It might be time to start collecting pre-war again. I was flipping through MastroNet’s Sports Auction of Distinction catalog from December 2005 when I ran across this awesome photo of a complete 1913 T200 Fatima Team Cards set and felt inspired. The item description explained that nearly all the day’s stars are present in the 16-card series, including Jackson, Wagner, Thorpe, Cobb, Mathewson, Johnson, Alexander, Speaker, Lajoie, and Speaker.
But if it is time, I’m going to have to be really serious about going after these cards. The Cleveland Americans card, with Shoeless Joe Jackson, is particularly expensive. Plus, they were all printed on lower-quality photographic paper and are really susceptible to creasing, cracking, and chipping.