Auction of Rare Honus Wagner Card Bungs Past $3.2 Million Mark Early On
A T206 Honus Wagner card, recognized as one of the most coveted collectibles in baseball, went under the hammer on Wednesday. Less than an hour after its 10 a.m. local time opening, bidding reached $3.17 million. This priceless artifact, once the most valuable baseball card before being surpassed by Mickey Mantle's card, is being offered by Goldin Auctions.
The last T206 Wagner sold for $7.25 million in a 2022 private sale brokered by Goldin, making it one of the world's most valuable sports collectibles. The auction house describes the Wagner card as "an unmatched tobacco treasure, standing far above any of its inferior brethren, ultimately leading to its rightful designation as the 'Holy Grail of all sports cards.'"
Known for its rarity, only 54 copies of the card are known to exist, with 28 of them reflecting poor to fair condition according to card grader PSA. Even though older baseball cards with fewer copies and similarly scarce cards in better condition do exist, the Wagner card's combination of scarcity and Hall of Fame subject has made it highly desirable. Honus Wagner, also known as the "Flying Dutchman," was one of the first five players to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936. He retired in 1917 and died in 1955 but remains in the top 10 for all-time baseball records in hits, doubles, triples, and wins above replacement.
The T206 card's scarcity is legendary, with theories suggesting that Wagner opposed tobacco product promotion, which he felt targeted children. Despite initially refusing to be part of the T206 series, some copies of the Wagner card were still printed. Upon learning of the card's existence, Wagner stopped its production, leading to the relatively few cards in circulation.
The card being sold now is known as The Connecticut Wagner. In 1985, it was acquired in a $10,000 deal at a Connecticut card show and later resold for $282,000. This specific card was consigned to Goldin for the current auction, and the seller's identity remains undisclosed.
Goldin Auctions believes a PSA 8 condition version of the T206 Wagner, known to exist, could be worth up to $50 million today. The online auction ends on June 21.
For context, pristine examples of the T206 Honus Wagner, such as the PSA 8 version, are considered incredibly rare and command high market demand. While recent sales of lower-grade or ungraded Wagner cards have fetched over $1 million, the market has not seen a PSA 8 version change hands in the auction recently. If a PSA 8 version were to be auctioned, it could potentially set a new record for the most expensive sports card ever sold.
The T206 Honus Wagner card, a highly coveted collectible in baseball and the world of sports, is currently being auctioned by Goldin Auctions. Known for its rarity, a pristine example of the T206 Honus Wagner, such as a PSA 8 version, is considered incredibly rare and could potentially set a new record for the most expensive sports card ever sold.
