DALLAS — One of the most coveted cards in the hobby, the 1909-11 T206 Sweet Caporal 150/30 Honus Wagner PSA authentic/altered card nearly doubled its estimate when more than 40 bidders drove it to $540,000 to take top-lot honors in Heritage Auctions’ The David Hall T206 Collection Part II sports cards catalog auction.

The card had a limited production that most believe was stopped by Wagner himself. The most widespread explanation is that although Wagner used tobacco, he wanted to play no role in the promotion of its use (although there are some who think it was simply stopped because of a compensation disagreement). Whatever the reason, examples are few and far between; the card offered in this sale is one of a known population of fewer than 100 that remain in existence. The early spelling of his hometown, “Pittsburg,” appears across Wagner’s chest. The verso features an advertisement for Sweet Corporal Cigarettes and “Base Ball Series – 150 Subjects.” Stay tuned for a full review of the auction in a future issue.