1903-04 W600 Sporting Life Honus Wagner "Type 3" SGC 50 VG-EX 4
It's arguably the most famous portrait in baseball, a glorious photographic study by esteemed lensman Carl Horner that would ride the hobby's most coveted trading card to global prominence. The presented premium predates the fabled T206 by six or seven years, debuting the season that the Old Dutchman would find himself on the losing side of the very first World Series as shortstop of the 1903 National League Champion Pittsburg(h) Pirates.
While it may not enjoy the fame of its younger cardboard brother, the offered relic is far less common, with just over a dozen examples appearing in the totality of both major card grading services. Only four representations appear within the SGC population, with just one superior.
The cards were offered individually for sale and through a by-mail redemption process, leaving the precise roster of players uncertain, but approximately 450 have been identified, arguably none more coveted than this. Most are known in populations of two or three, the endangered status of the species attributable to both a very limited original distribution and the dangers to survival inherent to oversized paper premiums. At 5.25x7.5" in size, these relics were particularly susceptible to damage.
We're pleased to report that the offered example stands as a notable exception to that rule, with a sliver of water staining at lower left and minimal edge and corner wear representing the bulk of the condition issues. Certainly the extreme rarity and importance of the relic should place such minor concerns in their proper context. The mount is a "Type 3" variety issued in 1903 and 1904.
