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Holy card! Nuns auctioning rare Honus Wagner

Holy card! Nuns auctioning rare Honus Wagner

BY BEN NUCKOLS

ASSOCIATED PRESS

BALTIMORE -- Sister Virginia Muller had never heard of shortstop Honus Wagner.
But she quickly learned the baseball great is a revered figure among collectors, and the most sought-after baseball card in history. And thanks to an unexpected donation, one of the century-old cards belongs to Muller and her order, the Baltimore-based School Sisters of Notre Dame.
The sisters are auctioning off the card, which despite its poor condition is expected to fetch between $150,000 and $200,000. The proceeds will go to their ministries in 35 countries around the world.
The card is part of the T206 series, produced between 1909 and 1911. About 60 Wagner cards are known to exist.
A near-mint-condition T206 Wagner card sold in 2007 for $2.8 million, the highest price ever for a baseball card. Muller remains aghast that the 1 1/4-inch-by-2 1/2-inch piece of cardboard could sell for even a fraction of that.
"It just boggles your mind," Muller told The Associated Press. "I can't remember a time when we have received anything like this."
The brother of a nun who died in 1999 left all his possessions to the order when he died earlier this year. The man's lawyer told Muller he had a Honus Wagner card in a safe-deposit box.
When they opened the box, they found the card, with a typewritten note: "Although damaged, the value of this baseball card should increase exponentially throughout the 21st century!"
The card was unknown to the sports-memorabilia marketplace because the nuns' benefactor had owned it since 1936.
It has a big crease in the upper right-hand corner, and three of the white borders have been cut off. It has also been laminated. But even in poor condition, a T206 Wagner card is prized by collectors, said Chris Ivy, director of sports auctions at Heritage Auction Galleries in Dallas, which is auctioning the card.
"The T206 set is known as 'The Monster' among collectors. It's just really tough to complete the entire set," Ivy said. The Wagner card is "one of those that's always sought-after, always desirable, and there's not a big population of them. Even in a lower grade, they do have quite a bit of demand and command a strong price."
Wagner, nicknamed "The Flying Dutchman," played for 21 seasons, 18 of them with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He compiled a .328 career batting average and was one of the five original inductees into baseball's Hall of Fame.
The card was printed during the prime of Wagner's career, but the American Tobacco Company ended production soon after it began. Some say Wagner didn't want to promote tobacco products to children. Others believe it was a dispute over money that led to the card being pulled.
On the card, Wagner appears stocky and pale, with his hair parted down the middle and the city on his jersey misspelled: "Pittsburg."
The auction ends Nov. 4, and the highest bid was $60,000 as of Wednesday morning.
Muller is making frequent checks to the Heritage Auction Galleries website - an unusual practice for someone who's taken a vow of poverty. But potential bidders should know that the sale of the card will help people worldwide.
"The money that we receive from this card will be used for the many School Sisters of Notre Dame who are around the world, who need support for their ministries for the poor," Muller said.


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Comments

  • WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    Interesting.







    << <i>The card was unknown to the sports-memorabilia marketplace because the nuns' benefactor had owned it since 1936 >>




    Who says these things are not out there?


    Steve
    Good for you.
  • alifaxwa2alifaxwa2 Posts: 3,097 ✭✭✭


    << <i>The card was unknown to the sports-memorabilia marketplace because the nuns' benefactor had owned it since 1936
    Who says these things are not out there?
    Steve >>


    I believe they meant this copy.
    Looking to have some custom cuts or plain custom cards built? PM me.

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    Check out my Facebook page
  • WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    I know, that's why I said "who say's things are not out there'

    It was unknown to the hobby, correct?




    Steve
    Good for you.
  • billwaltonsbeardbillwaltonsbeard Posts: 3,748 ✭✭✭✭
    yeah, im sure there are people out there with 5,000 ct boxes full of Wagners in their garage.
  • WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    Sometimes it's best not to reply to idiotic remarks.

    This appears to be one of those times.

    Steve



    Good for you.


  • << <i>yeah, im sure there are people out there with 5,000 ct boxes full of Wagners in their garage. >>


    Probably not. Most of the prospect collectors back in 1909 would probably have wanted his "true rookie card", so they'd have squirreled away 5,000 ct boxes of these hoping they would go up in value and they could sell them on ebay after it got invented. image

    image

    "It's not so important who starts the game but who finishes it."
    - John Wooden
  • billwaltonsbeardbillwaltonsbeard Posts: 3,748 ✭✭✭✭
    Looks like I just hit the motherload!!!

    $$$ from very reputable seller too!!
  • stevekstevek Posts: 27,582 ✭✭✭✭✭
    laminated -ug!
  • stevekstevek Posts: 27,582 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Looks like I just hit the motherload!!!

    $$$ from very reputable seller too!! >>



    That's only $.38999 per card...what a steal.
  • wallst32wallst32 Posts: 513 ✭✭


    << <i>laminated -ug! >>



    What's worse is it's trimmed!

    and three of the white borders have been cut off
  • MULLINS5MULLINS5 Posts: 4,517 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Interesting.







    << <i>The card was unknown to the sports-memorabilia marketplace because the nuns' benefactor had owned it since 1936 >>




    Who says these things are not out there?


    Steve >>



    We really never know -- there are so many little pockets out there where one (or more) could be hiding. Here is a question I have for everyone - if, all of a sudden, five nm to nm-mt t206 Wagners, all unknown to the sports-memorabilia marketplace showed up in...would it hurt the value of the card? - I don't think it would because of the demand.
  • WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    Interesting question Patrick, my thoughts on it would center around how the 5 examples were dispersed and if all were mentioned
    to be found at once. If all were mentioned to be found ( and they should be) and a time table of say 1 every year was to be auctioned then my guess is the hobby could
    absorb them. Not sure if they would command the 2.8 million the Gretzky example has garnered (that card with all it's baggage could see a drop)

    Another scenario, and possibly a more probable one, would be for the owner to auction off a couple and sell privately the other 3.

    I would think that we have at least that many high rollers out there that want this card, especially in NM condition.

    I'd be interested in hearing what others think about such a scenario.

    Steve



    Good for you.
  • Dpeck100Dpeck100 Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I do think it would hurt the value.

    I have no way to quantify how much but my primary reason or belief is that this current card is seen as a one of a kind and therefore the owner can say they have the most rare and valuable card that exists. There is ego involved in owning such a card.

    I do not think it would go back to say $500,000 but some decline would be probable.

    Moving the cards out very slowly would be the best way and I would think doing so over a longer period of time such as five years would slow the bleed if you will of adding to the market place.

    This has been known as the rarest version for quite some time and the mystique of having such a unique item would in some ways be gone. With such a small sample of cards that exist I also think the number of big time players around the globe would be able to absorb the supply over time and the real question would be after they purchased how eager would they be to sell. If none of the buyers had an intent to re sell and did not then the value would hold up a great deal more.

    With the type of condition this card is in, I think it should give the market a better look at how the unfound examples look and in some ways could cause the value of the PSA 8 to go up. The odds of finding 5 of these in NM-MT are impossible in my book becuase if this card had been in better condition the owner would have been more quick to allow it to be discovered. The price of the PSA 8 has been high long enough to attrack sellers if they had the cards in similar conidtion so I think this is a very hypothetical question.
  • WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    David

    Are you talking about the Gretzky card? Are you aware of the baggage that comes with owning it?


    Steve
    Good for you.
  • Dpeck100Dpeck100 Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I read an article about it today. When you say baggage please explain. I read the owner of the Diamonbacks bought it for 2.8 million in 2007. There is a cool site the explains its journey from 1985 forward.
  • WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    PM sent.

    No baggage remarks by me.


    image


    Steve
    Good for you.
  • vladguerrerovladguerrero Posts: 4,077 ✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>Looks like I just hit the motherload!!!

    $$$ from very reputable seller too!! >>



    That's only $.38999 per card...what a steal. >>



    watch how fast you get outbid
  • vladguerrerovladguerrero Posts: 4,077 ✭✭✭
    i just noticed that seller is also selling foreclosed property?
  • hammeredhammered Posts: 2,671 ✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>

    << <i>Looks like I just hit the motherload!!!

    $$$ from very reputable seller too!! >>



    That's only $.38999 per card...what a steal. >>



    watch how fast you get outbid >>





    But if you do win, run all 1000 through the washing machine and send them to GAI
    I bet at least one gets throughimage
  • detroitfan2detroitfan2 Posts: 3,311 ✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Auction >>



    How in the world can they verify that card is authentic? Laminated and barely any back. I guess when you know, you know.
  • fkwfkw Posts: 1,766 ✭✭
    The nun's card is 100% authentic (very easy to tell from a good scan), it has been known in the Hobby since the beginning of this year. I have scans of it on my site I added a few months ago. It is the worst condition T206 Wagner known (there are at least 2 heavily restored cards that started out in worse condition than this one though).


    If interested I have 29 different T206 Wagners pictured on my site (link below). If you know of scans of any not shown please LMK.

    aloha

    29 different T206 Wagners pictured with the true info about this overrated card.
  • WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    Frank

    Thanks for sharing those pics.

    Not sure the card is overrated, almost everyone would want one, it is however overpriced............

    for me anyway.


    Steve
    Good for you.
  • vladguerrerovladguerrero Posts: 4,077 ✭✭✭


    << <i>The nun's card is 100% authentic (very easy to tell from a good scan), it has been known in the Hobby since the beginning of this year. I have scans of it on my site I added a few months ago. It is the worst condition T206 Wagner known (there are at least 2 heavily restored cards that started out in worse condition than this one though).


    If interested I have 29 different T206 Wagners pictured on my site (link below). If you know of scans of any not shown please LMK.

    aloha

    29 different T206 Wagners pictured with the true info about this overrated card. >>



    Where did you get the picture of mine???
  • Thanks for posting that. It's unbelievable the amount of traffic this story has generated. Yesterday morning the card had about 2,000 page views. Now it's over 32,000! Our marketing department is going to be asking for raises...
    Thank you,
    Jonathan Scheier
    Cataloger - Consignment Director
    Heritage Auctions (www.HA.com)
    JonathanS@HA.com
    1-800-872-6467 X1314

    Consign to auction at Consign to Heritage Auctions

    Connect with Heritage at Connect with Heritage Auctions
  • mtcardsmtcards Posts: 3,342 ✭✭✭
    I would bid on the reprint auctions, but Im sure I would get outbid on it pretty quick. But i could always wait for the item to be relisted since this reputable sellers items ALWAYS get relisted
    IT IS ALWAYS CHEAPER TO NOT SELL ON EBAY
  • TabeTabe Posts: 5,920 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The PSA 8 Gretzky Wagner is the top-rated Wagner, we all know that. But what is the second-highest graded?

    Tabe
  • mlbfan2mlbfan2 Posts: 3,115 ✭✭✭
    It sold for $262,000.
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