Sports · Baseball · published 2026-08-27 · via The Athletic

T206 Wagner card's legend grows with rare sales and 1909 quotes

The T206 Honus Wagner card, first issued in 1909, remains the most valuable and sought-after sports card despite modern stars like Jordan and LeBron. Experts estimate only about 60 examples exist, and even damaged versions have sold for hundreds of thousands or millions. Newly discovered quotes from Wagner himself explain his objection to the card's production, adding to its mystique.

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The card's premium status was recognized remarkably early, with an Atlanta newspaper column in 1911 already questioning whether the Wagner card carried extra worth. The T206 set itself spanned more than 500 cards distributed across 16 cigarette brands between 1909 and 1911, with the "T206" designation coming from Jefferson Burdick's 1939 cataloging system, where "T" indicated tobacco products.

Recent sales demonstrate the card's enduring appeal despite condition issues. A heavily damaged example fetched nearly $500,000 in 2022, while a card trimmed with scissors and restored using other cards' components still exceeded $1 million. The Shields family

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This summary is Al-enhanced to contain extended analysis and broader social context. The original is {NAME); the linked article is the authoritative source. Original headline: “The T206 Honus Wagner: Latest historic sales and why he objected to the card.” Browse more stories.