(LOT 22)
1915 PM1 Honus Wagner Ornate Pinback – NM/MT Condition & Arguably the Finest In The Hobby!
You can search long and far, but we are confident that no collector will ever come across a finer preserved 1915 PM1 pin than this breathtaking Honus Wagner offering that via its breathtaking aesthetics, stands at a pinnacle level. Issued over a century ago, the 1915 PM1 pinbacks are among the most desirable pins in the hobby via their extremely ornate bronze colored oval borders and real oval photos. Measuring approximately 1-1/8" x 1-1/4", the current 28-subject checklist is still considered incomplete, with the most historic find being an extraordinary pin of the incomparable Babe Ruth. While the specific manufacturer and method of distribution remains a perplexing conundrum among hobbyists, their scarcity and esteemed number of Cooperstown Inductees have earned them a solidified niche in the hearts of advanced pinback enthusiasts.

Before the Babe Ruth pin surfaced, the set's most coveted and valuable subjects were Cobb and Wagner, with only a handful of Wagner pinbacks ever offered at public auctions. A 1936 charter member of baseball's illustrious Hall of Fame, the "Flying Dutchman" is widely regarded as baseball's greatest all-time shortstop. He could hit, field, run and throw as well or better than any of his peers, capturing a staggering eight N.L. batting titles. Legendary Hall of Fame manager John McGraw always insisted Wagner was the greatest player he ever saw, and due to Wagner's "Holy Grail" T206 subject, his exalted hobby stature stands right alongside Ruth, Cobb and Jackson. His awe-inspiring PM1 pin offered here has miraculously managed to escape the image fading and border oxidation that plagues virtually all PM1 pins. The classic Wagner batting stance illustration shows no wear whatsoever, depicting superb clarity and contrast.

Miraculously, it has managed to elude any fading whatsoever, stubbornly defying "father time" over the past 102 years, with the bold white "WAGNER" text likewise depicting most of its original factory issued quality. Equally amazing is the ornate metallic leaf-styled border that atypically portrays minimal oxidation/wear, with a majority of its original bronze-like hues intact. The final compliment is the verso's secure pin clasp and super clean metallic surface that has somehow managed to elude the typically evident soiling and rust portrayed on virtually all of the surviving PM1 pins. No one could possibly argue that after scouring this museum worthy masterpiece it truly resides as the finest PM1 Honus Wagner example, and one of the premier preserved subjects for ALL existing PM1 pinbacks

MIN BID $2,500
_