Ty Cobb Fan Here...need some advice

I've been collecting sports cards for years but I've always wanted a Ty Cobb card. I love the T-206 (shocker right?) and I'm also a fan of the M-116 designs. I'd love some advice from those of you who have been doing this for years.

What Cobbs can you recommend (eye appeal and/or scarcity) that are great investments?

My wallet size for a purchase of this kind is $5K on a Cobb card or perhaps getting a "lesser" Cobb and a Wagner (with Wagner E90-2 or M116 are my faves).

Please help me out. I'm honestly unsure if I want to collect HOFers as a whole. Owning a Cobb and Wagner, at minimum, would make me a happy camper.

Thanks! and special thanks to Chris (Big Guy) for his help
Brian

i wouldn't buy cards for investment, although prices are at a dip right now. if you want something that will at least retain value and always be popular, stick with the t206. i wouldn't buy a m116 if that was the case. 5k is a nice point for a mid-grade cobb.

welcome to the board

After several views and no replies, I appreciate your input CCCC. I've read about this board in the "Louisiana Find" and also through Chris Levy and I know you might get some "one-timers" in here like myself.

Thing is, I've always had a passion towards Cobb. My tough decision lies in getting a higher grade Cobb or perhaps a rare-back Cobb. Or something totally different like a Turkey Red. The last few days have been quite a crash-course in learning the multitude of knowledge of tobacco "pre-war" cards. If this ends up being a one time purchase, I want it to count.

turkey red is cool, more card for the money with cabinets. prices have fallen on these. don't know if you can get any super rare back or scarce cobb card as 5k is in that tweener zone.

There's a zillion different cards of Ty Cobb. M116's are some of the ugliest cards out there, and Cobb one of the nastiest, meanest, most bigoted players. So I question your taste. If you've got 5k to splash as an investment, I would go after the N172 Brouthers selling now in Memory Lane. 19th Century cards are more rare and some of the best investments. Cobbs are a dime a dozen, but I agree with Quan you should grab a T206 if you must have a Cobb. Get a PSA 6 or a rare back. Good luck!

PS I like the bat-off-shoulder for high grade, but if you go for a scarce back you should definitely get it in the red portrait pose, as that pose is most desired by back collectors.

for 5K you could get many many cobbs...almost any caramel in decent shape...e90-1 rf...rookie?, e94, e95, e98, e101, e102, e103...etc...any of these will be tougher/scarcer than any T206. If going w/T206 I'd go with the green background...in vg and then buy a wagner...e90-2, e90-1, pick one!

This is what I'd do...unless you're in it strictly for investment...than pick one and go higher grade!

You can have these 2 for 5K.

Personally, if I was to get just one Cobb card, it would be his e95. You can't wrong with a nice Cracker Jack or a t222 either. The t205 isn't bad. Certainly better looking than any of his t206s which I all find very mundane.


an e95 in that condition can probably be had for around $1k or less but since you have more to spend, get the best condition possible.

I think the T206s are gorgeous but then again Jay and I can't agree on anything

However I'm pretty sure he's cornered the market on '88 Donruss Roberto Alomar rookies, so you're SOL there

I think Jay meant a t202...not a t222...and I agree the e95 cobb is a beaut...I have one too!

I'm sorry, those E95's are foul, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder:)

Cobb has too many cards. Man, for a player who was regarded as an SOB, a lot of companies sure promoted his images.

This is available now on eBay by a seller known to us all. This gets my vote.



Though I don't think he should hit the BIN.

jbonie wrote:There's a zillion different cards of Ty Cobb. M116's are some of the ugliest cards out there, and Cobb one of the nastiest, meanest, most bigoted players. So I question your taste. If you've got 5k to splash as an investment, I would go after the N172 Brouthers selling now in Memory Lane. 19th Century cards are more rare and some of the best investments. Cobbs are a dime a dozen, but I agree with Quan you should grab a T206 if you must have a Cobb. Get a PSA 6 or a rare back. Good luck!

Haha. I'm not building your collection, just mine

The more I study the M116s, though, the more I agree with you. Again, this is a crash-course for me. I appreciate the pics and recommendations.

My top Cobbs right now are...and I caution this is as of this instant and may change in 45 seconds...
T-206 green 2-4 grade
T-206 red 4-6 grade
Turkey Red 3 grade
Cracker Jack 3 or 4 grade

Once again, I appreciate all comments.

Hey man, you wanted advice, you got it

The more you study baseball cards, the more you will agree with me about the Brouthers. I have nothing in this myself, I'm just trying to help you out. It ain't gonna go in my collection

I'd cross the T3 off your list and replace it with Sporting News if you go the cabinet route - photography is more historically important, and the art is mediocre on the T3's. That Cobb CJ is a mean card and you can't go wrong there, either.

The T206 green po is certainly nice, as I said, you can't go wrong with a T206. All four poses are beautiful. The green portrait I think it a bit rarer so perhaps more special, though I love the batting poses with the sunset - one of the nice things about those T206 cards are some of the wonderful sunsets.

I meant a t227 Series of Champions. Had a momentary brain fart on set designations.

out of those...i vote for cracker jack.

Okay, last post on this but here are my recs for you:

1. Cobb Red with a Scarce back (Broadleaf, Brown Hindu, Tolstoi). I recommend this first because it's a card that will actually have an element of scarcity. There's an increasing amount of back collectors and that should drive the price.

2. Cobb Green Portrait (Okay, it is a really nice card and a bit more scarce).

3. High grade T206 Cobb (any pose).

4. CJ

5. Sporting News Cabinet

GOOOOOOD LUCK!

cccc wrote:out of those...i vote for cracker jack.

Me too!!! Followed by a beautiful Green T206 portrait.

Or you could go a different route...which to me would provide excellent, unusual more accurate images, beautiful oversized card, exclusivity, excellent investment potential...and a true rookie?

1) '14 or '15 Cracker Jack

2) T206 Green Portrait

3) E93

Good ideas all over, I went the different route and have purchased some of Cobbs less common cards, funny things is I do not even own a T206 Cobb. As was said above about the investment side, buy them because you want to enjoy them not to make money on them.

Here are a couple of my favorites-

Point well taken, thanks. I have no intention of selling. However, as this is my one bullet to fire, I just want it to be a sensible, lasting purchase. Something I'll enjoy, pay a fair price for, and will appreciate over time.

To me this is the sickest Cobb going. I HAVE to have one of these some day.

Yup, I'd love to own one of those.

My intuition says you should go with the Cobb Green Portrait. It's hip, it's cool, and it's the consensus vibe here on the board. Not that the others aren't nice. Try to get one with decent centering and no staining in the front, decent corners. You can be less picky about the back. Just my opinion.

Cheers