Masterpieces and Uncommon Commons XXVIII
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on:
7/30/2010
The card collecting hobby is currently experiencing a T206 collecting craze far beyond anyone’s expectations. Most likely due to the recent 100 year anniversary of the popular tobacco brand cards, it appears that a majority of vintage pre-WWI collectors are now jumping aboard the T206 mania bandwagon, attempting to assemble all 520 subjects (less the “big four” - Wagner, Plank, Magee error and Doyle variation). The prestigious “Monster” T206 set distributed between 1909 and 1911 included 48 minor league players. Designated as “Southern Leaguers” they are scarcer than the standard major league subjects with a majority of the players carrying an “Old Mill” cigarette advertisement for the four different Minor League regions including Texas, South Atlantic, Virginia and Southern. One of the best preserved Southern League examples just happens to be New Orleans player Ed Reagan, offered here in an astounding PSA 8 holder. Currently, of the 35 PSA recorded Ed Reagan Southern League “Old Mill” backs, this offering resides as the SOLE copy at this tier with NONE graded higher. Although we can’t be certain, the two PSA 8’s included in the “unknown backs” category are more likely to carry the more common Piedmont Cigarette advertisement.
Journeyman shortstop Ed Reagan played nine minor league seasons, and spent part of his 1910 season with the New Orleans Pelicans Class A Southern Association ball club. While he only participated in 10 games, accumulating only 32 official plate appearances, he did manage to play with “Shoeless” Joe Jackson who was the Pelicans 1910 batting star. Fortunately for Reagan, his legacy continues to live on via this immaculate T206 Southern League offering. His throwing image is highlighted by a vast array of gray colored uniform hues, set against a brilliant yellow/orange and soft green grass background. Fine centering is only slightly hindered by the image mildly favoring the right edge. Brilliant white borders, sharp corner tips, and a flawless surface complete a near perfect obverse side. The critical reverse side “Old Mill Cigarettes” advertisement portrays bold black typography including the print for the four leagues. It virtually seems inconceivable to witness an Old Mill Southern League “NM-MT 8” specimen, but the fact remains that this “best of the rest” T206 Reagan offering will most likely be the main attraction for any T206 high grade set registry collector!
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