A T206 Honus Wagner card sold for $6.6 million in August 2021, shattering the record for the most expensive sports card in history. Turns out, half a Honus is still pretty valuable.
A print of the rare Wagner card with the bottom right corner missing went for $475,959 in an SCP auction on Saturday, the same day an autographed card of 18-year-old Yankees prospect Jasson Dominguez fetched $474,000 in a Goldin Auction.
Initially issued in 1909 by the American Tobacco Company, the Wagner card has long been a highly sought-after commodity among collectors. It’s believed only 50-200 cards were distributed, as Wagner refused to give his consent for the ATC to produce it. The most common explanation for Wagner’s refusal is that he didn’t want his likeness associated with selling cigarettes to young fans, though others have surmised that the dispute had more to do with the Pirates' shortstop feeling he was not receiving just compensation from the ATC.
The T206 Wagner card became the first sports card to sell for at least $1 million when one went for $1.265 million in 2000. In subsequent years, the price ceiling for fully intact versions of the card has continued to rise.