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BASEBALL CARDS PRICE GUIDE 1906 VALUES

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Baseball cards from 1906 hold significant historical value and many coveted rookie cards can fetch high prices at auction. The 1906 season was a pivotal time for the growth of professional baseball and the cards produced that year provide a snapshot into the early stars and teams that helped popularize America’s pastime. While age and condition will impact valuations, here is an overview of some of the top 1906 cards and what vintage collectors might expect to pay if looking to acquire examples in well-preserved states.

One of the most desirable 1906 cards is the Honus Wagner card, featuring the legendary Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop widely considered one of the best players in baseball history. Even in poor condition examples of Wagner’s iconic Tobacco card can sell for over $100,000. Graded gem mint examples have been known to break auction records, with one PSA NM-MT 8 specimen reaching $3.12 million in 2016. The rarity of Wagner’s card, estimated to have a surviving population of only 50-200 copies, cements its place as the most valuable trading card ever made.

Other prominent rookies from 1906 that can demand high prices include Ty Cobb’s card, which has sold for upwards of $35,000 in top grades. As the Georgia Peach went on to compile an iconic career as one of baseball’s first true superstars with the Detroit Tigers, his rookie card captures added significance. Cards showing future Hall of Famers like Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, and Tris Speaker can be valued anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000 when in excellent preserved condition with strong centering and vivid color.

Moving beyond individual players, complete or near-complete sets of the famous 1906-1911 T206 set are among the most prized possessions in the collectibles world. Often referred to as the “Mona Lisa’s of the card collecting hobby”, just a handful of authenticated T206 sets are known to exist. In 2017, a 109-card set that was over 95% complete achieved a world-record price of $2.8 million at auction. Even small fragments of the set containing fewer than 10 cards can sell for five-figure sums.

The high grades demanded for vintage cardboard like the 1906 issues means supply is naturally quite limited. Factors of a card’s history like original packaging, provenance documentation, and certification all contribute to an item’s desirability and price tag. Top grading services such as PSA and BGS provide critical authentication and establish condition census figures, with the top pop reported grades bringing the most reward. For example, a PSA NM-MT 8 Cobb may sell for $20,000 whereas the same grade Wagner could eclipse $1 million.

While the elite investment-caliber specimens are reserved for the deepest of vintage collector pockets, there are still numerous affordable 1906 options available. Common players and repeat images can be acquired for $100-500 in overall nice condition. Damaged or lower grade cards may go for just $25-100. For budget-minded fans, building a team set or focusing on lesser stars provides exposure to this seminal era at reasonable cost. Archives of college, Cuban League, and minor league issues can also offer historic cardboard without flagship pricing.

The 1906 season was foundational for baseball card manufacturers like American Tobacco. The surviving rookies of future legends and rare complete sets continue to entice vintage hunters and drive auction prices to new highs. With careful preservation and strong authentications, valuable examples hold long-term store of value. For those willing to invest in top-tier history, 1906 cards represent some of the most coveted and valuable collectibles in the hobby.

BASEBALL CARDS PRICE GUIDE 1906

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Baseball cards were first introduced in the late 19th century as promotions for cigarette and chewing tobacco brands like Allen & Ginter, Old Judge, and Sweet Caporal. These early tobacco cards featured images of baseball players on the front and advertisements for the tobacco product on the back. The T206 baseball card set from 1909-1911 is considered the most famous and valuable set of baseball cards ever produced. The first widely collected set of baseball cards came a few years earlier in 1906 with the release of the M101-7 series by the American Tobacco Company.

The M101-7 series featured over 150 players from the National and American Leagues at the time. Some of the most notable players included in the set were Honus Wagner, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, and Christy Mathewson. The cards had images of the players on the front along with their position, team, and batting average from the previous season. On the back, the cards advertised several American Tobacco brands like Fatima Cigarettes and Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. The cards were printed on thin paper stock and measured approximately 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches, similar in size to modern baseball cards.

When the M101-7 series was first released in 1906, the cards held very little monetary value and were simply inserted randomly into tobacco products as a marketing promotion. As the decades passed and baseball card collecting became a popular hobby, the value of these early 1900s cards began to skyrocket. Here is an overview of what various M101-7 cards from 1906 were worth in the vintage baseball card market during different eras:

1950s/1960s: Common players from the 1906 set in worn condition could be purchased for around 50 cents each. Star players in decent shape sold for $5-10.

1970s/1980s: As the hobby boomed, prices rose significantly. Common cards were $1-3 while star players reached $50-100 each depending on condition. Rarer short prints could fetch over $500.

Early 1990s: The sportscard bubble was in full swing. Common 1906 cards reached $5-10 with stars at $100-250. Extremely rare short prints sold for thousands.

Late 1990s/early 2000s: After the bubble burst, prices settled down. Commons were $3-8, stars $50-150, and rare short prints $500-2,000 based on condition and player.

2010-present: With over a century of collecting history, M101-7 cards have gained strong nostalgia appeal. Commons sell for $10-25 in average condition. Star players range from $100-500 depending on the name. Extremely rare short prints that can be verified have sold at auction for over $10,000.

Some of the most valuable individual cards from the 1906 M101-7 series based on recent auction prices and population reports include:

Honus Wagner: Even in poor condition, Wagner routinely tops $100,000 at auction due to his rarity and iconic status in the hobby. High-grade specimens have reached $2-3 million.

Ty Cobb: One of the set’s biggest stars. A PSA 5 copy sold for $27,500 in 2018. Higher grades reach $50,000+.

Joe Tinker: A rare short print error card that was never intended for the set. Just a handful are known to exist. Has sold for over $125,000 in recent years.

Christy Mathewson: Another star pitcher of the era. A PSA 8 sold for $9,600 in 2019 while a PSA 5 traded for $4,200.

Mordecai Brown: His card is also considered a short print error. A PSA 5 copy realized $13,200 at auction in late 2021.

For collectors looking to acquire high-grade examples of their favorite 1906 M101-7 players, be prepared to pay top dollar. Even common players in pristine PSA/SGC Gem Mint 10 condition can fetch thousands due to rarity factors. For researchers, the 1906 set provides a fascinating look at the earliest years of modern baseball card production and popularity. Over a century later, these vintage tobacco cards remain highly coveted by collectors worldwide.

BASEBALL CARDS PRICE GUIDE 1906 COLLECTORS

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Baseball cards first started appearing in the late 1800s as promotional inserts included with products like tobacco. The tobacco era is regarded as the true beginning of organized baseball card collection and trading among fans. In the early 1900s, the hobby started gaining more widespread popularity coinciding with baseball itself rising to become America’s pastime.

The 1906 T206 set is widely considered the high water mark of tobacco era issues and one of the most iconic in the entire history of baseball cards. Produced by the American Tobacco Company, these colorful and graphically artistic cards featured photos of players from both the American and National Leagues. Given their great scarcity and condition rarity over 100 years later, valuations for T206 cards in top grades now routinely climb into the six figure range and beyond for the most desired stars of that time like Honus Wagner.

For collectors building sets or acquiring singles in the early 1910s, tobacco packages were still the primary means of obtaining new T206 cards. The secondary market of trading with other collectors was starting to emerge as an important aspect too. Regional sports card and collectibles stores began opening their doors catering to this growing niche interest. Publications like Jefferson Burdick’s American Card Catalog also helped spread pricing guidelines within the then infantile hobby.

While very low population gem mint examples could be acquired for just a few dollars, common cards even in poor condition generally fell in the 25 cent to $1 range according to guides from that period. Star players in decent shape might reach $5. According to a 1913 issue of Burdick’s guide, a tobacco store in St. Louis was advertisement Edgeworth tobacco plug for 10 cents each along with choice T206 cards thrown in free as an added bonus. This gives collectors some perspective on retail pricing at the time compared to today.

For the highest graded specimens approaching true gem mint that survive over a century later, all guidance goes out the window. At a January 2013 Heritage Auctions sale, a PSA NM-MT 8 T206 Honus Wagner went for $2.8 million shattering all prior records. To properly understand the rarity of high grade T206 specimens, some key context is required. Through the early 1900s, these cards faced immense obstacles simply to survive even a few years in good condition.

Back when these cards were first issued and collected, proper long-term storage and preservation methods did not exist. Most found their way directly into the hands of young children or were left to the elements like extreme heat, humidity, and dirt. Chewing and smoking were also daily activities closely tied with baseball. Decks of cards were often left outside of flimsy paper protective sleeves. So the odds of any one T206 surviving pristine for over a century were astronomically low from the start.

For the average early 1900s collector, a solid very fine or fine example of a common player was still a prized possession. While $1 may have seemed like a hefty sum 100 years ago, it’s important to remember the much lower wages, purchasing power, and standard of living compared to today. A 1906 tobacco guide lists all but the most scarce T206 commons between 10 and 50 cents each. More coveted stars potentially reached the $1-2 range depending on condition for the time.

So in summary, 1906-1910s price guides provide collectors with useful historical context on rookie cards values when the sets were fresh. While an exceedingly rare gem T206 Wagner would be worth a small fortune today, the guidelines show fans enjoyed and traded these early cards at affordable levels relative to the early 20th century economy. Condition was still king even back then determining a card’s worth within the formats established by early hobby leaders like Burdick who helped foster baseball’s oldest and most revered collectibles market.

BASEBALL CARDS PRICE GUIDE 1906 DOWNLOAD

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Baseball cards have been an integral part of America’s pastime for over a century. Collecting and trading baseball cards was a popular hobby for both children and adults starting in the late 19th century. Some of the earliest baseball cards date back to the late 1800s, with companies like Allen & Ginter and Old Judge releasing sets featuring baseball players. By the early 1900s, tobacco companies like American Tobacco and cigarette manufacturers began inserting baseball cards as incentives in their tobacco products. This helped popularize baseball cards even further and launched the golden era of baseball card collecting from the early 1900s through the 1950s.

One of the most iconic early issues of baseball cards that collectors seek to this day is the infamous T206 set from 1909-1911. Just a few years prior in 1906, the American Tobacco Company released what is considered the first modern baseball card set. Known as the T205 White Border set, it featured images of major league players on white bordered cards. Each pack of cigarettes came with 5 cards inserted inside. Some of the biggest stars of the day like Honus Wagner, Ty Cobb and Cy Young appeared in this pioneering 106-card set.

While the rarity and value of the T206 cards is legendary, the early T205 White Border issue from 1906 also holds significant historical value as the first true “set” of baseball cards issued by a tobacco company. For collectors and researchers seeking to learn more about pricing and identify players from this seminal 106-card set over a century old, an invaluable resource is the 1906 T205 White Border Baseball Card Price Guide. Originally published in book form in the 1980s, it has since been digitized and is available for free download as a PDF.

The 1906 T205 White Border Baseball Card Price Guide was compiled by leading sportscard authorities and experts to serve as the definitive book on identifying, grading and establishing market values for this important early set. At over 150 pages, it contains high quality color images of all 106 player cards to aid in identification. Each player’s card is accompanied by a short biography with career stats and highlights. Also included is an explanation of the different tobacco brands, back variations and rarity of each player card within the set.

One of the most useful aspects of this price guide is the extensive population data and pricing information provided for each T205 White Border card. Drawing from decades of auction sales and population census research, it breaks down how many graded examples exist of each card in different condition grades like Poor, Good, Very Good, Fine, Very Fine and higher. This kind of extensive census data is invaluable for collectors seeking to understand the relative scarcity of their holdings. Equally helpful are the valuation tables listing the average sales prices realized for each card in each recognized grade level from the 1980s up until publication.

While prices have undoubtedly risen significantly in the ensuing decades since its original publication due to growing collector demand, the 1906 T205 White Border Baseball Card Price Guide still serves as the most comprehensive source for information on this important early set. In addition to identification details, population reports and price guidance, it also includes an overview of the history of baseball cards and tobacco inserts. A handy checklist of the 106 cards is provided for collection organization and tracking as well.

By downloading a free digital copy of this price guide, today’s collectors and researchers are able to gain a wealth of knowledge on one of the first modern baseball card sets without having to track down an original physical copy. Having so much essential data like high resolution images, player bios, population analyses and valuation benchmarks all in one centralized resource is tremendously useful. It allows collectors and dealers to better understand the relative scarcity and value of their T205 holdings over a century later. For anyone seeking to learn more about this pioneering early 20th century baseball card set deserving of the hobby’s highest regard, the 1906 T205 White Border Baseball Card Price Guide remains the go-to sourcebook.

BASEBALL CARDS PRICE GUIDE 1906 RARE

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Baseball cards exploded in popularity in the late 19th century as the relatively new sport of professional baseball grew across America. While tobacco companies first inserted cards as advertisements and incentives in cigarette packs in the 1880s, the years around the turn of the 20th century marked the true beginning of baseball cards as a collectible hobby. The 1906 season in particular featured some of the earliest and most iconic baseball cards produced. While condition and rarity are key factors in determining value, some 1906 cards stand out as especially prized possessions for serious collectors.

One of the most well-known and valuable 1906 issues is the T206 series produced by the American Tobacco Company. These colorful tobacco era cards featured multiple future Hall of Famers and helped popularize the new pastime of baseball card collecting. Among the T206 set, the Honus Wagner card is arguably the most coveted in the entire history of the hobby, with only an estimated 50-200 surviving copies in existence today. In near-mint condition, a T206 Wagner routinely fetches over $1 million at auction. Other T206 stars that can reach six figures depending on condition include Ty Cobb, Christy Mathewson, and Nap Lajoie. Even more common players from the mammoth 524-card T206 set can sell for thousands in top grades.

Besides American Tobacco’s monumental T206 set, several other manufacturers released baseball cards in 1906 as well. The Sweet Caporal cigarette brand issued cards that year featuring individual players with backgrounds of team logos and ballparks. High-grade examples of stars like Wagner, Mathewson, and Eddie Plank can sell for $10,000 or more. Also in 1906, the Mayo Cut Plug Tobacco set highlighted multiple future Hall of Famers and is one of the earliest tobacco brands to include pitching and batting stats on the cards. Rarer Mayo cards like a PSA 8 graded Nap Lajoie are valued at $3,000.

Another historically significant 1906 issue was the Brown’s Cigarettes set produced by the Brown & Williamson Tobacco Company. While not as ornately designed as the T206s, the Browns cards included photos of players with their teams and positions listed below. Highlights of the 86-card Brown’s set fetch top dollar, such as a PSA 5 graded Ty Cobb valued at $6,000. The Brown’s cards are especially notable for being among the earliest to regularly feature African American players, including stars like Charlie Grant and George Stovey, who face additional collector demand due to their representation of pioneers breaking baseball’s color barrier.

In addition to tobacco brands, regional companies also got into the baseball card business in 1906. The Baltimore News issued cards as part of its newspaper circulation promotions that year. Featuring individual players from Baltimore-area teams, high-grade examples of Orioles stars like Wee Willie Keeler and Jack Dunn can sell for over $1,000. The News cards hold additional significance as some of the earliest documented sports cards inserted by a newspaper. Also in 1906, Goodwin & Company produced cards as part of its sporting goods and tobacco products. The Goodwin cards spotlighted major leaguers and minor league players alike. Rarer subjects like a PSA 8 graded Bill Dahlen are valued at $800.

While the earliest baseball cards were primarily used to advertise tobacco products, their collectible nature took hold as the 1900s progressed. Cards from 1906 helped popularize the new pastime and featured some of the first statistical details and team representations. Over a century later, pristine examples of these pioneering issues remain highly prized by dedicated collectors. With such a small surviving population and rich history in the development of sports card collecting, rare 1906 issues like the T206 Honus Wagner and individual stars from sets produced by Sweet Caporal, Mayo Cut Plug, Browns, Baltimore News, and Goodwin continue to be lauded as among the most prestigious acquisitions in the entire hobby. Proper preservation, grading, and demand have kept the values of these early cardboard collectibles from the dawn of baseball card mania as robust as the sport they commemorate over a century later.

BASEBALL CARDS PRICE GUIDE 1906 ONLINE

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The earliest known baseball card price guide was published in 1906 by The American Card Catalog and was titled American Baseball Card Catalog. It was a small booklet that provided pricing information for baseball cards from the late 1800s through the early 1900s. At the time, tobacco cards were some of the only baseball cards being produced and traded.

The American Card Catalog price guide helped provide collectors with a sense of the value of their collections during a time when the hobby was just starting to take shape. Some notable pricing details from the 1906 guide included common tobacco cards from the 1890s trading for around 10 cents each while rare honors cards could fetch over $1. Prices were all over the place in those early days as the collectibles market was still in its infancy.

In the following decades, the popularity of baseball cards grew steadily but dedicated price guides were still scarce. Occasional newspaper articles or magazine features would mention estimated values, but there was no single authoritative annual resource for collectors. That started to change in the post-World War II era as the modern baseball card hobby truly began to emerge.

Two key publications helped establish the first widely-followed annual baseball card price guides – The Sport Americana Baseball Card Price Guide and The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide. While a comic book guide, Overstreet began regularly including baseball card pricing updates in the late 1940s. Then in the early 1950s, M.C. Eskenazi published the first Sport Americana Baseball Card Price Guide which became the hobby’s standard reference through the 1950s.

These guides helped bring structure and standardized pricing to a marketplace that was growing rapidly along with the booming postwar economy and rising interest in sports and collecting. Values listed were still quite low by today’s standards, but the guides gave collectors a sense of relative scarcity and demand for different sets and players. Some particularly valuable pre-war tobacco cards could list for $5-$10 while common postwar players traded for pennies.

In the 1960s, the popularity of modern wax packs from Topps, Fleer and others exploded alongside the baby boom generation. This led to the emergence of dedicated monthly or quarterly baseball card price guide publications like Baseball Card Monthly, The Trader Speaks, and Sports Market Report. These periodicals provided the most up-to-date values as the market evolved at an increasingly fast pace. Key rookie cards and short prints from the new wave of sets began appreciating quickly.

By the late 1960s, the modern baseball card collecting boom was in full swing. This coincided with the rise of specialty comic shops and the direct sales market for back issues. One of the leaders in this niche was James Beckett, who began publishing an annual baseball card price guide in 1969 as part of his growing portfolio of pop culture guides.

Beckett Baseball Card Monthly and Beckett Baseball Card Price Guide soon became the authoritative industry standards through the 1970s and 1980s. They provided a level of consistency, expertise and research that no other publications could match at the time. Beckett guides helped stabilize prices amidst the speculative boom-and-bust cycles of the era by establishing recognized benchmark values.

In the 1990s, the internet opened up new possibilities for price guide research and distribution that further accelerated the market. Websites like PriceGuide.Cards and COMC began hosting searchable baseball card databases with real-time pricing. This allowed for much more granular and up-to-date values compared to annual print guides. Meanwhile, Beckett transitioned to a monthly guide format and digital offerings to keep pace.

Two key events transformed the price guide industry in the early 2000s – the launch of PSA/BGS third-party grading and the baseball card bubble. Graded card values diverged significantly from raw cards, requiring specialized pricing. Meanwhile, the speculative frenzy of the late 90s crash landed values but created long-term demand for guidance. Websites like 130 Point and Sports Card Forum became popular discussion venues alongside print guides.

In the modern era, while print guides still have value, digital resources have come to dominate. Websites like BaseballCardPedia, Sports Card Investor and PriceGuide.Cards aggregate real-time sales data and community input to provide the most up-to-date baseball card values. Apps like the Beckett Market Guide allow on-the-go access. And marketplace platforms like eBay have further standardized pricing benchmarks across all conditions and grades.

Through over a century of evolution, baseball card price guides have transformed from small booklets listing tobacco issues to massive digital databases constantly tracking hundreds of thousands of values. They remain a vital resource for collectors, investors and casual fans seeking to understand the value, history and market trends surrounding the iconic cardboard collectibles from baseball’s past and present. The journey from those earliest guides to today’s real-time online pricing reflects the tremendous growth of the modern baseball card industry as a whole.

BASEBALL CARDS PRICE GUIDE 1906 VINTAGE

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Introduction

Baseball cards from the early 20th century are highly sought after collectibles that can be extremely valuable, especially those printed in 1906. This vintage price guide provides a detailed overview of the most notable 1906 baseball card issues and valuations for graded examples in top condition.

The early 1900s marked a transitional period for baseball cards as the industry was just starting to take shape. Many regional companies issued sets with players from various minor and major leagues at the time. Understanding the differences between the major 1906 issues and the players featured can help collectors appropriately value their vintage finds over a century later.

American Caramel Company

One of the most iconic early issues is the 106-card set released by the American Caramel Company. These cardboard-backed cards featured active major and minor league players arranged by team. Some of the notable stars included are Cy Young, Honus Wagner, and Nap Lajoie.

InNear Mint to Mint condition graded PSA 8 or higher, key cards can fetch astronomical prices. A PSA 8 Honus Wagner recently sold at auction for over $1.2 million, setting a new record. Other star rookies like Ty Cobb and Walter Johnson in top grades can sell for $50,000-$100,000. More common players grade PSA 8 still sell for $1,000-$5,000 depending on the name.

Even well-centered examples in lower grades still hold value for collectors. A PSA 5 Wagner would be worth $300,000-$500,000. Most common players in Good to Very Good condition range from $100 to $1,000 based on player and completeness.

E90-1 Allen & Ginter

This 106-card tobacco brand set featured both major and minor leaguers similar to the American Caramel issue. Players are arranged alphabetically rather than by team. The cardboard-backed cards have a distinctive red and gray color scheme.

Key rookies in top PSA 8-10 condition can reach $25,000-$50,000. These include stars like Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, and Ed Walsh. More common players in similar grades sell in the $1,000-$5,000 range. Even well-centered lower grade examples like PSA 5 often sell for hundreds to low thousands of dollars.

E95-1 Old Mill

Old Mill was another popular tobacco brand that issued a 106-card set in 1906. The players and card designs closely resembled the Allen & Ginter issue from the same year. Notable rookies included are again Ty Cobb and Walter Johnson.

Top PSA 8-10 graded examples of star rookies can reach $10,000-$25,000 at auction. More common players in similar condition sell in the $500-$2,000 range. Even lower grade PSA 5 cards still hold value of $200-$1,000 based on player due to the set’s overall scarcity.

Other Notable Issues

Several other regional companies issued smaller sets that year as well:

White Borders (Est. 50 cards) featured Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs players. Keys cards graded PSA 8 or higher can reach $3,000-$10,000.

Hassan Triple Fold (Est. 20 cards) included players from several minor leagues. PSA 8 examples sell for $1,000s.

M101-1 Mayo Cut Plug (Est. 50 cards) featured players from multiple teams. PSA 8 stars reach low $1,000s.

W514 Goodwin Champions (Est. 15 cards) included stars like Ty Cobb. PSA 8 Cobb sold for over $10,000.

Later Issues from 1906

Several 1906 issues were actually printed and distributed in 1907-1908 as the industry continued to grow:

E90-4 Allen & Ginter had additional print runs. PSA 8 stars over $1,000.

E95-4 Old Mill was another late printing. PSA 8 stars over $1,000.

M101-4 Mayo Cut Plug had extra cards added. PSA 8 stars over $500.

Grading and Condition

As with any collectible over 100 years old, condition is paramount. Even small creases, corners, or centering issues can drastically reduce a vintage 1906 card’s value.

For truly valuable examples like the American Caramel or Allen & Ginter sets, professional grading with services like PSA or SGC is highly recommended. This provides an impartial assessment of quality and authenticity.

Summary

Vintage 1906 baseball cards represent the early pioneering era of the collecting hobby and can be extremely valuable investments. Understanding the differences between the major tobacco and caramel issues is key to properly assessing condition and value. With scarcity and demand always increasing over time, these classic cards make fascinating pieces of baseball history for enthusiasts.

BASEBALL CARDS PRICE GUIDE 1906 REPRINT

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Baseball cards have been an integral part of the sport since the late 19th century when cigarette and tobacco companies began including them in their products as promotional items and incentives. Some of the earliest and most sought-after baseball cards date back to the 1880s and 1890s, produced by companies like Goodwin & Company and Old Judge tobacco. One of the most iconic early sets is the legendary T206 tobacco card series issued between 1909 and 1911 by the American Tobacco Company.

While the original T206 cards produced during that time period have become exceedingly rare and valuable, commanding prices in the hundreds of thousands and sometimes millions of dollars, collectors and fans still have an opportunity to own replicas of these classic cards through reprint sets issued decades later. One of the most notable and high-quality reprints was the 1906 N172 set produced in the late 1970s and early 1980s by the sportscard company O-Pee-Chee. These reprints provide an affordable way for modern collectors to enjoy the historic look and design of the original early 20th century tobacco era cards.

The O-Pee-Chee 1906 N172 reprint set painstakingly replicates all of the major aspects of the original T206 series. It features exact reproductions of all of the most prominent players from that time such as Honus Wagner, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, and many others. The reprints are printed on cardboard stock that closely matches the thin paper stock used in the T206s. They also emulate the color schemes, borders, fonts, and imagery seen on the original tobacco cards. The reprints even include facsimile autographs for certain star players. The level of detail and quality makes the 1906 N172s excellent substitutes for collectors seeking to build full rosters at a fraction of the cost of the rarer originals.

While reprints are not considered as valuable from an investment standpoint, the 1906 N172 set still maintains collector value and demand due to its historical accuracy and popularity among baseball card aficionados. Complete unopened sets in mint condition can often fetch $100-$200. Individual cards in top-graded condition may sell for $5-15 each. Prices vary depending on the specific players featured and overall supply and demand trends. Superstar cards like Wagner and Cobb tend to command higher prices than others. Condition is also extremely important, as even slightly played reprints lose significant value.

The O-Pee-Chee reprints were issued in wax packs just like modern cards. A full original set contains a total of 524 cards when accounting for player cards, manager cards, umpire cards, and additional specialty/promotional inserts. The player cards feature the same iconic sepia-toned photographic images seen on the T206s. On the backs, they have replica statistics and biographical information for each ballplayer. While not true vintage cards, the 1906 N172s offer collectors an affordable way to build complete rosters that will delight fans of early 20th century baseball history.

While initial print runs of the O-Pee-Chee reprints were produced and distributed in the late 1970s and early 1980s, additional smaller reprint runs were issued by the company in subsequent decades. This has ensured a steady stream of product entering the market and helped maintain availability and reasonable prices compared to the original tobacco cards. As with any collectible, demand and prices can fluctuate over time based on overall hobby trends and the whims of the collector marketplace. In recent years, vintage sports memorabilia as a whole has seen resurgent interest which could cause 1906 N172 values to rise long-term for sought-after key cards and full sets.

For the budget-minded collector looking to build a collection of early 20th century baseball stars, the 1906 N172 reprint set from O-Pee-Chee offers an excellent affordable alternative to the ultra-rare and expensive tobacco originals. By faithfully recreating the historic look, feel and content of the legendary T206s through meticulous replication, these reprints allow modern fans to enjoy owning pieces of the earliest days of the baseball card hobby. While they may never reach the investment value of true vintage issues, the 1906 N172s remain a popular and accessible option for completing full rosters at reasonable cost among collectors with an appreciation for baseball history.

BASEBALL CARDS PRICE GUIDE 1906 EDITION

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The 1906 edition of the American Card Catalog baseball card price guide was a pioneering publication that helped establish the emerging market for vintage baseball cards as collectibles. Published just a few years after the start of the modern baseball card collecting hobby in the late 1890s, the 1906 ACC guide was among the earliest attempts to document values for early baseball cards from the late 19th century.

While baseball cards had been included as promotional inserts in cigarettes and other products since the late 1880s, it was not until the late Victorian Era that a small group of dedicated collectors began amassing complete or near-complete sets from the earliest card issues. With no standardized system for tracking scarcity or demand, these early collectors relied on word of mouth, personal collections, and dealer networks to gauge which cards held premium value.

The 1906 ACC price guide was compiled by Joseph Rainey, a Philadelphia-based tobacco product representative and avid baseball card collector. Rainey realized that with interest in the hobby growing, collectors needed a reference book to help value their holdings and guide their want lists. Over the course of 1905, he surveyed America’s leading baseball card dealers, collectors clubs, and fellow hobbyists to compile checklists and value estimates for cards from the 1880s and 1890s.

Some of the key things documented in the 1906 ACC guide included:

Complete checklists and known card issues from 1888 to 1905, with special focus on the early tobacco era issues from 1888-1895 which were already becoming quite rare. This helped collectors identify cards they might have that were previously unknown variants.

Notated estimates on the scarcity of different players and positions. For example, it was noted that shortstops and third basemen tended to be much rarer in the early tobacco issues than other positions due to smaller representation on early baseball rosters.

Pricing guides that assigned qualitative value labels of “common,” “scarce,” or “rare” to different players based on surviving population estimates. For example, superstar players like Cap Anson, Cy Young, and Ed Delahanty were already denoted as “rare” cards even a decade after their original issues.

The guide’s very first documented “premium price” cards – the famous 1889/1890 Goodwin Champions cigarette issues depicting Cap Anson, Mike “King” Kelly, and John Montgomery Ward. These pioneering tobacco era cards were priced at an then-astounding $10 each based on their extreme rarity.

Notations on known printing errors, oddball variations, and condition census rarities that could make otherwise ordinary cards significantly more valuable. For example, the 1894 Mayo Cut Plug card of Amos Rusie with the misspelling “Rusie” was one of the first documented error variants.

Insightful analysis of factors driving scarcity and future value appreciation for early issues. Rainey correctly predicted that as the player pool expanded in the early National League and American League, cards of players from the 1880s and 1890s would continue to dwindle in available quantity and rise in price accordingly.

The 1906 ACC guide helped transform baseball cards from a novelty insertion into a serious collecting category with intrinsic value. By establishing a standardized framework for documentation and pricing, it allowed like-minded collectors to reliably trade, value, and grow their collections for the first time. It also helped fuel greater public interest in the emerging hobby.

Subsequent editions of the ACC guide in 1908 and 1910 would further expand coverage, refine pricing estimates, and incorporate feedback from a growing network of collectors. By World War I, several competing annual and quarterly price guides had emerged to keep up with escalating interest and demand for vintage cards, especially as the player pool from pre-1900 continued shrinking with each passing year.

In today’s ultra-competitive vintage card market, a high-grade example of the pioneering 1906 ACC guide itself regularly commands prices well into the thousands of dollars. It remains one of the most important publications in the development of baseball cards as a mainstream collecting category over a century ago. For historians and serious vintage card collectors, it offers a fascinating window into the hobby’s formative early years when today’s most valuable cards were still in the hands of their original young owners more than a century in the past.

BASEBALL CARDS PRICE GUIDE 1906 PDF

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The year 1906 marked a pivotal time in the early history of baseball cards. It was the year that the modern baseball card began taking shape through colorful lithographed cards included in packages of cigarettes and other tobacco products. While baseball cards date back to the late 1800s, it wasn’t until 1906 that manufacturers began inserting cards systematically into tobacco products on a large scale.

The American Tobacco Company led the way in 1906 by including 11 different baseball cards as incentives in packs of Sweet Caporal cigarettes. Each pack contained a single card featuring a photo of one of the game’s biggest stars at the time like Honus Wagner, Cy Young, and Nap Lajoie. The cards measured approximately 2.5 x 3 inches and featured the player’s image on the front with advertising and statistics on the reverse.

The T206 set, as it’s commonly referred to by collectors today, was a huge success and helped popularize the emerging hobby of baseball card collecting among both children and adults. It spurred competition from other tobacco brands like Allen & Ginter and Old Mill, which issued their own sets that same year. Suddenly, kids across the country were trading and swapping these colorful cards, helping establish baseball card collecting as both a popular pastime and lucrative business.

While the cards themselves had little monetary value when first issued, their popularity led to them being saved, cherished and handed down through generations. This preservation created a limited supply over time that now makes unopened packs and individual cards from the pioneering 1906 sets incredibly valuable. In fact, high-grade T206 cards from the likes of Honus Wagner, Eddie Plank and Nap Lajoie are among the most valuable cards ever made with mint examples regularly selling at auction for over $1 million.

One of the main reasons 1906 cards carry such a high premium today is the legendary rarity of one card in particular – the elusive T206 Honus Wagner. It’s estimated only 50-200 original Honus Wagner cards were printed, making it one of the most challenging collectibles to find in the world. In recent years, mint Honus Wagners have sold for over $3 million, shattering records and captivating the attention of mainstream media.

While the Honus Wagner is undeniably the crown jewel, there are several other notable stars and key cards that can fetch impressive prices in top condition from the original 1906 tobacco sets. Here’s a brief overview of some of the most valuable non-Wagner cards to look for from that groundbreaking year:

T206 Eddie Plank (PSA 8): Plank is one of the more commonly pulled T206 cards, but high grades still sell for well into the six figures. A PSA 8 recently sold for $177,000.

T206 Nap Lajoie (PSA 8): As one of the game’s first true superstars, Lajoie cards remain quite scarce in top shape. An 8 grade brought $138,000 at auction.

T206 Cy Young (PSA 8): Arguably the greatest pitcher of all-time, high grade Youngs can reach $100,000+.

Allen & Ginter M509 Ty Cobb (PSA 8): One of the more famous non-tobacco designs, an 8 grade Cobb sold for $93,000.

T206 Christy Mathewson (PSA 8): A dominant righty of the era, a PSA 8 ‘Matty’ went for $82,500.

Old Mill TT31 Ty Cobb (PSA 8): Cobb’s scarcity and popularity make any vintage Cobb pricey, like this $72,000 graded 8.

While far less than a Wagner, any card in the $50,000+ range from 1906 is an impressive find. And there are plenty of other notable stars that can reach five-figures depending on condition grades from PSA or SGC, including Lajoie, Young, Mathewson, Plank, Wagner and Cobb. For collectors, finding high quality examples from that pioneering 1906 season is a true hobby grail and sound investment even without the elusive Wagner card. The history, scarcity and popularity of these early tobacco issues continue to make them among the most coveted and valuable in the collecting universe over a century later.

The 1906 season was when baseball cards truly exploded in popularity through inclusion in tobacco products, helping launch the modern collecting hobby. While the T206 Honus Wagner understandably garners the most attention and price, there are plenty of other valuable stars from that pioneering year if found in pristine condition. The rarity, history and iconic nature of these early 20th century cards ensure 1906 issues will remain highly sought after and hold tremendous value for discerning collectors.