| This auction contains items from four major consignors. Ken Best of Atlanta, GA, has been collecting Baseball Hall of Fame member's autographs since 1947 and decided to sell his collection. He attended many HOF Induction Ceremonies in Cooperstown, NY and every year he took a paperback book with him, titled "Baseball's All-Time Greats – The Top Fifty Players" by Mac Davis. Over the years he had more than 70 HOF members autograph this book. He also assembled over 100 photographs of Hall of Famers along with their plaque cards and their autographs. These will be sold individually at the start of the auction. A retiree from Albany NY inherited his father's collection of over 200 T206 and T205 baseball cards and has decided to sell them along with 37 P2 baseball pins. Most of these cards and pins are PSA graded. Al Maggiacomo was a minor league ball player on the Washington Nationals farm team in the 1940's. During the Koran War he was drafted and was a player/coach for several airforce teams. Later he was a salesman of custom made hats. Ted Williams ordered a Western style hat from him and when Ted picked it up, Al had Ted autograph a duplicate hat. Undoubtedly this is a unique item. Another unique item is a 1927 Yankee World Series Press Pass issued to W. Manley, Secretary of the International League, it's autographed on the reverse by Honus Wagner. Boxing items include photographs and memorabilia from the Estate of Mrs. Jack [Hannah] Dempsey. The highlight of this auction is a Honus Wagner T206 baseball card with a Piedmont back. This is undoubtedly one of, if not the, most controversial Honus Wagner card known. The paper and method of printing have been authenticated by independent experts hired by John Cobb the owner of the card. These experts were unanimous in their conclusions that the card was printed in the first quarter of the 20th Century, before 1921. This card is offered with a reserve of $300,000. And is sold "As Is – Where Is – As Described". |
