(LOT 22)
1911 T205 Cy Young Sweet Caporal Cigarettes PSA 7 NM
CY TOBACCO MARVEL!!! The immortal Denton True "Cy" Young is the legendary author of baseball's unbreakable record of 511 lifetime victories, with this miraculous feat leading to baseball's annual award for pitching excellence forever carrying his illustrious name. Coincidentally, his representation on this sensational PSA 7 NM 1911 T205 Gold Border offering is truly worthy of a grand place in any esteemed collection. At the time this was written, only seven other examples were worthy enough of earning the hallowed 7 assessment, with a paltry five specimens graded higher! While the T205 Gold Border subjects are widely considered among the most artistically designed cards due to their original rich gold borders, elaborate hues and baseball diamond designs, the negative aspect of the majestic gold frames is their ultra-condition sensitivity resulting in serious flaking of the delicate gold border hues.
That said, finding breathtaking eye-appeal examples is an excruciating task, justifying why this Cy Young marvel merits the highest hobby accolades. Considering Young's incomprehensible statistical achievements, hobbyists frantically seek his most coveted cardboard keepsakes, and this PSA 7 offering certainly fits that niche. Regarding Young's unparalleled legacy, to reiterate, no baseball player could possibly receive a greater honor than having an award named after him, the ultimate compliment for a player's lifetime achievements. When you consider that Denton "Cy" Young 's 511 wins included 15 seasons of posting 20+ victories and an incredible 30+ game winner on five separate occasions, it's safe to say this is one record that will NEVER be broken.
Due to the excessive use of bullpen pitchers in the current game, it is a minor miracle for any pitcher to now win 20 games, let alone averaging 20 wins for 25+ years! Regarding Young's renowned nickname, there are two accounts relating to the birth of his "Cy" name, with both involving the "cyclone" term from his inaugural 1889 season with the Canton, Ohio minor league club. One stems from a young catcher warming him up during the Canton tryout who responded to reporters "he is as fast as a cyclone". The other is also linked to his Canton tryout when Young damaged the grandstand fences with his blazing fastball with someone remarking, "the fences looked as if a cyclone had hit them!" Whichever scenario is correct, the "cyclone" expression was reported in the newspapers with people simply shortening it to "Cy". In addition to his unbreakable victories record, his impeccable resume also includes a record 749 complete games (in 815 starts!), a lifetime 2.63 ERA, and three no-hitters, one of which was a perfect game when in 1904 he out-dueled the great Rube Waddell.
His incomparable status as the game's arguable greatest hurler is similar to this astounding memento's premier hobby stature, with Young's classic portrait pose nearly immaculate. The ornate green baseball diamond, robust red-orange background, super clean surfaces, and stylish baseball equipment all emanate stellar quality. Most significantly, the atypically well-centered image reveals virtually 50/50 positioning, residing between four jaw-dropping gold borders that have retained virtually all of their original gold hue. Indeed, we cannot detect any notable surface flaking, and considering the corners are sharp, one must wonder why this museum-worthy masterpiece did not receive a higher assessment. As a point of reference, this same offering sold for an extraordinary $110K several years ago in a Memory Lane auction, and we cannot even begin to estimate its stratospheric new value. The significance of a T205 subject exhibiting near-flawless gold borders and excellent centering cannot be overemphasized, with its awe-inspiring aesthetics synonymous with Cy Young's incomparable pitching feats that will truly stand the test of time!
MIN BID $25,000
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