A Sweet Silk Score: Ty Cobb!!

One of my fun side vintage PCs is Ty Cobb. His stuff is obviously expensive on the whole so pickups are few and far between. However, when the opportunity presents itself, I rarely let that opportunity pass me by as I know it may not reappear for some time.

This beautiful 1909-11 S74 Silk (White) was an auction house acquisition in raw form that I sent off to SGC for safe storage. I love the way it looks in its new tuxedo and I really dig the oddball, scarce, and condition-sensitive set that is these Silks.

My PC of the Georgia Peach is small but solid and snagging his cardboard or ephemera is always a good time and a truly great feeling. Interestingly, he and I have a common bond -- the day of my birth happens to be the day of his death with 28 years between those occurrences.

A Ty Cobb Type 1 Vintage Photo From Ty Cobb's Own Collection? Hell Yes!

My love of Type 1 Original Photographs continues to be strong and a primary driving force behind my collecting. I check a few sources often and when a beautiful vintage photo pops up that also aligns with one of my player PCs, I make a concerted effort to lock it down. Today's featured photo fits that bill and I was absolutely thrilled to scoop it up off of eBay a couple of years ago.

Tyrus Cobb is in the building! This stunner was available online for some time before I pulled the trigger. I wanted it from the beginning but it was pricey and I was hoping there might be a price reduction from the seller if it sat long enough. Eventually I rationalized that the small amount it might be discounted did not outweigh missing out on it entirely.

This circa 1927 image of Cobb as a member of the Philadelphia Athletics is extra special because of the man he is standing near and what he signifies in relation to the Georgia Peach. The other man is Fielding H. Yost, head coach of the Michigan Wolverines football team who led the school to six National Championships.

Yost and Cobb are together in this photo because the A's were in Detroit for Ty's first game back after leaving the Tigers. It was a true celebration on "Ty Cobb Day" and Yost is sporting a ribbon on his jacket with that phrase. I love the photo itself, the story behind it, and the Philadelphia elephant mascot on Cobb's uniform being prominently displayed.

The other draw to this photo that certainly played a role in the amount of cash I had to shell out is that Cobb actually owned it. The photo comes with a letter of provenance from a woman whose grandfather was a close personal friend of Ty after they met as teenage teammates. He gifted his friend the photo and it eventually made it down to the young lady. Owning a piece of Cobb history from Cobb himself was just too good to pass up!

A Polar Bear T206 Double Name For The Ages: Ty Cobb, SGC 2!

Another long-ago acquired piece of cardboard finally makes its appearance on the blog as I move through a shrinking backlog. At the time of its acquisition, it was the most expensive card I had ever purchased and it remains as such unless I am forgetting something. It's a truly classic item in and out of the hobby that touches on multiple collecting loves I possess. I can't wait to display it down the road once I build some sort of man cave/card room.

Hello Mr. Cobb! This bad boy popped up at auction through REA and eventually my persistence led to it falling into my hands. Cobb T206s are amazingly awesome and I hope to one day add a copy of each of the four poses that exist. While I prefer the two action shots to the two portraits, they are all beautiful pieces of art and adding a tougher back on this Red Portrait was an easy decision, price aside.

Needing the Red and already having it arrive slabbed by SGC as a crease-free 2 were driving factors in my interest turning into action, but the biggest pull on my T206-loving heartstrings is what you see peeking out of the top oversized border. I really like T206 double-names and this Cobb has the full name on the bottom and half of another name at the top, making it the perfect pickup.

Polar Bear backs are absolutely fantastic and the blue really pops. This puts me halfway to this project being completed, as Red now joins Bat On Shoulder!

Ty Cobb Pickup: T206 Bat On Shoulder, Slabbed PSA Authentic Altered!

This post has been years in the making as I acquired the below absolute stunner back in late 2019 (maybe as early as fall 2018). The card appeared in the card shop I was previously Assistant Manager at and I knew I needed to do what it took to land this collection centerpiece. My then boss -- or former, I may have already been at my next job -- was kind enough to hold it for me as I worked to secure the necessary funds. The wait was more than worth it!

Tyrus Raymond Cobb has entered the chat! I'm a gigantic fan of T206s in general and have built a very modest PC of The Georgia Peach in the last couple of years as well....so eventually adding cards of Cobb from The Monster was a no-brainer. Price was always going to be a factor in accomplishing this far-off goal but I was confident it would eventually happen.

Anyone who has followed along with my posting knows I am a low-grade man when it comes to vintage. I would much rather own the card than own the nicest copy, especially when I can own it for a fraction of the cost. Give me a low-grade or Authentic/Altered copy with great eye appeal over a 5 or 6 or 7, and I'll happily be on my way with the extra cash to play with (and add more cardboard with).

This Ty Bat On Shoulder features a Piedmont 150 reverse, has been graded Authentic Altered by PSA, and was obtained already protected in plastic. The color is great, there are no creases, and a little trim does not bother me in the least as the eye appeal is amazing.

One down, three to go!!

Until I Can Afford A Real Ty Cobb Autograph, Here's The Next Best Thing!

I actually felt and still feel a little dirty about buying the below card, but not as dirty as the company who produced it should feel for the travesty of justice they produced by creating it. That being said, until my pocketbook allows for the purchase of a certified Ty Cobb signature -- and I came close once or twice within the last year -- this will simply have to suffice.

This 2019 Sportscards.com "A Word From...." offering is an unlicensed product that includes writing samples from Ty himself. The company also produced a Ruth version which is not as friendly on the wallet as this was. I believe my word is she unless someone deduces otherwise.

It did not run me a crazy amount of money (maybe $40 at most if I recall) and getting handwriting from legends like Cobb doesn't always come easy or at all. Again, a company cutting up letters or other documents written by prewar stalwarts does not sit easy with me in the least.

But the collector in me has such strong pull, always....

Happy Birthday, Ty Cobb! A Gorgeous Type 1 Photo with Joe DiMaggio!

Ty Cobb, the asshole that he was, was born on this day. As I go through the ton of stuff I have never posted and look for inspiration on what to post when, stumbling upon somebody's birthday makes for a perfect excuse to write about the item. Although, when the item is as awesome as this 1957 PSA Authentic Type 1 International News Photo of two legendary players in a wacky situation, there really isn't a need for any other reason.

Cobb and Joe DiMaggio are appearing for this fun photo at an Old Timers' Game between their respective teams at Yankee Stadium on July 27th of 1957. The Georgia Peach is living up to his name as he feeds Joltin' Joe a peach. Cobb in a suit and Joe in full uniform makes for fun imagery.

I really quite like the vibrant red Brown Brothers sticker on the back and I dig how the reverse of vintage photos have so much life to what otherwise can often be an insignificant part of so much of what we collect in this hobby. The back also notes in someone's writing the aforementioned info about why they are together for this glorious image to exist at all.

This is a most welcome and weird add to my Cobb Collection.

A Well-Loved Addition To My Ty Cobb PC: 1921 Exhibits, PSA Authentic!

A while back I spotted a really beautiful vintage Ty Cobb on eBay. I believe there was an eBay Bucks promotion running at the time and I'd be lying if I said those offers did not often sway me and persuade me to spend money. Which, I mean, is the very point of their existence.

I pulled the trigger and am the happy owner of this beat and well-loved 1921 Exhibits offering, slabbed a PSA Authentic, of The Georgia Peach himself. I have always loved vintage cards in this general condition as they fall into my price-range and are more than enough for my liking. I would rather own a card like this -- clearly handled and enjoyed by an owner(s) somewhere along the way -- than go bankrupt trying to buy the nicest graded copy of the card. I want to own the card; I don't have the desire to own the grade.

Ty Cobb Pickup: 1926-29 Exhibits Postcard Back, SGC Authentic!

Here is one of those unexpected wins that often occurs when throwing bids in on eBay. It's not that I didn't want this beautiful addition to my modest Ty Cobb Collection -- I very much did -- I just never thought I would actually win the dang thing. Cobb items rarely stay affordable and it was being auctioned off by PWCC prior to their eBay banning. Lady luck was on my side that day and for less than the price of your average mid-end hobby box another vintage gem found its way to me.

You can see why it stayed affordable with the massive scissors work some child did to this over the last hundred years or so. I tend to not like this much damage to a card but I can see it's Cobb and it is playing-era and it is Cobb in the end, slabbed for protection and authenticated so I don't have to do the work on that front.

Cobb has a few variations in the 1926-29 Exhibits (Postcard Back) set and I'm happy to have one in my collection without breaking the bank.

1920s Transfer Stamp Ty Cobb, SGC A!

Today's pre-war beauty is something I had never seen before stumbling upon it on eBay. I expected it to well exceed what I felt comfortable paying but I was very wrong once the dust settled. For significantly less than the cheapest Zion rookie auto, this truly unique and rare Ty Cobb is now mine.

I can't find anything on this issue and I know SGC has a reputation for being far more lenient than PSA in slabbing vintage without full checklists....but this is clearly a legit early 20s item featuring one of baseball's all-time greats and I'm tickled to have it in my collection.

My Cobb PC is slow but steady in terms of progress. I go through stretches of looking specifically for Cobbs, but with his prices never dipping I should really devote more time to this venture.

Buck Herzog T206 Pickup: New York VAR, Piedmont Back, Double Name, Slabbed a PSA 1.5 (MC)

I added another T206 to my slowly-growing collection with this Buck Herzog pickup. An eBay score, the most appealing thing to me was the sweet double-name at the top of the card. The card boasts good clarity and I genuinely can never have enough T206s in my collection. T206s > modern.

Herzog -- nicknamed "Choke 'Em Charley" -- played in four World Series and for four franchises (including a short stint as a player-manager). He grew cantaloupes; had a love-hate relationship with John McGraw; was assumed to be Jewish by many during his career; was once traded for three HOFers including Christy Mathewson; once fought Ty Cobb; and faced hard times later in life following a stint with the B&O Railroad and time spent working at a racetrack. 

A Tough Ty Cobb Addition: 1928 Harrington's Ice Cream SGC Authentic!

Today's featured pre-war vintage goodness is my first card from a relatively hard-to-find food issue that I stumbled upon while browsing eBay. I was completely unaware of the set's existence until it popped up in my search of graded Ty Cobbs. After a little research and internal debate the opportunity to own a rarer Cobb and add it to my modest collection of The George Peach was too much to pass up.

My newest Cobb hails from the 1928 Harrington's Ice Cream set and is slabbed Authentic by SGC due to the almost certain trim on the bottom border (and maybe even on the top as well?). The set itself isn't anything otherworldly from an aesthetics standpoint but I will gladly own any playing-era Cobb I can.

Harrington's are a scarcer issue and tough to find in presentable condition since they're a pre-war food issue so I was very pleased with Ty's appearance. This particular Cobb is also extra awesome due to the fact that he's a Philadelphia A on the card and 1928 was his final season as a player.

Here's a scan of the back with the Harrington's advertisement offering a gallon of ice cream in exchange for a complete set of sixty. If someone just sent in a Ruth they would receive a quart of ice cream and "pictures" of George Herman (whether they meant an actual picture or a Harrington's premium, I haven't deduced) yielded an ice cream "novelty"....whatever that was. According to Google, it is any hand-held form of ice cream.

I would like to think my love of cream would not have prevailed back then....

My First Ty Cobb Card: 1922 American Caramel E121 Series of 120, Batting Pose, Slabbed an SGC 30!

This is not technically the first Ty Cobb playing-era card I purchased but it is the first I have gotten around to scanning in and writing about. You really can't have enough Ty Cobb cardboard but my wallet would argue otherwise. I was in a good place financially to drop some extra cash, had eBay Bucks available, and found a really cool card that appealed to me. That combo doesn't always coalesce but when it does great centerpieces of a collection can find their way to you.

This beauty hails from the 1922 American Caramel E121 Series of 120 set and is Cobb's Batting Pose in said set. It's a very aesthetically-pleasing SGC 30 and I've always gravitated towards low-grade but visually-strong vintage, especially when it's pre-war we are talking about.

It's my second E121 joining, not surprisingly, Zack Wheat's offering from the set.

My hope would be to end up with double-digit playing-era Cobbs in my Vintage PC and I know that will be a long-term project and cost-prohibitive in most ways. That being said I have two more I purchased before this one and my ex-boss has one on hold for me I intend on picking up in the next few months. So 40% of the way to my goal before the halfway point of this year isn't bad at all.

Work Perks: 2019 National PSA Promo Set: Wagner, Cobb, Mathewson, LaJoie, and Shoeless Joe

PSA was giving away a promo set of 5 cards at the 2019 National commemorating some of the all-time great pre-war players. Pre-war is my jam so I asked around until one of the leftover batches of cards was available.

Cobb is by far my favorite of the bunch.

Nap Rucker T206: Throwing, Piedmont 350-460/Factory 25, Slabbed an SGC 30

Today's post features Nap Rucker and the always gorgeous T206 set. Nap has two poses in the set, Portrait and Throwing. Here's the Throwing Pose, complete with a Piedmont 350-460/Factory 25 Back and slabbed by SGC as a 30. It was an eBay pickup earlier this year and presents way, way better than the grade due to a lot of back staining and a spot of paper loss on said reverse.

Rucker was the first Dodgers' lefty to throw a no-hitter; was the son of a Confederate soldier; was a teammate of Ty Cobb who almost choked him while naked (you really can't make this stuff up); and was a successful scout for Brooklyn as well as the mayor and water commissioner of Roswell, Georgia post-career.

An Underrated Hall of Fame T206 Pickup: Eddie Collins, PSA 3 (MK)!

I added another gorgeous Hall of Fame T206 to my collection early in December. My boss bought it one day from a regular and after some deliberation I decided I couldn't let a good deal on a great tobacco card pass me by.

Eddie Collins is a reasonably priced but tougher HOFer in The Monster despite being one of the three best second baseman of all-time. Collins might be best known as a member of the Black Sox who wasn't found to be in on the scam but his numbers are insane. Also, his nickname was Cocky. That's tremendous.

The back yields the "MK" designation due to someone putting the initials W.R. plus what is either an e or w below it. I think it's a cool touch and I view this kind of writing in a similar fashion to the stamps many T206s have on their reverse.

Collins, interestingly enough, played one year with my main man Zack Wheat on a stacked (at least in name value) 1927 Philadelphia Athletics team that also included some dudes named Ty Cobb and Jimmie Foxx.