Sometimes, the best treasures are hiding in the most unexpected places. A recent story proves that rare baseball cards from over a century ago can still surface in the modern marketplace. And when they do, it feels like you’ve hit the jackpot.
According to CBS Boston’s Logan Hall, antique collector Tom Conrad made an incredible find by purchasing a wooden chest containing 122 baseball cards for just $75. The cards, dating from 1909 to 1911, feature some legendary names.
Editor’s Note: Looking to Sell Sports Cards? Here’s How to Do It Quickly & Easily
122 Century-Old Cards Glued to a Wooden Chest?!
The wooden chest was at an estate sale in Providence, Rhode Island, before Conrad got his hands on it. Once he did, he discovered 122 tobacco-style cards glued on the inside that are more than a century old.
The collection includes cards of Hall of Famers like Cy Young, Christy Mathewson, and John McGraw. While you wouldn’t initially think that gluing cards to the inside of a chest is the best thing to do from a preservation standpoint, it probably helped protect them so they’d last as long as they have.
As of the middle of October, Conrad listed these cards on his Facebook auction page (Smalls to the Walls Auctions), and bids had been approaching $7,000.
Have These Rare Baseball Cards Been Sold Yet?
It’s hard to find anything official on the current status of these rare baseball cards. I’ve looked on the Google machine several times to try and get some updated information, but I haven’t had any luck. The attention this discovery has gotten, though, shows the enduring fascination with old-school tobacco cards.
The T206 ‘White Border’ series was the first mass-produced baseball card set and is still popular among those interested in early hobby history. With 524 different card fronts, the T206 set offers seemingly endless variations when you factor in the different tobacco brand advertisements that can appear on the backs.
What makes discoveries like Conrad’s even more exciting is that we never really know how many old cards like these are still out there in the wild, tucked away in attics and basements…or glued inside wooden chests at estate sales.
The Crown Jewel: Why Cy Young Cards Command Premium Prices
While the entire collection holds value, the Cy Young card mentioned in the original report could be the most significant piece. Card Vault’s Matt Sharps estimated that even in poor condition, a Cy Young card from this era could fetch “a couple grand,” which was noted in CBS Boston’s report. But what if the card grades higher? He mentioned seeing a graded 8 (near mint) example sell for over $100,000 just a couple of years ago.
Cy Young cards are valuable for two specific reasons: his legendary career and the rarity of cards from this era.
His career statistics are unbelievable because of how the game has changed. Young posted a 511-315 record with 749 complete games and 7,356 innings pitched. All of those numbers are the most in MLB history and obviously won’t ever be touched. Just to put it in perspective, a pitcher in today’s game would have to average 25 wins per season for 20 years just to hit 500.
The T206 cards featuring Young capture him during the later years of his career, making them not just collectibles but genuine pieces of baseball history. Combined with the fact that many T206 cards were destroyed (kids traded them, parents threw them away, and time took its toll), surviving examples in any condition become in-demand items.
Hidden Treasures: Old Baseball Cards Could Be Anywhere
This is a perfect reminder that rare baseball cards can be found in the most unlikely places. That shoebox in your grandparents’ attic? That old trunk at an estate sale? They could contain treasures worth more money than you’d ever imagine.
The T206 set came packaged in cigarette packs and tobacco tins over a century ago. They were entertainment for children who collected and traded portraits of their heroes. Nobody back then thought these cards would one day be worth so much cash. Most were seen as disposable.
That’s exactly what makes finds like Conrad’s so thrilling. These cards survived against all odds. They were preserved by someone who thought to glue them inside a wooden chest.
Stories like this fuel the treasure hunt mentality that makes this hobby so addictive. You never know what might be hiding in plain sight at a garage sale, flea market, or online marketplace. The next time you’re browsing through old items, take a closer look…just in case!
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