High Grade T206 Cards?

robr1967

I am just curious and want to put this question out to the masses.

What grades would you consider a T206 to be, to be called high grade?

I know in reference to what I have collected in the past the 50's and 60's I would call PSA 8's and above to be considered high grade.

When it would come to a PSA 8 though in the T206 set, I would nearly call that a museum piece.

I know the SMR only goes as low as PSA 5's in the price listing. On a set this old, why wouldn't/shouldn't they go all the way down to pricing grades for 1's as well. I have seen that some people are actually doing sets that low.

As for the PSA 5's. Do they usually sell for right around SMR? Much higher or lower? I am sure the low pop and the distinctly different reverses sell for premiums. What kind of price ranges do PSA 4's go for?

I have been thinking of trying to start work on this set, and have trying to figure out what level to try to get into.

Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated.

Thanks
Rob Ruth

mikeschmidt

Rob:

T206 prices have dropped considerably in the past few months. PSA 5s and 6s are off about 15% or so. I personally think PSA 5s and above are all very beautiful from the set. You definitely will find huge price variations for about 75 or so commons from the set just given their relative scarcity, due sometimes to print series, etc. (but not always...for example, Magee portrait always commands a strong premium)

Here are my two nicest cards from the set:

msassin

You should be able to put together a good start of a set of 5's at or below SMR (commons generally sell for around $100).

A also agree that prices have dropped the last few months as I've been able to pick up 6's for well under $200 (I was never able to get them at that price a year ago).

I don't pay much attention to PSA 4 commons in terms of prices, but you can pick up some common HOFers in PSA 4 for around $150


Very nice cards mikeschmidt!

BobbyVCP

You should join vintagecardprices.com we have the latest pricing on all grades and graders for the T206 set and it is up to the minute. Plus you can create a Want List and get email notices everytime a card you want becomes available in auction.

scooter729

I've been finding some PSA 4's below $50 recently which I need, and you can get PSA 3 for $30 and under sometimes, which is a steal if you are OK with a lower grade card....

Stingray

<< <i>I've been finding some PSA 4's below $50 recently which I need, and you can get PSA 3 for $30 and under sometimes, which is a steal if you are OK with a lower grade card.... >>




I would anything 6 and up would be considered high grade, it seems to me prices start to really go up at that point. It seems that from PSA 2- to PSA 4 cards can be all over the place as far as appearance. I just started getting into these cards and I have to say some of them are just little pieces of art. The colors are just amazing on some.

fandango

who is the harris collection?

robr1967

Who is the Harris Collection?

I hope this doesnt come across as mean sounding, but if you are asking that, it sounds like you are a collecting newbie?

The Harris collection, was one of the best if not the best colelction of T206 cards ever assembled.

One day, I hope just to be able to have one to call my own. That was an amazing assembly of cards, that must have taken forever to accomplish and put together. I can't imagine how difficult it would have been to part with that set.

Although, I was prett much in the same boat when it came to my 1955 AA FB set. I ended up selling my baby to buy my first house.

Rob

gamehunter

<Who is the Harris Collection?

I wonder how many different collections have their pedigree represented on slabs now? We already know that Harris and Carter's are being labeled and I think Burdick and Halper's is also. What about Shigley or Cryder? Wasn't Shigley supposed to have the only collection that was larger than Jefferson Burdick's?

sonoranmonsoon

As you climb above PSA 5, the prices move far beyond the SMQ quotes. By the time you get to the 8's, the gap is tremendous. I agree with some of the other statements in this thread, there has been a little softness in prices lately (at least in the lower and middle grades), but not as bad as other card series or coins. T206's prices will always benifit from limited supply and popularity. Yes, there can be a hiccup here and there, but generally they consistantly move up over time. Probably the best way to get a feel for the prices, is to track ebay final sales for a while. After compiling enough data, you can get a good idea of what the market is willing to accept. Good hunting!

robr1967

Thank you all for your responses.

My biggets thing I was wondering about was what people consider high grade for this set. I was just curious about pricing and how the market was, but when it comes to collecting, I always try to build a pretty nice quality set.

I know PSA 8's are considered high grade for the 50's and 60's where I have been in the past in collecting, but how low would still be considered high grade for something this old? PSA 5's or 6's? Maybe 4's?

Thanks
Rob

asphaltman76

PSA 6's.....could be considered high grade for big name HOF'ers and rare backs..as prices take a jump

PSA 7's for commons

sonoranmonsoon

<< <i>PSA 6's.....could be considered high grade for big name HOF'ers and rare backs..as prices take a jump

PSA 7's for commons >>


That sounds very accurate to me.

cravetopps

you can't figure out what level to "get into" without understanding what your budget is and how long you are willing to build the set. There are very few sets on the registry exceeding an overall GPA of 5 and there are some extremely well heeled collectors of this set. Anyway, figure out your budget, and then set your grade objective. You can always get higher grade commons and lower grade stars/low pop commons and still meet your targeted overall GPA.

mikeschmidt

<< <i>PSA 6's.....could be considered high grade for big name HOF'ers and rare backs..as prices take a jump

PSA 7's for commons >>



It also depends on how rare the back is.

For Drum backs, anything above 3 is high grade.

For BL 460s, anything above 2 is high grade.

For Carolina Brights, anything above 5 is high grade.

For ABs, anything above 5 is high grade.

For Polar Bears (which aren't rare, but are very condition sensitive), above 5 is high grade.

For Uzits and Lenox, anything above 4 is high grade.

digicat

<< <i> hope this doesnt come across as mean sounding, but if you are asking that, it sounds like you are a collecting newbie? >>



Yeah, you tell em. Call out those silly n00b's and put them in their place!

(I've collected for almost 20 years and have never heard of the Harris collection until now. Then again, I don't pay much attention to pre-war stuff.)

asphaltman76

"It also depends on how rare the back is.

For Drum backs, anything above 3 is high grade.

For BL 460s, anything above 2 is high grade.

For Carolina Brights, anything above 5 is high grade.

For ABs, anything above 5 is high grade.

For Polar Bears (which aren't rare, but are very condition sensitive), above 5 is high grade.

For Uzits and Lenox, anything above 4 is high grade."


I would agree to a point....I wasn't trying to break it down that much...for me personally a Drum or Broadleaf 460 in a 1 or 10 is high enough grade for me....and I'm very interested in buying either like that....

My "high" grades of each of the rare backs as of now...

Carolina Brights PSA 4
Broadleaf 350 SGC 10
Broadleaf 460 "I need one!"
Drum SGC 30
Brown Hindu PSA 4
Red Hindu "I need one!"
Uzit SGC 30
Lenox PSA 2 (but is a Hof'er)

mikeschmidt

The best I've been able to muster up:

Sovereign 150: 4 VG/EX
American Beauty: 6 EX/MT
Broadleaf 350: 2 Good
Cycle: 4 VG/EX (for both 350 and 460 series)
Drum: 3 Very Good
Sovereign 350: 5 Excellent
Piedmont 460 Fact. 42: 5 Excellent
Carolina Brights: 5 Excellent
EPDG: 3 Very Good
Hindu Brown: 4 VG/EX
Hindu Red: 3 Very Good
Lenox: 2 Good
Old Mill: 6 EX/MT
Polar Bear: 5 Excellent
Tolstoi: 5 Excellent
Uzit: 3 Very Good

robr1967

Mike:

Thanks for the thoughts on the backs and the grades. This will help greatly. I was also wondering which backs are really rare and so on. Your posts will help otu quite a bit.

msassin

There is a lot of useful T206 information (back scarcity) information here:

T206 Museum.com