Got to admit not being a baseball fan but I'd kill to have a T206 Wagner in my collection as its such a singnificant card in the whole card hobby. AND arguably the most valuable with sales of single cards of 1.2 Million US.
Then I see this which I'd never heard of and pre dates the RC. And IS more rare then his T206 RC which has a reported 30 copies from memory.
Here is the info on the card up for sale.
Then I see this which I'd never heard of and pre dates the RC. And IS more rare then his T206 RC which has a reported 30 copies from memory.
Here is the info on the card up for sale.
Honus Wagner "Rookie" Card on Auction Block
Vintage collectors sometimes wonder whether Honus Wagner made baseball cards famous or if Wagner's baseball cards contributed at least in a small way to his superstar status. Despite his legendary aversion to tobacco cards, Wagner's image made its way onto the king of all cards--the now-famous T206 card #486. But while the Wagner T206 card's rarity has contributed to its sky-high value, it is relatively commonplace when compared to another Wagner card discovered a few years ago in Louisville, Kentucky.
The one-of-a-kind card (see front and back scans at left) shows Wagner in a Louisville Colonels uniform, the team with which he played for three years before finding a permanent career home with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Like the T206, the more recently discovered card was originally produced to advertise tobacco products. In this case, it was used to promote the "Hans Wagner 10-cent Cigars" manufactured by Louisville resident Henry Ruccius. The card also pitches "Koda, Bowler, Our Favorite and Farmers' and Gardners' Favorite 5¢ Cigars."
The "Reccius Wagner" as it is sometimes called, is considered by some to be Wagner's true rookie card. It is to be auctioned at Leland's Spring catalog auction scheduled for April 28. Bidding starts at $25,000.
The historic card measures 3-3/8 by 4-3/4 inches. It's size and the relatively thin stock that it is printed on is more reminiscent of 19th century trade cards than those from the T206 set and other issues of the 1910's. The reddish-orange card features the youthful portrait of Wagner printed in black ink inside an oval frame. Printed vertically along both sides is the contact information for the producer: "2606 Elliot Avenue, Louisville, KY" on the left side and "Home Telephone 6807" on the right.
A trade union imprint is found above and to the left of the Wagner portrait. In addition, the card back is filled with wordy prose extolling the virtues of union made products and the workers who make them.
Notwithstanding a technical grade of PSA 1 (Poor-Fair), the card has considerable eye appeal.
The exact date of issue and method in which the card was first distributed are today unknown. Speculation among collectors estimates the date of issue as early as 1897 or as late as a decade or more later. Most evidence suggests it was produced around 1899. In grading the card, Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) labels the date of distribution as 1897-99.
As PSA states on its website, "the 1890 city directory for Louisville lists Henry Reccius as living on Elliott Street, and Louisville had 4-digit phone numbers prior to 1900." Both of these facts are consistent with an 1899 estimate for the production of the card.
Perhaps adding a little uncertainty to the dating of the Reccius Wagner card is a "Honus Wagner Cigar" box (see example at right) bearing the same pose as the one found on the Reccius card. Several such boxes are known to exist.
Based on the labeling printed on the box, it is known that these boxes were produced around 1919 or later. However, it is believed by Cigar historians that the two manufacturer's (i.e., Reccius and the one that produced the box) are likely not related.
Research on the background of the card reveals that the it's producer, Henry Reccius, was already making cigars in 1870 at the age of 18 years while still living at home in the Louisville area. It is also interesting to note that two of Henry's younger brothers (John and Phil) both played major league ball with Louisville and other American Association teams in the 1880's, more than a decade before Wagner signed with the team.
Despite its technical grade and uncertainties about the date that it was produced, the Reccius Wagner remains among the most appealing and historically significant of all tobacco cards. Perhaps time (and further research) will help settle the speculation among collector's whether it is Wagner's true rookie card.
