Lot # 31: 1907 Ty Cobb Wolverine Rookie Postcard (SGC 10/1) – Postmarked OCT 9, 1907 - Portrait Variation w/1907 Postmark & “Unique” Reference to Cobb’s Inaugural A.L. Batting Title (SGC 10/1)

Category: 1900-1920

Starting Bid: $5,000.00

Bids: 21 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "20th Anniversary Auction",
which ran from 9/18/2020 4:30 PM to
10/10/2020 7:00 PM




(LOT 31)
Extraordinary 1907 Ty Cobb Wolverine Rookie Postcard (SGC 10/1) – Postmarked OCT 9, 1907 - Ultra-Scarce Portrait Variation w/1907 Postmark & "Unique" Reference to Cobb's Inaugural A.L. Batting Title (SGC 10/1)

It is a general consensus among devoted hobbyists that the most sought-after Hall of Famer cards are ones typically associated with their inaugural Major League season, thus appropriately labeled that players "rookie card". Unfortunately, in Ty Cobb's case, this is where it gets slightly sketchy since his first stand-alone appearance on a professional baseball related card was not until 1907, a year in which a significant number of issues were distributed with his hallowed image. Cobb broke into the Major Leagues with the Detroit Tigers in 1905, playing in a mere 41 games while hitting a paltry .240. Quickly, Cobb bounced back in 1906 to bat an impressive .316; the first of an unfathomable 23 consecutive years of exceeding the exalted .300 benchmark. Throughout his incomparable 24 seasons, he led the American League a record 12 years in batting average including an incredible 9 consecutive years from 1907 thru 1915!

After his sterling 1906 season, he stroked 212 hits in 1907, his first full season in which he batted .350 and captured the first of his incomparable 12 American League Batting Titles. Due to his newly found star status, manufacturers began utilizing his image on various cardboard related products throughout the 1907 season including various postcards and the extremely rare and ultra-valuable W600 Sporting Life Cabinet. Some of the postcard issues include the A.C. Dietsche, H.M. Taylor, Steel Tubes and Wolverine News, with all four issues staking a claim as Cobb's hallowed rookie card and the latter two postcards considered ultra-scarce. Unlike the A.C. Dietsche and H.M. Taylor issues, the Wolverine News Co. postcard was only distributed in the 1907 calendar year, substantiating its extreme obscurity and included both a "Portrait" and "Batting" version of the immortal Georgia Peach.

As sophisticated enthusiasts are well aware of, the "Portrait" subject is somewhat scarcer than the "Batting" pose, with the combined PSA and SGC population reports justifying that notion. Currently, of the 27-total encapsulated SGC and PSA copies, a mere 12 specimens represent the obscure 1907 Cobb Wolverine News Portrait pose (6 SGC; 6 PSA), with this highly significant SGC 10/1 Portrait offering residing as one of those extremely scant examples. Of even greater importance, this museum worthy postcard just happens to be postmarked OCT 9, 1907, the day the Chicago Cubs bested Detroit by a 3-1 score at Chicago's West Side Grounds ballpark with the Chicago Cubs eventually sweeping Cobb's Tigers in four straight games. Additionally, a previous owner (most likely from that era) has scripted in black fountain pen near the lower edge: "champion batter of American – Just 21 years old – Watch him next year." This absolutely incredible salutation basically says it all for Tyrus had just captured his inaugural batting championship with an admiring baseball community anticipating an abundance of things to come from Detroit's brightest young star.

While many collectors typically frown upon stamped versos and manually written verbiage, both of these anomalies actually ELEVATE the stature of this timeless keepsake. Imagine, this offering stands as one of the rarest of Cobb's true 1907 rookie cards, and what could possibly be more rewarding than having an official government issued "1907" postmark on the flipside as well as a brief notation that literally "turns back the clock" to the season when the majestic Cobb would begin his record string of nine-consecutive A.L. Batting Titles. Furthermore, it is the Wolverine News "Portrait" rookie postcard that proudly stands as one of Cobb's rarest 1907 issues, with this Cooperstown worthy memento portraying aesthetics beyond the technical assessment. A youthful Ty Cobb intensely gazes into the camera for this stoic pose, with the sparkling facial image remaining basically unscathed.

Some negligible stray surface scratches are evident near Cobb's collar, and other than the critical lower notation, no glaring flaws are apparent. The "TY COBB, Right Fielder" caption situated directly above the black fountain pen verbiage is completely intact, the four corners still retain a majority of their original square formations and the verso reveals the "1 Cent" Benjamin Franklin green stamp as well as the momentous OCT 9, 1907 postmark (a factory issued "PUB. BY WOLVERINE NEWS CO., DETROIT, MICH." Copyright text is also seen along the left edge). In closing, this miraculous Georgia Peach cardboard heirloom's definitive 1907 issue year (via the 1907 Postal cancellation date), unquestionable paucity level, stellar central image aesthetics and remarkable scripted verbiage referencing Cobb's inaugural batting championship all combine to place this extraordinary rookie memento as one of Cobb's most incomparable cards on the planet!

MIN BID $5,000
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