(LOT 53)
Extremely Rare T216 Ty Cobb "Sideways Batting" 1911-1916 Peoples Tobacco/Kotton Cigarettes (PSA 1) - One of Only 5 PSA Encapsulated Copies!
RARE COBB!!!... From 1911 thru 1916, the People's Tobacco Co. of New Orleans, Louisiana distributed baseball cards with their three cigarette brands including Kotton, Mino and Virgin Extra. Ultra scarce and extremely condition sensitive, these three tobacco cards rarely surface, with high end enthusiasts actively seeking crème of the crop Hall of Fame players from any of the three issues. As with most pre-WWI issues, the Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner subjects are the most prestigious, valuable and desirable subjects. With regard to Ty Cobb, there were two separate subjects issued with the T216 set, one including his famous E90-1 sideways batting pose and the other portraying his "leaning on bat" pose seen on "E" card sets such as the 1909 E101 and E102 issues.

Although the SGC census report does not distinguish between the "batting" vs. "leaning on bat" counts for a majority of their encapsulated Ty Cobb Kotton Cigarette examples, either one is ultra-scarce with elite candy card enthusiasts painstakingly looking to capture both examples. Presented here is the T216 Kotton Cigarette Ty Cobb "sideways batting" pose that's stands as one of only 5 PSA encapsulated copies. Even more impressive is that PSA's "Pop" Chart does not distinguish between the 3 different Peoples Tobacco ad backs, with the possibility of those 5 listed copies not all reflecting Kotton Cigarettes versos. While several stray creases are evident (most notably 2 vertical-like creases extended down from the upper border and a diagonal crease near the lower left corner), none of these are obtrusive enough to hinder the solid "GOOD/VG" eye appeal emanating from this cardboard scarcity. Cobb's classic batting central image provides strong aesthetics, well projected by a tranquil visual pleasing orange/green hued background.

Rounded corners depict an eye pleasing uniformity, and the critical reverse side bold black Kotton Cigarette advertisement text is completely intact. Bottom line is the superior central Ty Cobb image takes precedence over its neighboring peripheral blemishes, providing aesthetics far superior to the technical assessment. More significantly, however, is the card's sheer existence since the "right to own a copy" far exceeds any respective grade, with the sheer paucity level of this "Georgia Peach" rarity placing it as one of Cobb's most elusive type cards extant!

MIN BID $1,000
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