Cardboard portfolio

A rare 1910 T-206 baseball card of Honus Wagner – the holy grail of collecting – sells 30 years ago today at Christie’s auction house in New York.

The cost: $640,000, which includes Christie’s commission.

The price is so high because the card issued from 1909-11 by the American Tobacco Co. is so hard to find, given that Wagner halts production of the card because the Pittsburgh Pirates’ shortstop and future Hall of Famer does not want young fans believing he endorses tobacco products.

The winning bidder from 1996 remains anonymous.

Understandable. Exactly how do you explain that expenditure to your significant other?

Actually, the card later seems like a bargain, considering another Wagner T-206 card sells four years ago for $7.25 million.

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