Among the more than 500 T206 cards that began appearing in cigarette packs across the eastern half of the United States in 1909, one stands out. No, not the Honus Wagner, although it’s certainly the most valuable in the set. The card that makes you do a double take is the one that features outfielder John Titus. The only card in the entire set in which the player is wearing a mustache! Titus was a pretty fair player in his day. He had a little power and some speed but he was really just a solid outfielder who played 11 big league seasons. He was with the Phillies when his T206 card came off the presses in 1909 and that’s where he spent the bulk of his career. He’s not in the Hall of Fame, but in the T206 set, he’s definitely got a lot of fans. This week, we’re offering a very nice SGC 80 example of this card, one that for some reason, has become hard to find. It’s never been easy to locate but it seems these days, everyone wants one. It’s definitely hard to consider it a true ‘common’ anymore. That subject was broached on the Net54 message board just last week with many speculating it’s the ‘lone mustache’ that has collectors trying to snap them up. Hey, the world of baseball cards doesn’t always make a lot of sense, but that’s what makes it fun. Titus, by the way, had shaved his ‘stache off by the time his 1911 T205 image was painted. When you can find any T206 in a higher grade, you should consider buying one. It’s unlikely any large caches of near mint cards will be found any more and the demand far outweighs the supply. When you find a high grade example that’s in demand, chances are that demand will continue for some time. We have a lot of other T206 cards in our current auction as well, many of which are very nice so if you’re looking to fill some holes—or are just looking to finally add one to your collection, now is definitely a good time to do so.
