Lot # 33: 1905 W600 Honus Wagner - Uniform “Type 4” Mount (PSA 2.5) – “1 of 3” PSA Listed Type 4 Mounts!

Category: 1900-1920

Starting Bid: $5,000.00

Bids: 18 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "Spring 2021 Rarities Auction",
which ran from 2/27/2021 10:00 AM to
3/20/2021 7:00 PM




(LOT 33)
1905 W600 Honus Wagner - Uniform "Type 4" Mount (PSA 2.5) – "1 of 3" PSA Listed Type 4 Mounts!

The seemingly "timeless" T206 Wagner image originally taken by renowned photographer Carl Horner is one of the most recognizable illustrations on the globe, and we continue to ponder how the stature of other rare Wagner baseball cards carrying this iconic image will eventually climb the ladder with regard to their overall desirability and value. What many hobbyists may not realize is that the inaugural cardboard appearance of the immortal Carl Horner portrait Wagner image was realized near the turn of century on his extremely scarce 1904 W600 Sporting Life Cabinet. The W600 Sporting Life Cabinet Photo-types were issued from 1902 thru 1911 by the Sporting Life weekly newspaper in 5" x 7-1/2" size and are highly desirable for any avid vintage baseball card collector. The first two years (1902 & '03), Honus Wagner's subject was issued in a "Street Clothes" format, with both these Type 1 and Type 2 versions portraying Wagner in period-style formal attire.

In 1904, the Sporting Life Company decided to issue Wagner's W600 cabinet with a resounding Carl Horner baseball uniform portrait illustration that would eventually become the hallowed image for the "Flying Dutchman's" immortal T206 subject. The 1904 Type 3 "Uniform Mount" would change its lower border caption in 1905, with the 1905 "Type 4" version providing a completely new lower border Sporting Life advertisement in white print. With that in mind, presented here is a spectacular PSA 2.5 1905 W600 Wagner revealing a "Type 4" Mount. Its utmost rarity is substantiated by the PSA "Pop" Chart that list this historic offering as one of only 3 Wagner "Type 4" Mounts, with only one graded higher. It should also be noted that the PSA population report includes 8 additional W600 Wagner "Uniform" variations that unfortunately have undisclosed "Type" Mounts.

Issued in 1905 (four years earlier than his exalted T206 subject), this W600 Type 4 portrayal of Wagner effectively transcends time from today's game to the "turn of the century" via its iconic portrait image. It would make perfect sense that the value of this oversized heirloom will likewise escalate in similar fashion to an uncontrollable brush fire, especially considering the W600 pre-dates the T206 Wagner Holy Grail, and its availability represents a fraction of the approximate 60+ known T206 Wagner's. It suffices as a true masterpiece of one of baseball's five original Hall of Famers, a player who resides as the greatest shortstop to ever grace a baseball field via his incomparable statistical achievements including eight National League batting titles. Regarding its super eye pleasing aesthetics, it is clearly obvious that the technical assessment serves as a virtually useless barometer with respect to the breathtaking central image. Crystal-clear clarity and sparkling sepia tones dominate this museum worthy masterpiece that reveals typical corner wear and modest chipping near the lower right corner. That, along with what appears to be some moisture related toning encompassing the entire central image account for the grade, with a relatively clean blank back residing as the final exclamation point.

Most significant and needless to say, the unparalleled Carl Horner T206 Wagner portrait pose unquestionably "steals the show." Certainly, we are not suggesting that this W600 Wagner will ever reach the stature of Wagner's T206, for it is his T206 subject that will forever suffice as the pinnacle hobby collectible, from both a value and desirability perspective. The sole implication is amongst the myriad of valuable pre-WWI cards, this is THE card that "mirrors" the T206 hallowed Horner pose with a favorable "Pop Chart" rarity factor of approximately 3 to 1! This museum worthy masterpiece provides the elite collector an extraordinary opportunity to obtain a brilliant eye pleasing W600 Wagner at a fraction of the cost of the T206 "Holy Grail", and you would be shrewd to capture it now before the price tag eventually soars to an unattainable level. It is clearly obvious that the T206 Wagner is currently flexing its muscles, with low grade "1"/poor eye appeal examples now fetching as much as $1.4 million. It would therefore make sense that value for the imposing and significantly scarcer W600 Wagner continue moving in a northern direction. That said, since this Type 4 W600 Honus oversized treasure won't send you into immediate bankruptcy, even the legendary Nostradamus would advise you not to let it slip away, for it arguably represents Honus Wagner's most striking cardboard issue!

MIN BID $5,000
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