1910 T206 Sherry Magie (Magee) Error Value & Price Guide

Sherry Magee was one of the best hitters in baseball during the Dead Ball Era. He led the National League in batting average, RBI, and slugging percentage. He hit over .300 five times across a 16-year career. And the American Tobacco Company misspelled his name on what became one of the most valuable cards in the hobby. The T206 Sherry "Magie" error card is part of the legendary Big Four, the four rarest and most valuable cards in the T206 set alongside Honus Wagner, Eddie Plank, and Joe Doyle.

Quick Value Summary

• Item: T206 Sherry Magie (Error, name spelled "MAGIE" instead of "MAGEE")

• Year: 1909-1911

• Set: T206 White Border (Piedmont 150, Factory 25 back only)

• Category: Sports Cards (Baseball)

• Condition Range:

  • Poor to Fair (1-1.5): $15,000 - $25,000
  • Good (2): $25,000 - $40,000
  • Very Good (3): $40,000 - $80,000
  • Excellent (5): $80,000 - $150,000
  • Near Mint (7+): $200,000 - $400,000+

• Total Auction Value: PSA reports $1,315,545 across 38 documented sales

• Rarity: Extremely rare. Estimated 40-60 total examples known across all grades.

The Story

The T206 set, produced from 1909 to 1911, is the most celebrated baseball card set in existence. Distributed as inserts in cigarette packs and loose tobacco pouches, the set contains over 520 different cards featuring major leaguers, minor leaguers, and Hall of Famers from baseball's Dead Ball Era. The set is collected obsessively, and its key cards command prices that rival fine art.

The "Big Four" are the four most valuable and most difficult cards to obtain in the T206 set:

1. Honus Wagner (the holy grail, $7+ million in top grades)
2. Eddie Plank (short print, reason unknown)
3. Joe Doyle ("N.Y. Nat'l" error, only a few known)
4. Sherry Magie (spelling error, "Magie" instead of "Magee")

Sherry Magee played for the Philadelphia Phillies from 1904 to 1914, then the Boston Braves and Cincinnati Reds. In 1910, his best season, he led the National League in runs (110), RBI (123), batting average (.331), on-base percentage (.407), slugging (.507), total bases (263), and OPS (.914). He finished his career with a .291 average and 1,176 RBI.

The T206 set included two portrait cards of Magee. On one, his name is spelled correctly: "MAGEE." On the other, it was misspelled as "MAGIE." The error was apparently caught quickly, and the corrected version was printed in much larger quantities. The result: the "MAGIE" version exists in far fewer numbers than the corrected card.

Critically, the Magie error is found only with a Piedmont 150 Series, Factory 25 back. This is an important diagnostic that helps authenticate the card. No other back variety has been confirmed with the Magie spelling.

How to Identify It

• Front: Portrait-style image of Sherry Magee. The card uses the standard T206 white border format.

• Name spelling: The critical detail. The error card reads "MAGIE" at the bottom. The correct version reads "MAGEE." Check carefully, as the difference is a single letter (I vs. E in the fourth position).

• Back: Must be Piedmont 150 Series, Factory 25. The Piedmont back features the Piedmont cigarette logo with "The Cigarette of Quality" and "150 Subjects" text. Factory 25 is indicated in the tax stamp language.

• Card size: Standard T206 dimensions, approximately 1-7/16" x 2-5/8" (36mm x 67mm).

• Printing: Lithographic printing typical of the era. Colors should be consistent with known authentic examples.

Common confusions:

• Correct spelling version: The corrected "MAGEE" card is a common T206 card worth $50 to $500 depending on condition and back variety. It is NOT the error card.

• Other Magee cards: The T206 set also includes a "batting" pose of Magee (listed as "Magee" with correct spelling). This is a different card entirely.

• Back variety: Any Magie error card with a back other than Piedmont 150 Factory 25 is suspect. No other back has been confirmed for this error.

Value by Condition

Poor to Fair (PSA 1 to 1.5): Significant wear, possible creasing, staining, or paper loss. Even in the lowest grades, the Magie error commands $15,000 to $25,000. A PSA 1 sold for $18,000 in recent years.

Good (PSA 2): Moderate wear consistent with heavy handling. Card is structurally sound with all corners present. Expect $25,000 to $40,000.

Very Good (PSA 3): Light to moderate wear. Corners show rounding, edges may show light wear. The card presents well from a normal viewing distance. Expect $40,000 to $80,000.

Excellent (PSA 5): Light wear only. Corners are sharp or nearly sharp, edges clean, image bright. Very few Magie error cards achieve this grade. Expect $80,000 to $150,000.

Near Mint (PSA 7+): Exceptional condition with virtually no wear visible to the naked eye. Extremely rare at this grade level. Expect $200,000 to $400,000 or more. The PSA population at 7 and above is in single digits.

Authentication is the key factor: Of the Big Four, the Magie error is described as the most "attainable" by collectors building a near-complete T206 set, but "attainable" is relative when the population is estimated at 40-60 total examples.

Known Variations

The Magie error card has only one confirmed variation:

• Piedmont 150, Factory 25 back: The only back confirmed for the error. If a Magie error card appears with any other back variety, it requires extraordinary scrutiny.

For context, the correctly spelled "MAGEE" portrait card exists with multiple back varieties (Piedmont, Sweet Caporal, etc.) and is a common card in the set.

Authentication and Fakes

The T206 Sherry Magie error is heavily scrutinized by authentication services:

• PSA and SGC authentication mandatory: Every transaction should involve a professionally authenticated card. PSA and SGC are the primary services for pre-war cards.

• Back verification: Confirm the Piedmont 150, Factory 25 back. This is the first thing authenticators check.

• Name spelling: Examine the name printing under magnification. The genuine error has specific letter spacing and ink characteristics. An altered "MAGEE" to "MAGIE" (by removing part of the second E) is possible but detectable under magnification.

• Paper and printing analysis: Genuine T206 cards have specific paper stock, printing characteristics, and ink properties. Counterfeits, even good ones, typically fail under expert analysis.

• Trimming detection: Some cards have been trimmed to improve their appearance. Authentication services check dimensions and edge characteristics.

• Provenance: For cards at this price level, documented provenance adds confidence and sometimes a price premium.

Where to Sell

• Heritage Auctions: The dominant auction house for sports cards. Their Sports Collectibles department handles the majority of six-figure baseball card sales. Buyer's premium 20%.

• Robert Edward Auctions (REA): A specialty auction house focused on sports memorabilia and pre-war cards. They have deep expertise in T206 material.

• PWCC/Goldin Auctions: Major online auction platforms that regularly handle significant pre-war card sales.

• Mile High Card Company: Another respected auction house in the vintage sports card space.

• Private sale: For cards at the $100,000+ level, private placement through established dealers can sometimes achieve stronger net returns.

Not sure about the condition of yours? Upload a photo to Curio Comp for a quick estimate.

Explore More

The T206 Sherry Magie error is a card that combines baseball history, typographical error, and extreme scarcity into one of the hobby's most compelling collecting targets. It sits alongside Wagner, Plank, and Doyle as one of the four cards that define what it means to complete the most important baseball card set ever made.

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