1916 M101-5 Sporting News #186 Bobby Wallace - Extreme Rarity!

Sold For:

$10,500

Year:

1916

Auction:

2022 Spring

Lot #:

771

Category:

Prewar Baseball - 1910s and 1920s Cards

Graded GOOD 2 by PSA. Presented is an extremely rare example of St. Louis Browns Hall of Famer Bobby Wallace from the M101-5 Sporting News series. Make no mistake, this card (along with two others) is the rarest of all M101-5 cards, among the rarest of all cards from vintage mainstream sets, and a stumbling block for even the most advanced and well-financed collector in assembling a master set. It is literally more than ten times rarer than a T206 Wagner! Many collectors do not even realize this cards exists. The M101-4 and M101-5 Sporting News sets are traditionally thought of as being pretty straightforward. There are some incredibly rare advertising back varieties, and these are extremely popular with collectors, but the fronts are generally considered to be of a similar scarcity in the two sets. There are no rare cards or pose variations - WITH SEVERAL NOTABLE EXCEPTIONS. For reasons unknown, three of the numbered cards in the M101-5 series (#12, 23, and 186) are known to feature two completely different players and poses. These extreme rarities are referred to in the M101-4/5 checklists as "short prints" and are so rare they are virtually unknown even to many collectors of this set. The offered card #186 is noteworthy as it is usually not Bobby Wallace at all; it is almost always Zach Wheat. The short print Wallace card is almost unheard of. In fact, this is only the fourth example we have ever seen or offered! (The first example was offered alongside the two other short prints, #12 Beals Becker and 23 Forrest Cady, each graded SGC POOR 10, in REA's 2011 auction as Lot 559. The trio realized $35,250. The second example, which was graded SGC EX/NM 80, was offered in REA's spring 2015 auction as Lot 420 and realized $10,200. The third example, which was graded SGC GD+ 2.5, was offered in REA's spring 2020 auction as Lot 722 and realized $11,100.) Despite its modest technical grade, the offered card is very appealing with a flawless image, lightly rounded corners, minor surface wear, and outstanding centering. Moderate to heavy creasing and evidence of album removal on the blank reverse contribute to the assigned grade. This is an extremely rare opportunity to acquire this virtually impossible M101-5 rarity of Hall of Famer Bobby Wallace. Reserve $2,500.