A CURATED SELECTION OF GREAT CARDS
34. 1894 Alpha Engraving Co. Steve Brodie – SGC GOOD 2
This Alpha Engraving Co. set is extremely rare, with only one known example for each of its players, who all hail from Baltimore’s back-to-back-to-back champs (1894-96). This set has reached the level of hobby legend, as a dedicated collector who first built it owned every known example at one point. Many in today’s hobby believe Alpha used these as business cards during their heyday, demonstrating the company’s skill at producing high-quality photos and prints. 1890s visual style suffuses this ornate card. Its photo features the outstanding Orioles centerfielder Steve Brodie, nattily clad in formal attire. While known for an entertaining on-field style, Brodie showed his serious face to this studio camera. Brodie became so infamous as an opponent that Life magazine included him in their 1897 “Klondike Contest,” a purported mail-in voting campaign to award someone with a free trip into the frozen north, on the condition they never return. (The actual contest ended with Life’s famous editor, Joseph Pulitzer, as “winner” of that one-way trip.) While the élan of each single means more to collectors than SGC’s technical grade, this GOOD 2 aligns with its moderate handling on the front and a narrow strip of loss along one edge of its reverse, which
once held adhesive tape. It’s otherwise a pleasing and absorbing example from a set so significant that those who aim to own one rarely speak about them, and those who speak about them rarely own one. Love of the Game is excited to offer a card this special in our auction.
MINIMUM BID: $1,000
36. 1909-11 T206 Ty Cobb (HOF – Green Background) – PSA GOOD+ 2.5
35. 1909 T204 Ramly Eddie Plank (HOF) – SGC EX+ 5.5
T206 Ty Cobb green background cards often outpace this legend’s other T206 poses in demand and value, reflecting how well its color balance adds to the card’s overall appeal. At this point in his career, Cobb already dominated the American League as a hitter and would win 12 of 13 batting titles between 1907 and 1919. Many consider this color his strongest portrait, with its emerald field complementing Cobb’s focused pose and grey Tigers jersey.
T204 Ramly cards feature a black- and-white studio portrait of each player, circled by an ornate gold foil border featuring their position and team on its nameplate. The embossed set remains condition- sensitive due to its thin card stock and fragile borders. Thanks to outstanding player selection and excellent design, T204 attracts considerable collector interest today. Strong examples often cost more relative to their contemporaries, as this fragility presents an extreme challenge at the high end.
This PSA 2.5 grade shows wonderful centering and color, with corner rounding and minor surface marks familiar to those who pursue collector grades. The Sweet Caporal 150 reverse is well-printed and exhibits surface quality similar to its front. Cobb will be a key T206 card for as long as there are T206 collectors, and this encapsulated example strikes an accessible balance between composition and condition, with these grades presenting the ideal way to add such an important T206.
Eddie Plank belongs to that august group of tough finds, as his SGC 5.5 shares the top spot on its population report, a list that contains just 20 total examples across all grades. Ideal centering, light foil touches, and clear image quality combine for an outstanding look. Close inspection of its back shows light ghost marks from stacking on another T204 sheet. Attractive Ramlys deliver some of the best visual impact in our hobby and this issue’s scarcity magnifies Eddie’s own value to any serious set or Hall of Fame collector.
MINIMUM BID: $2,500
MINIMUM BID: $2,000
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