I was talking with a friend last week about the Tris Speaker Drum that ended in Memory Lane recently and the phrase “Top 10 front/back combo” rolled off my tongue in explaining how significant a card it is. I had a strong feeling that Speaker belonged in the top 10, but I wasn’t exactly sure what the list actually looked like. So I figured, why not put together a Top Ten list of the most desirable Hall of Fame front/back examples? I’ve chosen to leave Wagner and Plank off the list because they are coveted for their fronts rather than the combination of their fronts and a rare back. I’m also leaving the Ty Cobb back off this list as it is debatable whether that card should be classified as a T206. That is probably a subject for a future article. Without further ado, here it is (in my humble opinion of course):
#1. Ty Cobb Red Portrait Broad Leaf 460
The biggest star in the set combined with the scarcest back (not counting Brown Old Mill and Brown Lenox, which were produced by mistake). There is one copy of this card known in the hobby. I wrote an article about the incredible collection that this card resides in. You may read about it here if you are so inclined.
#2. Ty Cobb Red Portrait Drum
No surprise here. Cobb’s second most desirable front/back combo is the Drum. As of this writing, there are three examples known. Two are graded by PSA and one by SGC.
#3. Ty Cobb Bat off Shoulder Brown Lenox
Another near impossible Cobb card, this one has been graded twice, once each by PSA and SGC.
#4. Walter Johnson Hands at Chest Broad Leaf 460
The Big Train’s most desirable cards comes in fourth on the list. There appear to be two known copies, both incredibly nice. The above SGC 60 and a PSA 4.5. It’s very possible that this is just one card, which has been crossed from the SGC 60 to a PSA 4.5.
#5. Cy Young Glove Shows Broad Leaf 460
There appears to be only one copy of this card, and it is an absolute beauty. SGC graded this card above, and PSA has graded a PSA 5.5. I am guessing this card was purchased in the SGC holder and crossed over to a PSA slab.
#6. Christy Mathewson Dark Cap Broad Leaf 460
Matty’s most sought after card clocks in a sixth. Really, I could arranged Matty, Cy, and WaJo in any order, but I think this order is most in line with the prices that each card tends to sell for. SGC has graded two copies of this combo (both graded “A”) and PSA has not graded any.
#7. Walter Johnson Hands at Chest Drum
There appear to be two copies of this card graded. This one graded by SGC and likely crossed to a PSA 4, and another PSA 1.5.
#8. Christy Mathewson Dark Cap Drum
This combo has not been graded by either SGC or PSA. It is however, confirmed to exist on T206resource.com.
#9. Tris Speaker Drum
The first non-Cobb/WaJo/Young/Matty on the list is Tris Speaker’s most desirable front/back combo. SGC and PSA each show a single entry for this card, and both are graded “1”s.
10. Ty Cobb Bat off Shoulder Uzit
The fourth Cobb on the list and the only Uzit, this combo barely edged out the honorable mentions below. This combo is significantly easier to find than any above. SGC has graded four copies, while PSA has graded six.
Honorable Mentions:
Addie Joss Hands at Chest Broad Leaf 460
Mordecai Brown Chicago on Shirt Broad Leaf 460
Nap Lajoie With Bat Brown Lenox
Frank Chance Yellow Portrait Drum
Sam Crawford Batting Drum
2 comments