One of the hobby’s most elusive Ty Cobb cards has surfaced, and it's currently drawing attention from serious collectors across the globe. Robert Edward Auctions (REA) is offering a remarkable piece of pre-war baseball history: a 1910 Ty Cobb “Orange Borders” card, graded SGC 1, and it’s already generating buzz as one of the standout vintage offerings of the year.
This card isn’t just rare—it’s nearly impossible to find. Issued as part of a regional set by Geo. Davis Co., Inc. and P.R. Warren Co. in Massachusetts, these “Orange Borders” cards were printed directly onto packaging for a candy and jewelry product known as American Sports. The cards featured a unique format: one player on the front of the box, and another on the back. As a result, surviving examples—especially of a superstar like Cobb—are extremely scarce.
Collectors commonly refer to the set as "Orange Borders" due to the bold, eye-catching border that frames each card. Even lesser-known players from the release are tough to track down, but the Ty Cobb issue is considered the pinnacle—a true white whale in the world of early baseball cards.
While this particular copy carries a low grade, the SGC 1 doesn't tell the full story. Cards of this age and origin are graded more on survival than condition, and this one has plenty of hobby history packed into its well-worn edges. Given its rarity, any grade is considered highly collectible—and highly desirable.
At over 115 years old, this Cobb card is one of the few surviving relics from a time when baseball cards weren’t manufactured in factories for hobby shops, but instead appeared on product packaging as promotional novelties. The fact that a card like this survived at all—let alone one of Ty Cobb, a charter member of the Hall of Fame and one of the game’s fiercest competitors—is part of what makes this offering so special.
At the time of writing, the card’s bidding sits at $2,200, though that number is expected to climb as the auction progresses. For collectors who focus on regional issues, pre-war rarities, or the early 20th-century icons, this is the kind of card that rarely becomes available.
There’s been a growing appetite in recent years for obscure and historic baseball cards—especially those that go beyond the well-documented sets like T206 and Goudey. The Orange Borders set fits that demand perfectly, offering not just scarcity, but an authentic glimpse into the early days of baseball card collecting.
As more hobbyists shift their focus to rare, story-rich cards that reflect the origins of the game, pieces like the 1910 Ty Cobb Orange Borders will only become more treasured. For those with the means—and the desire to own a true artifact of baseball’s golden era—this REA listing may be a once-in-a-generation opportunity.