Winter Auction 2018 Ending February 17
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/18/2018
Graded PR 1 by PSA. Hall of Famer. "Sweet Caporal - 150 Subjects" back. Just seventy-one examples of this subject, in total, are recorded in PSA's census reporting. Forever compared to the famed T206 Wagner in terms of rarity, it can be stated definitively that the white-bordered tobacco insert card of Eddie Plank is the second most valuable baseball card in our hobby. Many theories have been advanced in the ongoing effort to explain its scarcity, but none has ever been proven. It is known that approximately the same number of Planks exist as Wagners, and very few additional specimens of either rarity seem poised to surface. The offered Plank example delivers remarkable, healthy quality in its blue-backgrounded portrait illustration. Its caption is clear and undisturbed, and centering (which very slightly favors the top aspect) leaves intact the viewer's overall impression of satisfaction. Although corners reflect signs of past handling befitting the item's grade, the piece's inevitable creases are peripheral in nature and do not impinge upon the warm gestalt of its aesthetic. (Fine-line wrinkles approach the design from the right and left sides, but the player likeness – and most importantly, its inimitable expression – is largely spared.) The reverse side of the sought-after card displays routine evidence of wear, with a few small, stray marks. This enviable collectible has combined highly appealing visual elements with understandable traces of circulation to provide a marvelous, relatively affordable solution for an advanced, but currently Plank-less, T206 assembly. Most significantly, this exceptional card reveals a central image that presents in a surprisingly impressive manner. Poor to Fair condition ... and a standout at its grade.