Masterpieces and Uncommon Commons XXVIII
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on:
7/30/2010
Over the past year, T206 mania has swept the card collecting industry. Assumingly, the 100 year anniversary of the prestigious T206 tobacco card has elevated the collecting aspect for these highly desirable cardboard gems to a stratospheric level. If you just happen to be an elite T206 high grade enthusiast, then this remarkable SGC 88/8 “portrait” Fred Clarke offering is the card for you, with the following “pop” chart data supporting this notion:
• SGC has encapsulated approximately 375 T206 Fred Clarkes, including BOTH the portrait and batting images, with this offering “1 of 2” SGC 88/8 examples with NONE graded higher!
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• PSA has encapsulated some 300 “Portrait” Clark Griffiths with only 9 or 3% of those specimens achieving a PSA 8 grade. With 8 of the 9 specimens included in the “unknown” advertisement back category, there is only a single PSA 8 Piedmont Cigarette “portrait” Clarke listed on PSA’s “pop” chart and NONE graded higher!
Hall of Famer Fred Clarke batted .312 lifetime, including 2,675 hits over a 21 year career with both the Louisville Colonels and Pittsburgh Pirates. In addition, he managed both the Louisville and Pittsburgh clubs from 1897 – 1915, racking up over 1,600 wins and serving as the incomparable Honus Wagner’s manager most of his career. Clarke is certainly one of the few Hall of Famers that could have been inducted as either as a player or manager, and likewise, his representation on this breathtaking card reflects all of the qualities required for a Cooperstown worthy baseball card. The ultra-desirable classic Carl Horner portrait pose depicts unequivocal facial tints, contrast and focus, ably assisted by a flawless crimson red background. Fine centering between bright white borders is further enhanced by the razor sharp corner tips and edging. Further complimenting this near pristine example is the bold mid-night blue “Piedmont Cigarette 150 Subjects” reverse side advertisement, the final compliment to a century old card that actually appears to be under graded! While the possibility for microscopic blemishes escaping the human eye certainly exist, from our perspective no T206 specimen could possibly equal the pristine brilliance emanating from this rarely seen gem. Undeniably, any “World Class T206 collection would surely welcome this Fred Clarke masterpiece as one of its main attractions!
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