(LOT 40)
Unique for the Grade 1909 E95 Philadelphia Caramel Honus Wagner PSA 7 NM – "POP 1"; Only One Example Graded Higher on the Combined PSA & SGC "Pop" Charts!
"POP 1" NM HONUS!!!... Issued in 1909, this sensational PSA 7 NEAR-MINT 1909 E95 Philadelphia Caramel Honus Wagner candy card treat just happens to be the SOLE PSA encapsulated example, bested by only a single specimen on the COMBINED PSA and SGC Pop Charts! The 1909 campaign would see Wagner's Pirates capture their inaugural world championship, besting the Ty Cobb led Detroit Tigers in a tightly contested Fall Classic. This amazing matchup would feature baseball's two greatest players, with the Flying Dutchman totally outplaying Tyrus the entire series. The magical moment of the series would be the "alleged" instance when Cobb was standing at first base and shouted out to Wagner who was of German descent: "Watch out Krauthead, I'm going to steal second base". Not only was Cobb thrown out in his failed effort to take second base, but Wagner's hard tag struck Cobb on the mouth, drawing blood from Cobb's lip and setting the tone for the remainder of the series.

Fact or fiction, like Babe Ruth's "Called Shot", we may never know for sure if this event truly took place, but the story certainly adds an abundance of folklore to this most significant matchup. Along with the fiery Cobb, Wagner's E95 subject resides as one of the E95 set's two foremost players, with their value steamrolling ahead synonymous to an uncontrollable brush fire. The immortal Honus Wagner continues to be the finest shortstop to ever grace a baseball diamond. His hitting, fielding and base running exploits were second to none during the Senior Circuit's dead ball era, with Honus standing right alongside Ty Cobb as our National Pastime's premier pre-WW1 player. However, even Cobb doesn't own the distinction of being represented on the most prestigious baseball card in existence, the iconic T206 Wagner Holy Grail that would make even the most advanced enthusiast's heart skip a beat.

That card's popularity has spilled over to other vintage Wagner subjects, with his E95 subject a bona fide collecting favorite. Currently, VG examples are fetching $10K+ figures, and with that said, we cannot even begin to fathom what this "POP 1" masterpiece is truly worth? Simply stated, PSA 7 NM candy cards never surface for the taking, with their immense condition sensitivity resulting in most of these bygone keepsakes reflecting poor eye appeal. This particular world-class offering features a breathtaking Wagner batting stance image unique to his E95 issue, with the timeless pose stubbornly defying father time over the past 114 years. Atypical for any E95 subject, the classic illustration reveals near-perfect centering between four bright white borders, ending at factory issued sharp edges including for square corners.

Vivid resolution, sparkling hues including a radiant yellow setting, the lack of any notable flaws, and a clean 25-player checklist verso are additional highlights supporting the near-impossible near-mint grade. It's no secret that locating any pack-fresh E95 memento is synonymous to finding a needle in a haystack, let alone an example portraying the awe-inspiring image of the legendary Johannes Peter "Honus" Wagner who stands tall as baseball's greatest all-time shortstop. To reiterate, his portrayal on the hobby's regal T206 Holy Grail card has left a positive impact on all his century old cardboard relics, with pricing points for these museum worthy keepsakes continuing to soar to stratospheric heights. A momentous opportunity to capture one of the immortal Wagner's finest preserved turn of the century cards, its miraculous PSA 7 NM "POP 1" assessment immediately places it as one of the most significant candy cards extant, worthy of a final resting place in one of the hobby's pinnacle collections!

MIN BID $10,000
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