(LOT 32)
1910 Ty Cobb E103 William's Caramel (SGC EX 5) - "1 of 1"; Highest Graded SGC Example!
One of the rarest pre-WWI candy issues ever distributed are the 1910 Williams Caramel Candy cards that included 30 different baseball players. Super appealing to the high-end collectors, the images utilized on these cards are the portrait poses produced by the iconic "turn of the century" baseball photographer, Carl Horner. Printed on thin paper stock, these blank back rarities are ultra-condition sensitive, with virtually no mid-grade examples in existence. As with most early candy or tobacco issues, the most valuable and sought-after card is the immortal "Georgia Peach", Ty Cobb. With that in mind, presented here is a Williams Caramel Cobb in an outstanding high-grade SGC EX-5 holder. Its "high-grade" status stems from the fact that it proudly stands as the SOLE and HIGHEST GRADED SGC example!

In fact, the combined SGC and PSA population report currently lists only 50 encapsulated E103 Cobb's, with PSA likewise reflecting only a single "EX 5" example. Unquestionably, this population data surely supports the notion of Williams Caramel cards residing as one of the most condition sensitive issues, and what better subject to own than the finest Ty Cobb specimen on the planet! This supreme offering is truly one of the hobby's most astounding cards due to its "unique for the grade" stature and the ultra-popular Carl Horner portrait image of the fiery Tiger outfielder affixed to the obverse side. Many baseball historians still consider Cobb the greatest all-around player that ever graced a baseball diamond and why not? Still the proud owner of our National Pastime's highest lifetime batting average (.366), Cobb surpassed his peers at nearly every aspect of the game.

His superior batting prowess, base running and fielding capabilities place him at a plateau far above most of the game's greatest stars and his representation on this William's Caramel card, likewise, is nothing short of sensational. The technical assessment is consistent with the card's strong aesthetics, strongly meriting the title as the "Finest E103 Cobb." The "Georgia Peach's stoic portrait pose portrays fine registration, with the contrast somewhat favoring a typical darker tone. A robust red background brings out the red highlights of Cobb's rosy cheeks and the image reveals fine "top to bottom" centering, with the "side-to side" positioning favoring the left edge. Bright white borders depict a superb eye pleasing frame, and the corners portray only moderate wear to their original square formations that are consistent with the "EX" assessment.

Typical with many E103 subjects, the image does depict a slight "tilt" towards the upper right corner, nothing of which detracts from the outstanding overall presentation of Cobb's timeless pose. Final exclamation points for this museum worthy relic include the bold black typography situated at the lower border being fully intact (TY COBB, R.F., Detroit - The Williams Caramel Co. Oxford, Pa."), and relatively clean surfaces that reveal no glaring creases/flaws. In closing, this offering is the exact card that any vintage enthusiast seeks for their hallowed collections since it maintains virtually all of the highly coveted sought-after aspects such as type rarity, visual appeal and the image of one of the five charter members of baseball's illustrious Hall of Fame. Most significant and synonymous with the "Georgia Peach's" pinnacle-like baseball immortality, this miraculous "EX 5" offering steadfastly resides as the irrefutable "best of the rest" example, firmly perched atop the SGC census report as the premier E103 Cobb on the planet!

MIN BID $3,000
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