Quite underrated due to a shortage of star power, the T207 issue of 1912
is one of the most fascinating of all prewar tobacco issues. With
varying levels of scarcity, a number of tough individual rarities,
difficult front/back combinations and a condition-sensitive gloss on the
card fronts, assembling a strong T207 set is quite a collecting
challenge.
This example features New York's Arlie Latham with his arms out at his sides in the ready position, waiting for a ball to be hit his way in the field. Centering is just slightly south on the canvas with
great edges. The top two corners are fantastic, with the bottom two
having very minor imperfections which keep this card from grading even
higher than it already has. The printing on the Recruit Little Cigars
back is dark and bold, with only some light soiling on the reverse. This
is an extraordinary example seldom seen with this sort of visual
appeal.
SGC
has only ever graded 63 total examples of this T207 with a Recruit
Little Cigars back, with only five receiving a higher grade than the EX 5 offered here of New York's Arlie Latham.