Lot # 305: 1911 T212 Obak Ten Million - SGC VG/EX 4

Category: 1900-1948

Starting Bid: $300.00

Bids: 17 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed


I have one to sell!

Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "Fall, 2022 - 10th Anniversary Auction",
which ran from 11/6/2022 12:00 PM to
11/26/2022 9:00 PM



Way up atop the list of things parents can do to help their kids is giving them a strong name. Also up there, although perhaps on a different list, is giving them a weird name. Sometimes both happen at once and that seems to be the case with Ten Million, a speedy outfielder who made his professional baseball and baseball card debut in 1911.  A case can be made that his name allowed for inclusion in the 1911 Obak set as he had no professional batting record to fall back on, having just broken in from the college ranks. The statistical records for the Northwestern League are sparse and the league was short lived but he had a decent debut season, appearing in 160 games and batting .275 with the Victoria Bees.

He managed three more middling minor league seasons until a knee injury ended his career in 1914 and eventually moved to Seattle, where he died at age 73 in 1964.  His debut card (and his final one, not counting a unicorn T4 Obak Cabinet) is a gorgeous one, as the 1911 Obaks are arguably the nicest looking set ever made.  This SGC 50 is a typical example, displaying a lush magenta and purple background and an image pointed to the upper left corner, with even but not excessive corner wear. The reverse is clean with the barest hint of age, the red text still vivid and bold.

Obaks are not easily found and in the SGC pop report only Buck Weaver has more graded examples than Mr. Million here, who has 28 graded with them.  Considering the majority of 1911 Obaks are in the single digits when it comes to pop count, that is a testament to the popularity of this card. SGC has six higher grades listed, with a 6 being tops.  PSA has graded 19 examples, with none higher than a pair of 6's.

For the record, he had a daughter named Decillion.  You could look it up.

Views: 525