T206 collection found, multiple Cobbs and E95 Wagner NEED HELP

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Browns1981
Browns1981 Posts: 563 ✭✭✭✭✭
in Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum

I acquired this set of tobacco cards today. Aside from the three loose cards, all the rest are glued to a backing board. What are my options for getting them off safely?

I am 99% sure these are all real, so this could be the score of a lifetime.



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  • CW
    CW Posts: 1,263 ✭✭✭
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    1. be patient and don't rush into anything

    2. consider contacting these folks: https://www.graphicconservation.com/

    3. you could try soaking them off by submersing a small group (or just one card) in water for a period of time, then carefully and patiently seeing if the glue is water soluble. Then you'd have to dry the soaked cards out. You'd have to do your own research on this but it has been discussed in many threads on the net54 forum.

  • swish54
    swish54 Posts: 751 ✭✭✭✭
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    Blow dryer might help soften the glue enough to get them off. I've done this to get labels off of old Sports Illustrated magazines without ruining the cover. Just have to go slow.

  • mintonlypls
    mintonlypls Posts: 2,908 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Browns1981…

    How did you come upon the T206 collection? Congrats!

    mint_only_pls
  • Stone193
    Stone193 Posts: 24,832 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 15, 2026 1:23PM
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    I would just add - if you want to try soaking? Distilled water might be recommended?

    PS: I don't want this to sound like I'm advocating for this - based on what you're shown here? I would definitely learn towards "professional conservation."

    Also, if ya want to know if they're real?

    1. Hit them with a black light - if there's blue iridescent color - they're fake.

    2. Also if you know what modern printing looks like under a 5 or 10X? Cards back then are mostly chromolithography I believe - so under mag instead of perfect concentric print dots - the ink looks more like irregular amoebas - you can really tell easily.

    Best of luck and those Cobbs are sweet - even in that condition! 👍

    PS - keep going back and forth on what I'm seeing - I think some are T206's and others are something like 1909 E95 Philadelphia Caramel - like the Honus Wagner. Some of the backs shown look like T206s?

    Mike
  • Browns1981
    Browns1981 Posts: 563 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @mintonlypls said:
    Browns1981…

    How did you come upon the T206 collection? Congrats!

    Yard sale. Asked if they had cards and the guy brought these out. He was in his 70s or 80s and said they were his grandfathers. He had plenty of other collectors stuff around (cars and so on) that I felt comfortable buying.

  • mintonlypls
    mintonlypls Posts: 2,908 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 15, 2026 1:45PM
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    Three (3) Cobbs? Wow, very nice!

    mint_only_pls
  • vols1
    vols1 Posts: 872 ✭✭✭
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    https://kennerstartinglineup.blogspot.com/

  • Ahmanfan
    Ahmanfan Posts: 4,513 ✭✭✭✭
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    Wow. I would not do the hairdryer or the goo b gone. The only thing I would do is water, as it won’t harm these cards.

    Or send to some pros.

    What a score!

    Collecting
    HOF SIGNED FOOTBALL RCS
  • thesouthdoesitagain
    thesouthdoesitagain Posts: 321 ✭✭✭
    edited August 16, 2026 6:44AM
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    as mentioned. distilled water only. I am on Net54, and the guys there are very smart and anyone there can assist you in the process. its been discussed numerous times. I think it varies how long to soak and how to lay to let it dry.
    If your able to release the green and red cobb, i like to pursue them and a few others for my raw card collection.

    Collecting RC's (mostly 40-60's)
  • 1982FootballWax
    1982FootballWax Posts: 2,838 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 16, 2026 1:07PM
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    Having experience with Cuban cards for which being glued into a book is the norm, I'd go to a professional paper conservationist.

    It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
    Not even a minute do I buy the whole buh buh buh I'm a man-child japery - Me (2025)

  • MParker79
    MParker79 Posts: 34 ✭✭
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    Don’t do anything yourself. Pay a professional.

  • Browns1981
    Browns1981 Posts: 563 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I contacted Graphics Conservation and sent them pictures. I’ll update when I have more info.

  • Browns1981
    Browns1981 Posts: 563 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 20, 2026 1:52PM
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    They quoted me $375 basically to look at it and then an unknown amount to actually do the work. Still thinking it over. Anyone else ever use a conservator company they can recommend?

    I may try soaking just the bottom left Maddox card and see if I can get it to come off safely since it’s already a little loose.

  • Stone193
    Stone193 Posts: 24,832 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @Browns1981 said:
    They quoted me $375 basically to look at it and then an unknown amount to actually do the work. Still thinking it over. Anyone else ever use a conservator company they can recommend?

    I may try soaking just the bottom left Maddox card and see if I can get it to come off safely since it’s already a little loose.

    Here's an article from net54 on soaking cards: LINK

    Mike
  • Ahmanfan
    Ahmanfan Posts: 4,513 ✭✭✭✭
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    I like projects like this.

    I’ll give you 14k as it sits for all and give it a shot to see how I can do removing them.

    Collecting
    HOF SIGNED FOOTBALL RCS
  • Browns1981
    Browns1981 Posts: 563 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I sent them off to Graphics Conservation and they received them today. I appreciate the offers I’ve gotten but I will be keeping the majority of these to pass down to my kids. I’ll update once I get them back. I had removed the bottom left card myself with water and a Q-tip and caused significant damage, so I am letting the pros handle this.

  • Ahmanfan
    Ahmanfan Posts: 4,513 ✭✭✭✭
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    Let us know how it goes, good luck

    Collecting
    HOF SIGNED FOOTBALL RCS

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