Two Tobacco Cards Added From Possibly the World's Most Complete Cubs Collection
Back in October I was sent a link to a news story about a Cubs collection. I wasn't expecting to blow me away. It did. The article wrote about a card shop in Rockford, Illinois (only 90 minutes from where I live) purchasing a large collection believed to be the largest Cubs baseball card collection.
In the past nine months, I've kept putting off the quick trip to check out a piece of the collection, but haven't made the trip. The owner of the collection recently reached out to me on Twitter and let me know he was selling a few items on eBay.
WGN in Chicago even did a story on this Cubs haul.
Unfortunately, it was a couple days too late for what I had really been after. I've been eyeing Cubs cards from 1887 Old Judge for the past three years. About three years ago I passed on a couple that had been listed on eBay for around $110-120 each. I'll consistently search eBay and come up empty.
Just before I was alerted to the eBay auctions I had done a search while laying on the couch. Whoah! There were three 1887 Old Judge Cubs auctions. Ending soon. Too soon. For something like this, I like to do a little research on the cards and players and the first auction ended at $100 before I even had a chance. Two more ended within minutes and I was a day late and a dollar short.
So, after our Twitter conversation I went back and checked out the listings and placed a few bids, winning two cards. They are now on my daily search list to see what's listed next.
The first tobacco card I ever bought was a T206 Ed Reulbach back in 1998 or 1999. It set me back about $10 shipped. The same amount I sold a few 1998 Bowman Ruben Mateo rookie cards for. Tobacco cards are significantly more these days, and now I like to purchase authenticated versions. So, I was happy to land a 1911 Sweet Caporal T205 Ed Reulbach for just $21.05.
Another T205 of Orval Overall ended at $27. This is the first original Overall I've had in my collection. Always got a kick out of his name.
Hopefully @TopCutBreaks will be listing some more of these awesome Cubs cards, as I'll be keeping a close eye. There's a possibility I'll be stopping by their shop in Rockford next Friday.