Reccius Wagner

Is this still considered a legit card? Haven't heard anything about this card in a very long time and never seems to get mentioned when people talk of early Wagner cards.

Given that there are two of them known, it's card to argue against it being a legit card. The date of its issue is what is of debate. It certainly features an early picture of him, but concensus has seemed to be that it was issued at a later date than some had hoped. Therein lies the debate.

Personally, I don't have a strong opinion as to its date of issue. I don't consider it to be his rookie card, but the pre-war "rookie card" debate is not one that is easily settled. The 1899-1900 M101-1 of Wagner is the earliest definitive dated baseball piece that I am aware of. The W600 and E107 vie for the next with the street clothes version of Wagner being available as early as October 1902 and extending on through 1913. (They stopped adding new players in 1911 though, so 1912 and 1913 were just leftovers.) The E107 is attributed to 1903 with some team changes indicating that it was still produced in early 1904.

As for the Reccius, I have seen arguments that it predates the M101-1 and others that it was produced in the late teens. Naturally, those who own the card tend to believe it has an earlier issue date.

I thought that when this card sold a few years back, the research that accompanied the auction notice made a convincing case that its issue preceded the T206, but as noted here, and as I recall, it could not be definitively be dated to be a "rookie" issue, which is how the "card" was marketed. As I recall, the street address placed the issue earlier than T206. Makes sense, why distribute a trade card with an incorrect street address?

I get the connection with the local German population as well as the Reccius connection to Louisville professional and major league baseball.

Wagner's not really a star player until the Colonels leave Louisville. Very good while in Louisville, yes, but not the superstar he became. It would be interesting if the Reccius family paid for the rights to picture Wagner.

If "cards" other than Wagner were issued and found, then the dating of this card would be better.

m-mac wrote:

If "cards" other than Wagner were issued and found, then the dating of this card would be better.

agreed, the fact that only Wagner is known makes me believe it may be a later produced tribute piece.

A different card wouldn't even have to be of a ball player. That trade card stuff was mostly stock, mass printed, and 19th century. A different Reccius trade card might help establish more about timing and such. The Wagner card is so controversial because it is so rare. Cigar selling or cigar making are not unusual professions during the 19th century and that research claimed the Reccius family was cigar makers for many years.