1911 T3 Turkey Red Near-Complete Baseball Set (95/100) Including Ty Cobb

Sold For:

$18,800

Year:

1911

Auction:

2011 Spring

Lot #:

449

Category:

Prewar Baseball - 1910s and 1920s Cards

This very attractive mixed-grade T3 Turkey Red near-complete set of 95 different cards (out of 100 baseball subjects in the set) ranges from Pr to Vg-Ex, with most cards grading between Fr and Gd-Vg, highlighted by extremely attractive examples of many Hall of Famers, including Ty Cobb and Walter Johnson. Missing just four Hall of Famers and one common (#23 Lajoie, 27 Mathewson, 35 Tinker, 42 Young, and 114) for a complete set! This is a great-looking collection assembled by an old-time collector over a period of many years. As can easily be seen, many of these cards appear far better than their technically accurate overall relatively modest grades. Turkey Red cabinet cards are one of the most highly prized of all tobacco issues. They were available only by mail in exchange for coupons packaged with Turkey Red Cigarettes. Because Turkey Reds are large cards that are easily damaged, they are particularly difficult to find in high grade. Eighteen of the 95 cards have the Turkey Red advertisement on the backs. Turkey Reds have long been recognized as one of the most popular and beautiful of all baseball cards, and are rarely offered as a complete or near-complete set (in this case missing just five). We have selected seven cards (six Hall of Famers and one star) to be graded and encapsulated by SGC: #6 Hal Chase (VG/EX 50), 9 Ty Cobb (Authentic, checklist back variety, according to SGC this card did not receive a numerical grade because of tiny color retouches on Cobb's shoulder, otherwise bright and clean with brilliant colors, a light crease on the bottom border, and even corner wear; Excellent appearance; this is a gorgeous card!), 18 Hughie Jennings (FAIR 20), 26 McGraw (VG 40), 39 Waddell (VG 40), 40 Willis (Pitt & St. Louis, GOOD 30), and 99 Walter Johnson (POOR 10, paper loss on front and back). Eight additional cards were already graded by PSA (except one SGC) when we received the near set: #1 Brown (VG 3), 8 Clarke (PR-FR 1), 13 (GOOD 2), 25 (SGC GOOD 30), 46 (GOOD 2), 48 (GOOD 2), 49 (PR-FR 1 [MK]), and 115 (VG-EX 4). The balance of the cards grade as follows: Thirty-five cards grade Gd to Vg (with a few Vg-Ex): #2, 3, 5 Crawford, 7, 10, 14, 19 Joss, 20, 28, 29, 30, 33, 38, 41, 44, 47 Chance, 50, 77, 80 Bender, 83, 85, 90, 91, 93, 94, 96, 104, 107, 108, 109, 111, 118, 120, 122, and 126. Seventeen cards grade Fr to Fr-Gd: #11, 15, 22, 24, 31, 34, 37, 78 Baker, 87 Collins, 89, 92, 97, 100, 106, 113, 117, and 123. Twenty-eight cards grade Pr to Pr-Fr (several have pin- or tack holes): #4 Bresnahan, 12, 16 Evers, 17 Griffith, 21, 32, 36 Speaker, 43, 45, 79, 81, 82, 84, 86, 88, 95, 98, 101 Keeler, 102, 103, 105, 110, 112 Paskert (Cin. & Phil.), 116, 119, 121, 124 Wallace, and 125 Walsh. T3s are big cards, which due to their large size tend to be more susceptible to corner wear and creases than smaller cards, and were also often tacked up on walls, which is why pinholes are so common with this issue. This collection represents a rare opportunity to purchase a near-complete low- to medium-grade set, with many conservatively graded and very impressive Gd and Vg cards, among them many key Hall of Famers. Overall very consistent and reasonably uniform in grade throughout (though ranging in grade as noted), with many cards having far superior eye-appeal than their technically accurate grades. The equivalent SMR value for just thirteen of the fifteen graded cards (not including the one magnificent SGC Authentic of Ty Cobb, the one qualified card, and the 80 ungraded cards) is $5,480. Also included is a Turkey Red tobacco coupon, the type which were originally redeemable for the T3 cards (and which refer to them as "handsome lithographed picture"). Total: 96 items (95 cards plus 1 coupon). Reserve $5,000. Estimate (open). SOLD FOR $18,800