Presented here is an outstanding complete T205 Gold Borders set of 208 cards, plus ten variations, representing a nearly complete, graded Master Set (missing just the Hoblitzell "No Stats", Mathewson Cycle and Wilhelm "Suffered in the 18th Line").  Each of the cards have been graded and encapsulated by either SGC or PSA, with 168 assessed by SGC and 50 by PSA.  One of the most beautiful of all the tobacco baseball card issues, the T205 set includes all the stars and Hall of Famers of its era, and features three colorful designs - one for American League players, one for National League players, and one for minor leaguers.  Among the first two tobacco issues to feature statistical information on the reverse, each of the card three designs is given uniformity by being surrounded by a beautiful gold leaf border. Collectors prize the set today for its beauty, for its player selection, and for its challenging variations and availability of tough back advertisements, similar to the T206 issue.  Complete sets are rarely offered at auction, and master sets even less frequently.  This is the first complete T205 set we have ever offered.

The offered set is of collector grade, carefully assembled card-by-card by our original consignor over a period of years, with a combination of self submissions and graded purchases.  The collector paid close attention to eye appeal, assembling a very attractive set for the grade.  The offered set breaks down as 2% VG/EX, 14% VG, 11% GOOD+, 26% GOOD, 25% FAIR, 19% PR and 3% AUTHENTIC.  Overall, this is a consistent set, representing a significant collecting challenge.

A breakdown of the cards by condition, using card numbers identified in the Standard Catalog, is as follows: PSA VG/EX 4 (1 card): #118; SGC VG/EX 4 (3 cards): #11, 106, 140b (Moran "No Stray Line"); SGC VG 3 (31 cards): #5, 9, 16, 18, 21, 22, 25, 30, 33 Chase (Left Ear), 50, 54, 74, 75, 81 Clark Griffith (HOF), 87, 88, 93, 104, 110b (Latham "W.A. Latham" on back), 133, 136, 137, b141, 142, 143, 146, 158, 161 Raymond, 180, 184, 200; PSA GOOD+ 2.5 (4 cards): #13, 17 Chief Bender (HOF), 167, 187; SGC GOOD+ 2.5 (19 cards): #2, 4, 52a Dougherty (Red Sock), 64, 65, 70, 89, 101, 107, 113, 114b Leifield ("A.P. Leifield"), 130 John McGraw (HOF), 138, 139, 152, 174, 177, 179 Speaker (HOF), 183; PSA GOOD 2 (25 cards): #8, 19, 23 Bresnahan (HOF - Mouth Closed), 29, 41b Crandall ("T Crossed"), 48, 53, 57, 71, 72, 73, 90d Hoblitzell (2 "L", no Sin., name correct), 95 Jennings (HOF), 99 Joss (HOF), 110a Latham ("A. Latham" on back), 126, 128, 132, 135, 145, 171, 174, 181, 186, 196 Wallace (HOF W/Cap); SGC GOOD 2 (31 cards): #14, 26 Brown (HOF), 27, 38 Collins (HOF - Mouth Open), 66, 77, 78, 79, 80a Gray (No Stats), 83, 94, 98, 100, 103, 105, 109, 117, 119, 122, 131, 134, 144, 148, 149, 155, 156, 164, 170, 172, 189, 191 Tinker (HOF); PSA FR 1.5 (7 cards): #28, 34 Cicotte, 90b Hoblitzell (Can after 2nd 1908), 120, 125, 140a Moran (Stray Line), 154; SGC FR 1.5 (47 cards): #3, 10, 12, 15, 20, 32b Chase (two ears, frame ends), 37 Collins (HOF - Mouth Closed), 40, 41a Crandall ("T" not crossed), 44, 45, 47, 52b Dougherty (white sock), 55 Duffy (HOF), 58, 60, 61, 62 Evers (HOF), 67, 68, 82, 84, 86, 91, 102, 108, 111, 112, 115, 121, 123 Marquard (HOF), 129, 147, 151, 153, 160, 163, 165, 166, 168, 176, 178, 182, 190, 192, 197b Wallace (HOF - No Cap, 2 Lines 1910 Stats), 201; PSA PR 1 (12 cards): #43, 56, 76, 85, 92 Huggins (HOF), 97, 157, 159, 175, 197a Wallace (HOF - No Cap, 1 Line of 1910 Stats), 198 Walsh (HOF), 202b Wilhelm ("Suffe ed"); SGC PR 1 (29 cards): #7 Baker (HOF), 31 Chance (HOF), 35 Clarke (HOF), 36 Cobb (HOF), 39 J. Collins (HOF), 42, 46, 49, 51, 59, 63, 69, 80b Gray (Stats on Back), 90c Hoblitzell (1 "L", No Cincinnati), 96 Johnson (HOF), 114 Leifield ("A Leifield" on front), 116, 127, 150, 162, 185, 188, 194, 199 Wheat (HOF), 203, 204, 205, 206, 208 Young (HOF); SGC AUTH (8 cards): #6, 24 Brensnahan (HOF - Mouth Open), 32a Chase (2 Ears, Frame Extends), 124 Mathewson (HOF), 169, 193, 195, 207.  Most of the cards have common backs, with some Honest Long Cut and Hassan backs included.  Bear in mind that in the T205 issue, Sovereign and Polar Bear backs are more common than in the T206 counterpart.

This set was originally offered in our Summer, 2021 auction.  Unfortunately, the winning bidder, despite making multiple promises to pay, and stringing us along for months, never fulfilled his obligation and has exhausted our goodwill.

A T205 complete set is an achievement in any grade.  This example includes virtually all the known variations, and of course includes many rarities, all the Hall of Famers and tough commons, and minor leaguers.  The high VCP price for the individual cards is $21,700.  An incredibly challenging set, one of the blue chips of all prewar baseball cards, featuring some of the most important tobacco cards ever made.  218 cards total.