Lot # 254: Rare 1902 Pittsburgh Pirates Champions Team Pin w/Rookie-era Honus Wagner (HOF)

Category: 1900-1948

Starting Bid: $500.00

Bids: 10 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
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



Incredibly rare celluloid pinback picturing the members of the pennant-winning 1902 Pittsburgh Pirates.  Manufactured by the Whitehead & Hoag company, a New Jersey company that manufactured many of the pinbacks of the era, the pin celebrates the 1902 Pittsburgh Pirates.  The image is a team photo that includes Hall of Famers Jack Chesbro, Fred Clarke and of course, Honus Wagner, with text at the top reading "Pennant Winners" and at the bottom reading "Champions 1902."  The pin has been graded GOOD 2 by PSA, due to discoloration and foxing, primarily limited to the edges of the pin around the curl.  The original paper is present on the reverse, heavily discolored with age, and the curl and pin exhibit heavy oxidation.  

The important component of this pin is, of course, the presence of Honus Wagner.  A number of different collectibles are considered rookie "cards" of Wagner, including his National Copper Plate and Sporting News supplements, the W600 cabinet, his E107 or the controversial Reccius Cigar card, the 1902 Pennant Winners pin certainly originates from that same era, one of the earliest collectibles featuring the great shortstop.  Similar to Ty Cobb, who broke into the majors in 1905 but has "rookie" cards issued in 1907, Wagner's earliest collectibles were issued after he had been established in the majors for some time.  This very rare pinback originates from the same era as his E107 card, and is considerably more rare - one of just two examples graded by PSA, one of the only two examples we have ever encountered.  

Views: 594