(LOT 199)
Exalted T206 Magie Error Card - Piedmont 150 Subjects/Factory 25 PSA 3 VG
If the T206 Honus Wagner is our illustrious hobby's "Holy Grail", then the remaining three subjects from the T206 "Big Four" brethren (Eddie Plank, Joe Doyle NY Nat'l, Sherry "Magie" Error), should be classified as neighboring "Mona Lisas." These renowned "Big Four" rarities are the incomparable subjects of the prestigious T206 Monster Set, and obtaining them is such an excruciating task that many collectors are satisfied with assembling 520 of the 524 subjects. Yet, there are a number of sophisticated hobbyists who will stop at nothing to obtain all 524 T206 cards. Unfortunately, seldom do these cards become available with superb aesthetics, and meticulous enthusiasts patiently await the next opportunity for capturing at least one of these "Big Four" gems exhibiting exceptional eye appeal. Courtesy of Memory Lane, that esteemed Sherry Magie error card is now available for the taking, with this outstanding PSA 3 VG offering emanating aesthetics consistent with most VG-EX examples.

Its recent value has soared to stratospheric heights, with another PSA 3 VG specimen fetching $37K earlier this year, and a PSA 2.5 realizing a resounding $38K likewise in the winter of 2022. Finding VG or higher examples of this condition-sensitive subject is surely a painstaking chore, with only 15 "Magie Error" cards reflecting a higher grade on PSA's illustrious "Pop" Chart. To understand the scarcity of the "Magie" error card, one needs to clearly grasp its true origin. While Magee was a formidable player for 16 years, his stellar efforts on a baseball diamond have still fallen short of Hall of Fame status (a number of baseball enthusiasts still support the notion of Magee being worthy of a permanent home in Cooperstown, N.Y.). Fortunately for Magee, the Virginia "Factory 25" manufacturers of Piedmont Cigarette's inadvertently spelled his name "Magie" in their first 150 series release of his prized tobacco card, erroneously utilizing an "i" instead of the first "e" in his last name; immediately ensuring Magee's eternal popularity amongst advanced collectors.

While the company quickly corrected their error, cardboard history was already written in stone, with a number of "Magie" error cards already released to the tobacco smoking community. So, there you have it, a fourth legendary T206 card to forever chase and an heirloom so sanctified, it resides in PSA's "Top 250 Sports Card Hobby Guide". Other than the Wagner, Plank and Cobb T206 images, no tobacco portrait pose is arguably considered more popular than Sherry Magee's Carl Horner image affixed to the iconic T206 "Magie" error. We cannot overemphasize the sheer eminence of this grandeur artifact with its overall eye appeal outdistancing the PSA 3 assessment. Magee's stoic portrait image is absolutely brilliant, highlighted by its near-perfect resolution and tranquil facial hues that are set against a soft toned olive-green background.

Incredibly, the timeless image reveals atypical near-perfect centering between four relatively clean borders, a seldom seen occurrence since most "Magie" error cards exhibit skewed images. For full disclosure, there is a diminutive white print mark situated near the upper right frame, and the four corners reveal even wear with a hint of modest enamel peel by the upper right corner. No obtrusive surface blemishes are evident, and the final exclamation point is the verso's Piedmont 150 Subjects bold midnight blue advertisement affixed to a somewhat clean surface. Simply stated, super eye pleasing T206 "Magie" error cards rarely surface for the taking, with most offered examples reflecting low-grade assessments. We are ultra-proud to offer this momentous PSA 3 heirloom that outdistances nearly 65% of the PSA technical assessments, and more significantly, surpasses the visual appeal of a majority of the existing "Magie" error subjects!

MIN BID $10,000