Low population sports collectibles come with estimates that should interest every collector. A sizable 1902-11 W600 Sporting Life Cabinets collection is currently available at Heritage Auctions. All of the cards are PSA graded and many feature rare characteristics that scarce card hunters will notice. There are 52 of the card type in the May 12-14 Sports Catalog Auction. There is rare, and there is scarce. This is a case of extreme scarcity.
The 1902-11 Sporting Life Cabinets was designated as the W600 set and was issued continuously from 1902 to 1911. According to PSA’s own data, this National Sporting Life W600 set has more than 650 cards in it. The exact number of cards issued remains unknown to this day. The cards show players in various poses, either in uniform or in street clothes. The cards were also offered for sale individually or as part of a redemption that was typical of many other cabinet cards of the prior decade. Players’ portraits were taken by the well-known Carl Horner, and the images were then mounted on to thick cardboard.
As with the “cabinet cards” they are much larger than typical cards of the era measuring 5” by 7-1/2”. The tick cardboard has helped some of these cards remain in better condition than many of the tobacco and candy cards of the second decade of the 1900s. And one stark issue to consider about Carl Horner’s images here is that these photos will look rather familiar to vintage collectors — they were the base photo used for many of the great tobacco and candy cards over the next decade!
Below is a description and estimate (and current bid) of the top 10 of the W600 cabinet cards that we noticed.
1902-11 W600 Sporting Life-Type 1 Eddie Plank (Street Clothes) PSA EX-MT+ 6.5 – The finest of only two PSA graded examples with an estimate of $25,000.00+ and a current bid of $43,000.00+. The Heritage description of the card (not just Plank’s life and career) said:
Graded PSA EX-MT+ 6.5. While the T206 Plank is properly esteemed and coveted for its scarcity, there are just two of these W600s confirmed on the PSA census. Hall of Famers are always the most desirable residents of any set, the fame of Eddie Plank ranks high among baseball’s elite. The W600s graded by PSA presented in this auction and from the Spillman collection. This is a rarely seen portrait of Plank in his formal street attire. A spectacular opportunity for the advanced collector.
(Image by Heritage Auctions)
1902-11 W600 Sporting Life-Type 3 Christy Mathewson (Uniform) PSA VG 3 – This is the only one PSA graded Type 3 example with an estimate of $15,000.00+ and a current bid of $13,500.00. Heritage said (Image below by Heritage Auctions):
Only One PSA Graded Type 3 Example! From the Jerry Spillman collection. In addition to Rose Co. post cards, Jerry Spillman’s second passion was the W600 Sporting Life cabinet series. The W600s graded by PSA presented in this auction and from the Spillman collection.
1902-11 W600 Sporting Life-Type 1 Rube Waddell (Street Clothes-Philadelphia) PSA NM+ 7.5 – pop one, none higher. He is infamous according to Heritage Auctions for showing up to games drunk regularly. Estimated at $30,000.00+ with a current bid of $13,000.00.
1902-11 W600 Sporting Life-Type 3 Jesse Burkett (St. Louis) SGC Fair 1.5- The only known Burkett Type 3 with an estimate of $30,000.00+ and a current bid of $9,500.00.
1902-11 W600 Sporting Life-Type 2 Fred Clarke (Street Clothes) PSA VG-EX 4 – The only PSA graded example with an estimate of $25,000.00+ and a current bid of $6,750.00.
1902-11 W600 Sporting Life-Type 2 Cy Young (Uniform) PSA Good+ 2.5 – The only confirmed PSA example with an estimate of $6,000.00+ and a current bid of $5,750.00.
1902-11 W600 Sporting Life-Type 3 Willie Keeler (Street Clothes) PSA EX 5 – The only PSA (Unqualified) example with an estimate of $10,000.00+ and a current bid of $4,400.00.
1902-11 W600 Sporting Life-Type 1 John McGraw (Street Clothes) PSA VG 3 – The only PSA graded example with an estimate of $10,000.00+ and a current bid of $3,700.00.
1902-11 W600 Sporting Life-Type 3 Napoleon Lajoie (Uniform) PSA Good+ 2.5 – The finest of only two PSA graded examples with an estimate of $4,000.00+ and a current bid of $3,500.00. (Image by Heritage Auctions)
1902-11 W600 Sporting Life – Type 3 Clarke Griffith SGC VG 3 – The only SGC graded example with an estimate of $4,000.00+ and a current bid of $3,100.00.
Image To Use:
Key Terms:
