(LOT 47)
1912 T227 Ty Cobb Honest Long Cut PSA 4 VG-EX – Only One PSA Example Graded Higher!
ONLY ONE GRADED HIGHER!!!... Arguably no Ty Cobb pre-WWII card provides a more aesthetically brilliant portrayal of the Georgia Peach than his representation on the ultra-desirable T227 "Series of Champions" issue. In 1912, the "Honest Long Cut" and "Miners Extra" tobacco brands included a single card representing one of the era's prominent sports stars. The "Series of Champions" 25-subject checklist included sports personalities from baseball, billiards, car racing, swimming, wrestling, golf, horse racing, etc. Four separate baseball players were issued including Ty Cobb, Chief Bender, Frank Baker and Rube Marquard, with Ty Cobb obviously being the most coveted and valuable subject in this illustrious set. Extremely condition sensitive, most of the oversized T227 cardboard specimens are found in low-grade condition with mid-grade examples near impossible to come by. With that in mind, presented here is a T227 Ty Cobb Honest Long Cut example residing in a near-impossible to find PSA 4 VG-EX holder. Justifying that notion is PSA's Pop Chart listing 94 T227 Ty Cobb's, with a mere nine others at this rare mid-grade plateau and only a SOLE example graded higher (a PSA 6). Indeed, a paltry 10% of the existing PSA graded Cobb's carry a 4 VG-EX assessment, with this world-class scarcity destined to be the centerpiece attraction in any esteemed Cobb compilation.

Prompting the Cobb cardboard frenzy are his incomparable batting achievements include the highest lifetime batting average (.366), a 1909 Triple Crown season, three .400 or better batting averages and 12 seasons in which he led the American League in batting (including nine consecutive seasons from 1907-1915). The presented copy arguably portrays the most popular Ty Cobb image affixed to any pre-war Cobb artifact, with his majestic batting image encompassing a majority of the frame. Atypical for this example is the near-perfect centering and registration, as well as the radiant yellow background that normally presents itself in a dreary manner. The relatively clean-white borders only reflect some faint toning, and incredibly, no obtrusive creases are evident. Moderate corner wear is consistent with the grade, the upper edge reveals a slight factory-issued angle cut, and the verso reflects a clean Honest Long Cut advertisement and brief Cobb bio. The 1912 campaign would see the fiery Cobb post an unfathomable .409 league-leading batting average (the second successive year he surpassed the .400 mark), as well as pacing the Junior Circuit in OPS for the sixth consecutive year via his impressive 1.040 figure. That said, this obscure for the grade 1912 Cobb heirloom stands as the perfect testament for that remarkable campaign!

MIN BID $5,000
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