The famous Honus Wagner card sold again for very large profit, bought 6 mo's ago!

Nice 'half a mill' profit for a 6 month hold onto the most famous of cards.

MISSION VIEJO, Calif. (AP) -- A rare Honus Wagner baseball card has been sold for a record $2.8 million, just over six months after it was bought for a then-record $2.35 million.

Referred to as the "Mona Lisa" of baseball cards, it's in the best condition of the few known T206 Wagner cards, released in 1909 by the American Tobacco Company.

<TABLE cellPadding=1 align=left border=0 vspace="5" hspace="10"><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE class=ad_slug_table cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle>http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=12j4ko1...&utm_content=bannerlink&utm_campaign=Coaching</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><SCRIPT language=javascript>if(window.yzq_d==null)window.yzq_d=new Object();window.yzq_d['dH_aYNj8a5M-']='&U=13b7o0852%2fN%3ddH_aYNj8a5M-%2fC%3d612232.11288605.11878032.2078866%2fD%3dLREC%2fB%3d4854802';</SCRIPT><NOSCRIPT> </NOSCRIPT></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>It was purchased by an unnamed private collector in a deal brokered by SCP Auctions, the firm that handled the previous sale to a California private collector and took a minority ownership position in the card at the time.

Past owners of the card include Wayne Gretzky.It is estimated that fewer than 100 versions of the card have surfaced.

Various theories exist as to why Wagner cut off the production of his card, including financial disagreements with the company and a desire to not promote tobacco to children.

The 'Mona Lisa' of baseball cards

I saw that as well. How can the card appreciate THAT much in that short of a time frame? Its not like he broke a record or anything in the interim.

Ironman_8 said:

I saw that as well. How can the card appreciate THAT much in that short of a time frame? Its not like he broke a record or anything in the interim.

Click to expand...

My thoughts exactly. What has happened in the past 6 months that makes the buyer willing to pay $500k more than he would have paid 6 months ago?

Just some other person willing to pony up, nothing else...you catch the right billionairre at the right moment and it may go up another Half Mill ! just crazy.

Rare Honus Wagner 1909 baseball card sold for record $2.8 million

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=yspsctnhdln>Rare Honus Wagner 1909 baseball card sold for record $2.8 million
</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7><SPACER type="block" width="1" height="1"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><STYLE type=text/css> td.yspwidearticlebody { font-size: 13.5px; }</STYLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=yspwidearticlebody>September 6, 2007
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<SMALL>AP - Sep 6, 4:52 pm EDT</SMALL>
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MISSION VIEJO, Calif. (AP) -- A rare Honus Wagner baseball card has been sold for a record $2.8 million, just over six months after it was bought for a then-record $2.35 million.
Referred to as the "Mona Lisa" of baseball cards, the almost mint-condition collectible -- released in 1909 by the American Tobacco Company -- was sold by Brian Seigel of Las Vegas to an unidentified Southern California collector in February. SCP Auctions was a minority owner, but David Kohler, the company's president and CEO, said that's no longer the case.
Kohler said the new owner wishes to remain a private collector for now, but might identify himself at a later date. The sale was completed last week and announced Thursday.
The T206 baseball card features a youthful Wagner in his Pittsburgh Pirates uniform. At the time of the February sale, it was displayed at a Dodger Stadium news conference. "This has always been the holy grail, the Mona Lisa of baseball cards," Kohler said.

Adding to its value is that only 50 to 60 Wagner cards are believed to exist, and none of the others in circulation are close to the quality of this one, which has been encased in protective sheeting for decades.

"This is the finest by far per condition," Kohler said.
There are no immediate plans to put the card on display, Kohler said.
"There's a possibility that might happen in the future, we don't know for sure," Kohler said. "It was displayed last month at the National Sports Collectors Convention in Cleveland. Next year, it's in Chicago. I'm sure we'll have it on display again. I'm sure the new owner won't have a problem with that."
Seigel, the CEO of an asset management company, paid a record $1.265 million when he bought the card in 2000. Among the previous owners were hockey great Wayne Gretzky and Bruce McNall, former owner of the Los Angeles Kings, who paid $451,000 for it in 1991.
Wagner's card was among the first of hundreds of cards of major league players produced by the American Tobacco Co. and included in packages of cigarettes.
Unlike other players, however, Wagner quickly demanded that his card be withdrawn. Theories vary as to why, with one being that he didn't believe American Tobacco paid him enough.
A non-smoker, the Pittsburgh shortstop was arguably the second-greatest baseball player of his era, behind Ty Cobb. Wagner hit .344 during his rookie year of 1897, and batted over .300 for 17 consecutive seasons, winning eight National League batting titles.
One of the first five players inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, Wagner retired in 1917 with more hits, runs, RBIs, doubles, triples and steals than any NL player.
Kohler said over 1,200 items are currently up for auction on his company's web site including the balls Barry Bonds hit for his record-tying 755th homer and record-breaking 756th homer last month. Those are up for sale through Sept. 15.
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awesome stuff. 500k in 6 months gives this man bragging rights for sure. I wonder if he intended to sell it when he first bought it?

Present day Pirates could use Honus

comes out to a little over 19% increase, but I don't think his original purchase price included the buyers premium.

When you get to that level of wealth there is a lot more going on behind the scenes than you can imagine.

Gotta love the collar on a baseball jersey

This card is never sold to anyone same people pass it around to keep interest in the hobby.

nhoj said:

This card is never sold to anyone same people pass it around to keep interest in the hobby.

Click to expand...

1.62 million saturday....
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,396585,00.html


CHICAGO — An Arkansas man bought a 1909 Honus Wagner baseball card for $1.62 million at a memorabilia auction in Chicago, a sports auction company said Saturday.

The record price for a baseball card is $2.8 million — paid in 2007 for a near-mint condition Wagner card released in 1909 by the American Tobacco Company.


John Rogers, 35, of North Little Rock, Ark., said his winning bid for the T206 Wagner card is the realization of a decades-long dream.
"I call this the holy grail of baseball cards," Rogers said in a phone interview. "I've looked at a number of other specimens, sat in a few other Wagner auctions. But this is the one that makes collecting worth while."
Rogers has collected baseball cards since he was 6. When he was in the second grade, he said he cut out a copy of a Wagner card and carried it around in his pocket.


"Since I was 8 years old, I've hoped and dreamed that one day I'd be able to get one," Rogers said.


Bidders at the Friday night auction also spent $42,000 on Ken Griffey, Jr.'s 600th home run ball and $240,000 for a 1938 Lou Gehrig Yankees road jersey, said Doug Allen, Mastro Auctions chief operating officer.


The T206 cards are from a series issued between 1909 and 1911. Allen said the card was in excellent condition, and said the next highest bid, $1.3 million, was placed on behalf of a client who wished to remain anonymous.
Wagner's card was among the first of hundreds of cards of major league players produced by the American Tobacco Co. and included in packages of cigarettes.


Unlike other players, however, Wagner quickly demanded that his card be withdrawn. Theories vary as to why, with one being that he didn't believe American Tobacco paid him enough.


A nonsmoker, the Pittsburgh shortstop was arguably the second-greatest baseball player of his era, behind Ty Cobb. Wagner hit .344 during his rookie year of 1897, and batted over .300 for 17 consecutive seasons, winning eight National League batting titles.


One of the first five players inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, Wagner retired in 1917 with more hits, runs, RBIs, doubles, triples and steals than any NL player.


There are fewer than 100 Wagner baseball cards in existence, said Julie Stoklosa, a spokeswoman for Mastro Auctions, and less than ten are in excellent condition.


Allen said even the lowest graded Wagner baseball cards can fetch more than $150,000.


"The mystique and allure of the T206 Wagner card continues to grow," Allen said.
Among the previous owners of the card sold in 2007 were hockey great Wayne Gretzky and Bruce McNall, former owner of the Los Angeles Kings, who paid $451,000 for it in 1991.