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Card # 313
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T206-Helmar
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| Player |
Position |
Team |
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Sam Mertes
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Portrait
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New York Giants
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| Top Auction Price |
Total Sold |
Avg # Bids |
Avg # Bidders |
Last Sold |
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$ 49.50
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20
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2
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2
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October 25, 2022
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CLICK TO GO TO BIDDING SECTION!
About the Player
John J. McGraw says: “The [catch] that remains most vividly in my memory was made by Sam Mertes in Cincinnati. It decided the pennant of 1905. We had been going at top speed and arrived in Cincinnati with just one victory needed to cinch the pennant. If you will remember, Sam Mertes, being a great sun fielder, [moved to] center field in this game with Cincinnati. Sure enough, in the next inning, the Reds got a man on. A long hit would beat us. And, mind you, the pennant was almost in our grasp. That one game was needed. The next batter caught one on the nose and it was a wicked line drive to deep center. Mertes, having anticipated the danger of a long hit, played very deep. Starting with the crack of the bat he looked squarely into the sun and ran with the ball. It seemed certain that it would go over his head. By a sprint, though, he got back and with a jump speared the ball with his bare hand, crashing into the fence as he fell. But he had saved the game and won the pennant. That was the greatest catch I ever saw.”
About the Series
The Helmar T206 series is one of our boldest and most important projects. Each card is the same size as the original American Tobacco 1909-1911 T206 cards, though the Helmar T206s are thicker and sturdier. Each Helmar T206 is made from an original, exclusive painting. Cuban stars, Babe Ruth with the Red Sox, Negro Leaguers, and Ty Cobb shaking hands with Honus Wagner are some of the most popular Helmar T206s.
We also spend a huge amount of time creating evocative, humorous, interesting backs. In creating these cards, we have a deep appreciation for the unknown artists who brought the original T206s to life.
Oddities: Card #26, Fred Clarke, has two versions. One has the painting cropped at about the knees. The second has a closer cropping of the head and chest. The fuller figure is much more rare. A similar situation exists for card #501, Tom Jones. The closer cropping is rarer and is found only with the Colgan's Chips logo in the bottom right corner.
A handful of test cards were made with proposed back designs that were never used. They are hand marked as such. The fronts featured either Walter Johnson or Rabbit Maranville.
Related Cards in the Series
You can click the thumbnail images to see a larger image of that card!
Also, click on card number to see card information or player name to see player information page!
| T206-Helmar, New York Giants |
| Card # | Thumbnail Pic | Player Name | Position | Top Auction Price |
| 1 |   | Doyle, Larry | Portrait | $ 26.26 |
| 18 |   | MATHEWSON, Christy | Hands over head | $ 202.50 |
| 23 |   | Merkle, Fred | Tossing | $ 39.55 |
| 50 |   | Thorpe, Jim | Looking over shoulder | $ 355.00 |
| 58 |   | MATHEWSON, Christy | Sitting | $ 124.50 |
| 72 |   | MARQUARD, Rube | Portrait | $ 47.00 |
| 75 |   | Browne, George | Looking left | $ 50.00 |
| 80 |   | Dahlen, Bill | Batting | $ 59.50 |
| 81 |   | Donlin, Mike | Portrait | $ 59.58 |
| 82 |   | Donlin, Mike | Standing | $ 100.00 |
| 83 |   | Gilbert, Billy | Standing | $ 25.00 |
| 84 |   | Gilbert, Billy | Batting follow through | $ 43.50 |
| 86 |   | McGann, Dan | Bat on shoulder | $ 30.29 |
| 87 |   | Mertes, Sam | Fielding | $ 45.00 |
| 91 |   | Raymond, Arthur 'Bugs' | Throwing | $ 37.00 |
| 97 |   | Bowerman, Frank | Cradling bat | $ 31.33 |
| 99 |   | BRESNAHAN, Roger | Squatting | $ 59.00 |
| 102 |   | Browne, George | Portrait | $ 22.00 |
| 103 |   | Devlin, Art | Open arms | $ 34.33 |
| 104 |   | Devlin, Art | Red logo on sleeve | $ 61.00 |
| 313 |   | Mertes, Sam | Portrait | $ 49.50 |
| And more! |
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