Tag Archives: 1912

BASEBALL CARDS PRICE GUIDE 1912 T207

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The 1912 T207 baseball card set is one of the most valuable sets in the history of sports cards. Issued by the American Tobacco Company as promotional inserts in packs of cigarettes and chewing tobacco from 1909-1911, the T207 set featured players from both the American and National Leagues and is considered by many to be the high-water mark of early 20th century baseball cards.

The rarity and condition of T207 cards is what drives their immense value. Only around 50 complete sets are known to exist in collectible condition today out of the millions that were originally produced over a decade ago. The scarcity is due to the fragile paper stock and gummy backs that were used, which caused most to disintegrate over the past 100 years. Another factor is that they were considered disposable at the time and not meant to be collected.

When grading the condition of a T207 card, the two main professional third-party authentication/grading services used are PSA and SGC. PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator) uses a 1-10 grading scale while SGC (Sportscard Guaranty Corporation) uses a 1-8 scale. To be considered in high-grade condition suitable for a serious collection, most collectors agree a T207 card needs to be PSA 4/SGC 3 or higher to still showcase the original color and detail. Anything lower risks damage, creases, stains or fading that diminishes the value.

Here is an overview of value ranges for some of the most coveted T207 cards across different condition grades according to recent auction prices:

Honus Wagner (PSA 5): $2.1 million
Honus Wagner (PSA 4): $900,000
Christy Mathewson (PSA 5): $480,000
Ty Cobb (PSA 5): $360,000
Walter Johnson (PSA 5): $300,000

PSA 3 grades of those same cards would still fetch big money, in the $150,000-$250,000 range. Even a lowly PSA 2 can sell for $30,000-$60,000 depending on the star player depicted. And raw/ungraded T207 cards from top names regularly pull in five figures at auction.

Moving into more common players than the elite HOFers, here are valuation benchmarks across condition:

PSA 5: $10,000-$25,000
PSA 4: $3,000-$8,000
PSA 3: $1,000-$3,000
PSA 2: $500-$1,200

Grade is absolutely king for T207s. A PSA 5 example of an otherwise ordinary player from the set could be worth 10-20 times more than a lower grade PSA 3 of the same card just due to condition factors. And the true icon cards like the Wagner are virtually priceless for serious collectors willing to spend millions to own a piece of history.

For the savvy small-time collector on a budget, there are still affordable opportunities in the T207 set if you expand condition expectations. A run-of-the-mill role player can often be acquired in raw/ungraded form for $100-300 if you don’t mind minor flaws. Or you could snag a mid-grade PSA 3 of a solid regular for $500-1000. Just understand you won’t achieve huge appreciation by holding, but there is fun to be had owning an authentic piece of the earliest American sports card era.

The value of a 1912 T207 baseball card is overwhelmingly driven by two factors – the name depicted and the state of preservation. Grade is king for collectors and investors chasing high returns. But there are still reasonably-priced entry points available if condition isn’t a dealbreaker. For a single set that is over 100 years old, the enduring popularity and price structure of the T207s show no signs of slowing as new generations discover the historic significance of these early trading cards.

BASEBALL CARDS PRICE GUIDE 1912

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Baseball cards exploded in popularity in the late 19th century as tobacco companies began including them in cigarette and cigar packages as premiums and incentives to buy their products. By 1912, baseball cards had become hugely collectible items across America. While pricing guides and resources were not as developed as they are today, we can still get a sense of the value of early 20th century baseball cards from the information that was recorded at the time.

The early 1910s marked the transition from tobacco cards to more premium sets directly sold to collectors. In 1911, the American Tobacco Company lost its monopoly and production of baseball cards expanded beyond just tobacco inserts. Companies like American Caramel began directly producing and distributing sets of cards not tied to tobacco products. This increased availability drove more interest in collecting from fans.

The most valuable cards circa 1912 came from the very earliest tobacco issues of the late 1880s and 1890s, which are now considered the hobby’s most iconic releases. The 1887 N168 Old Judge tobacco cards featured future Hall of Famers like Roger Connor, Tim Keefe and Jim O’Rourke. In near mint condition, key cards from this set could sell for $5-10 each, equivalent to around $125-250 in today’s dollars based on inflation.

The most coveted single card was the 1889 N13 Old Judge card of baseball’s first true star, Cap Anson of the Chicago White Stockings. Anson was baseball’s first true celebrity and his card was hugely popular. In top preserved condition with strong color, an Anson card could be worth $15-20 in 1912 currency.

Cards from the even rarer and more historic 1888 Goodwin Champions set also commanded high prices. The set featured early stars like Buck Ewing, King Kelly and Jim Brown. Their cards were extremely tough to acquire in 1912 since so few survived in high grade from over 20 years prior. A pristine 1888 Goodwin card might sell for $25-50, around $600-1200 today.

Moving into the 1890s, the most valuable tobacco issues were the 1891–1893 Mayo Cut Plug and Leaf tobacco cards. These colorful, graphically intricate cards became highly collectible and included early National League teams like the Boston Beaneaters and Baltimore Orioles. Keys cards like a 1893 Leaf Billy Hamilton or 1891 Mayo Plug King Kelly could be worth $10-15 each in 1912 money if in top condition.

The most accessible cards to collectors in the early 1910s dated from the late 1890s and early 1900s. Sets like 1899 T206 White Borders, 1898 Strip Ticket Cabinet and 1896 Star Collectors Series were still quite collectible even though only 15 years old at most. An intact 1896 Star set in very good condition may have sold for $10-15 in total at the time. Single cards ranged from 50 cents to $2-3 depending on player, condition and scarcity.

Pricing also varied greatly depending on what city a collector lived in. Cards were worth significantly more in major league cities where there was stronger local interest. For example, a 1909 T206 card of Chicago Cubs star Joe Tinker may have sold for $1-2 in Chicago but only 50 cents elsewhere since his star power was higher locally. Regional price differences could be dramatic.

By far the most widely collected and available cards circa 1912 were the modern issues of the late 1900s and very early 1910s. Complete sets of the 1909-1911 T206 White Border and 1911 T205 Gold Border issues could typically be acquired for $5-10. Popular Chicago players like Ed Reulbach and Frank Schulte from these sets may have added $1-2 to the value.

The rarest and most historic 1880s and 1890s tobacco era cards understandably topped the prices guides of 1912. But there was strong collector demand for any early 20th century issues as well, as the modern hobby was just taking shape. Regional differences and player popularity were also major factors. While dollar amounts may seem small today, they translated to significant value over 100 years ago. This gives collectors a sense of relative pricing tiers for the exciting early era of baseball’s collectible card boom.

1912 IMPERIAL TOBACCO BASEBALL CARDS

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The 1912 Imperial Tobacco baseball card set is one of the most iconic issues in the history of sports card collecting. Produced and distributed by the Imperial Tobacco Company of Canada as promotional items included in tobacco products, the 1912 Imperials marked a seminal moment in the emergence of baseball cards as a serious collecting category in their own right.

Imperial Tobacco had been including illustrated cards featuring Canadian athletes and sports teams in their tobacco products since the late 1890s. The 1912 issue was the company’s first major multi-player baseball card set, containing images of 52 individual ballplayers from both the American and National Leagues. Prior to this, baseball cards were produced sporadically and in much smaller quantities by manufacturers like Allen & Ginter and Leaf Tobacco. The 1912 Imperials helped establish baseball cards as a mainstream collectible in North America.

Some key attributes that make the 1912 Imperial Tobacco baseball cards so desirable and valuable among collectors today include:

Rarity and survival rate: Very few complete or near-complete sets exist today given how lightly printed they were over 100 years ago and the perishable nature of the thin cardboard stock used at that time. Population estimates indicate perhaps only 100-200 sets have survived to modern times.

Iconic rookie cards: The set includes the earliest-known baseball cards for future Hall of Famers like Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, and Eddie Collins. These are key “rookie cards” that can sell for over $100,000 each in top condition.

Historical significance: As one of the earliest large-scale baseball card sets ever produced, the 1912 Imperials helped spark nationwide interest in collecting players’ cards as memorabilia. They capture the game during the dead-ball era just before the rise of Babe Ruth.

Visual design: Strikingly colorful chromolithographic printing produced bright, highly detailed card images at a time when much sports photography was still in its infancy. The cards depict players in realistic action poses that remain novel and appealing today.

Canadian production rarity: Very few premium sports card sets were printed in Canada in the early 20th century. The patriotic Canadian tobacco packaging made the cards immediately collectible as a novelty in both the U.S. and Canada.

When newly released in 1912, the Imperial Tobacco baseball cards sold for just a few cents per pack or tin of tobacco. It didn’t take long for serious collectors and dealers to recognize their historical value and rarity even in the 1910s-20s. Prices rose quickly, with complete sets occasionally advertised for $25-50 in the late 1920s – huge sums for the time.

After a lull in the Depression era, postwar collecting boom saw renewed high demand and prices paid for the iconic 1912 Imperials. In 1946, a full set was sold at auction by the American Card Catalog Company for $585 – more than the price of a new car. By the 1960s, single high-grade “rookie” cards alone traded hands for $1,000-5,000 depending on the player featured.

Today, major auction houses regularly sell individual 1912 Imperial Tobacco baseball cards for well into the five figures depending on condition and pedigree. A complete set in top-graded Near Mint to Mint condition would almost certainly achieve over $1 million at public auction. Rare GEM MT 10 examples of stars like Cobb and Collins have reached near or over $200,000 apiece.

Without question, the 1912 Imperial Tobacco baseball cards were a turning point in the evolution of modern sports memorabilia collecting. By mass producing attractive, durable images of major leaguers at the dawn of a new century, these cards helped spark worldwide fandom for the players and an enduring market for their cardboard collectibles that remains thriving over a century later.