1909 Honus Wagner baseball card sells for $1.62 million...

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Arkansas man buys Wagner baseball card for $1.62M

By DANIEL J. YOVICH, Associated Press Writer Aug 2, 8:20 pm EDT

CHICAGO (AP)—A 1909 Honus Wagner baseball card was sold 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Unlike other players, however, Wagner quickly demanded that his card be withdrawn.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.



fucking insane.

[OG Hack Wilson]

hey Spice you pussy

you'll NEVER see a willie mays card (or a barry bonds*) sell for this much


honus wagner > willie mays 

[OG Hack Wilson]

by the way

more of these cards were in existance but Honus Wagner destryoed lots of them beacuse he didn't awnt his name associated with tobacco companies


don't think the money they paid him (As article says) was the truth.

but myths live on

[S P I C E]

Wagner>>Mays, LMAO Crack.  This is what happens when 14 year olds with no respect or knowledge of the game try and talk about the great history of Baseball.  You should of watched this great special on Bob Costas's show (even though he's a punk) 2 hour special on the game of baseball,  dave winfield, jim palmer, bob gibson, hank aaron, pete rose and willie mays were guests on the show.  The segment on Mays and Hank gave me goosebumps,  2 amazing players. LMAO at Wagner>>Mays,  are you this obsessed with me that you have to make these outrageous claims.  You honestly should of watched this special,  seeing all these legends talk about how amazing Mays was when we played was awesome,  never seen anyone run the bases that quick or have that great of a glove.  Managers told their catchers to not even throw to second if Mays tried to steal a base lol, they said it wasn't worth it, and oh yeah this is the guy that hit 660 home runs in the gigantic polo grounds when he also missed 2 years in his prime in the War, CRACK you have no idea what you are talking about,  I had to school you again.  Even FITS that loves to hate me admitted that he had Mays #2 on his all time list,  now he will never admit that but he did,  If you want to put Ruth 1 then fine,  BUT NO ONE ELSE TOUCHES WILLIE,  Step up your game CRACK and get off my sack.

[truedupbluedup]

the fuck?  honus better than mays, because a card of his was worthe mor?  I am a huge Dodgers fan and hate Giants but Willie Mays is a streight up legend,  get outa here hack wilson

[herpes]

Wagner>>Mays, LMAO Crack.  This is what happens when 14 year olds with no respect or knowledge of the game try and talk about the great history of Baseball.  You should of watched this great special on Bob Costas's show (even though he's a punk) 2 hour special on the game of baseball,  dave winfield, jim palmer, bob gibson, hank aaron, pete rose and willie mays were guests on the show.  The segment on Mays and Hank gave me goosebumps,  2 amazing players. LMAO at Wagner>>Mays,  are you this obsessed with me that you have to make these outrageous claims.  You honestly should of watched this special,  seeing all these legends talk about how amazing Mays was when we played was awesome,  never seen anyone run the bases that quick or have that great of a glove.  Managers told their catchers to not even throw to second if Mays tried to steal a base lol, they said it wasn't worth it, and oh yeah this is the guy that hit 660 home runs in the gigantic polo grounds when he also missed 2 years in his prime in the War, CRACK you have no idea what you are talking about,  I had to school you again.  Even FITS that loves to hate me admitted that he had Mays #2 on his all time list,  now he will never admit that but he did,  If you want to put Ruth 1 then fine,  BUT NO ONE ELSE TOUCHES WILLIE,  Step up your game CRACK and get off my sack.

I saw that Costas show and that was really a great show.  Though I wish he would of went harder at Arte Mareno about how these new stadiums are built with tax payer dollars and yet the common fan is being priced out of the game.  And why is Costas a punk.  Costas is a better baseball announcer then anyone doing it on the national level now a days.  It's a shame a great talent and student of the game isn't doing baseball games anymore.  Yet that cocksucker Joe Buck is.  And I still admit Mays is the 2nd greatest player of all time.  My problem is we are debating about guys none of us have ever seen play and yet you are so adamant that Mays is number 1 of all time and refusing to discuss and come back with an adult argument.  Don't worry spice I dont expect you to come back with a legit argument for my last point but I am still curious why you dont like Costas.

[herpes]

btw one day I will be rich and buy that Wagner card. 

[Don Jacob]

i heard a story once that some kid was kicking around an old old coffee can on his way back from school and he happened to find a honus wagner card in it.