Cardboard gold

A rare 1910 T-206 baseball card of Honus Wagner – the holy grail of collecting – is sold 27 years ago today at Christie’s auction house in New York.

The cost: $640,000, which includes Christie’s commission.

The price is so high because the card issued from 1909-1911 by the American Tobacco Co. is so hard to find, given that Wagner halts production of the card because the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame shortstop does not want young fans believing he endorses tobacco products.

The winning bidder from 1996 remains anonymous.

Understandable. Exactly how do you explain that expenditure to your significant other?

Actually, the card later seems like a bargain, considering another Wagner T-206 card sells last year for $7.25 million.