, in large part, to The Southern Find, which accounts for most of the high-grade Johnson Portraits that exist today.
This is fair conditioned example of a very difficult to find issue of “The Big Train” in the early stages of his very long career. With minimal staining and zero creasing, it is the VERY worn corners from excessive (by careful) handling that sets this card at a 1.5 rating. Despite the low grade, this particular card has amazing eye appeal. This is personally one of my favorite cards.
| Grade | PSA 1.5 |
|---|---|
| Back | Sweet Caporal 350 |
| Factory | 30 |
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