The T206 Wagner Sells for Record Auction Price
The T206 Honus Wagner card has once again rewritten the record books. On Saturday night, the notorious T206 card set a record for an authentic/restored sports card. The auction that was hosted by the Mile High Card Company sold the card for $1.98 million, in a high-value, and legendary auction. For those who are unaware, the “restored” on the card is because of certain modifications to the original card, as the T206 series was issued by the American Tobacco Company from 1909 to 1911…making this card over 110 years old.
While this card is historic in itself, there have been many different historic sales leading up to this point. The first ever sale of this card dates back to 1981, where a raw version sold for $25,011 (talk about an investment). The all-time high sale which most people have heard about came in 2022, when an SGC 2 sold for $7.5 million on Goldin. In fact, back in 2023, this same exact card sold under the same exact auction company for $1.968 million, just below the current record of an authentic graded card.
Mile High Card Company CEO and President, Brian Drent stated, “With each Mile High Card Company Sale of a T206 Wagner, a new mark is established within the hobby. We’re grateful for the opportunity to have sold such an iconic card, but equally pleased with the results of many other high-profile pieces in this auction.”
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Boy was he not mistaken either with “high-profile pieces”. For the vintage fanatics, this auction was your nirvana. The following were all part of the auction, and what each sold for:
$192,367 - 1933 Goudey Complete Graded set w/ a 5.016 GPA
$208,555 - 1952 Topps Complete Set - All PSA graded (6.013 GPA) and a Mantle PSA 3
$224,032 - 1955 Topps #123 Sandy Koufax PSA 9
$62,312 -(1909-11) T206 El Principe De Gales Ty Cobb Portrait Red (PSA 6)
$39,207 - 1976 Topps #330 Nolan Ryan PSA 10
$68,701 - 1953 Topps High Grade Complete Set (PSA Graded) (6.78 GPA)
$57,933 - 1956 Topps High Grade Complete Set (Nearly all PSA)
$29,926 - Scintillating Single Signed Babe Ruth OAL (Harridge) Baseball (Beckett 9 w/ PSA & JSA LOAs)
Needless to say, this auction was not just another auction, it was a sports card auction for the record books…that quite literally set records. The T206 Honus Wagner card is the backbone of the sports card market, and the rock of the hobby. This card is a time capsule of baseball's golden age, and a testament to how baseball, and the sports card market has stood the test of time. It allows people to reflect and remember what life was like during every milestone that the T206 has been through. And through every auction, this card reminds us that its history is not close to being finished, and there is still a legacy left to be made.
Abram King is a Pittsburgh native, die-hard fan of all things Black & Gold, and a passionate sports card collector. With years of experience in the hobby, he brings a sharp insight, deep knowledge, and hometown pride to his coverage. This is your inside edge of the hobby, straight from the Steel City.