From The Fresno Bee:

To a baseball card collector, nothing beats the allure of an unopened pack.

The Fresno Grizzlies are taking this to the extreme with a unique promotion that also will benefit their community fund.

The Triple-A baseball team is raffling a sealed, unopened package of 1909-era Piedmont cigarettes. Inside could be a T206 series baseball card, including the Honus Wagner card that is considered the Holy Grail of all sports collectibles.

The value of any T206 series card easily recoups the cost of a $5 lottery ticket. But if that card happens to be a Wagner, it could be worth a small fortune.

In April, a New Jersey man paid $1.2 million for a T206 series Wagner in an online auction. Arizona Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick paid a record $2.8 million in 2007 for his Wagner, partly due to the card’s extremely high grade. Fewer than 60 of the cards are believed to exist, and many of those in circulation are in poor condition.

Christopher Cox holds up a pack of Piedmont cigarettes, circa 1909-11, that could hold a card from the valuable T206 baseball card series. It is being raffled off as a fundraiser for the Fresno Grizzlies.

Brad Stoops, owner of Clovis Sports Cards & Collectibles, called the frenzy over T206 Honus Wagner cards “a crazy phenomenon.”

“I don’t know why everyone chases that card,” Stoops said, “but the big collectors will tell you that if you don’t have a Honus to brag about, you don’t have a collection.”

Before 3-D holograms or pink chewing gum, baseball cards came in cigarette packs.

Piedmonts were among 16 brands of cigarettes owned by the American Tobacco Co. From 1909-11, many packs included one of the roughly 2-1/2-inch by 1-1/2-inch baseball cards that became known as the T206 series. One side had a lithograph reproduction of the player. The other had the stamp of the cigarette brand.

Wagner, a .327 career hitter who spent most of his 21 years (1897 to 1917) in the majors with the Pittsburgh Pirates, is among the players depicted in the 500-plus card series. Other highly valued cards in the set include Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Cy Young, Christy Mathewson and Eddie Plank.

Only about 200 Wagner cards were issued because the player was anti-tobacco and didn’t want to encourage kids to smoke.

At least that’s one theory. The other is that Wagner demanded his cards be pulled because he wasn’t paid for his endorsement.

Some Piedmont packs from that era contained cards that depicted flags, flowers and birds.

That’s all part of the fun.

Chris Cox, a Grizzlies ticket sales rep and lifelong card collector, said the unopened cigarette pack was donated to the team by a local collector who wishes to remain anonymous.

In fact, the collector had two unopened packs and chose to open one. Inside was a near-mint condition Hal Chase, a slick-fielding first baseman who played from 1905-19.

“Pretty remarkable considering it’s been sitting in the pack for 100 years,” said Stoops, who has the card on display at his store.

Of course, it’s possible whoever wins the unopened pack just leaves it that way. Which keeps the intrigue flowing.

“I know guys that if they win, they will refuse to open it,” Stoops said. “Let the legend live. Once you open it, the mystique of that pack is gone.”

The raffle runs through Sept. 3, and a winner will be drawn during the Grizzlies’ season finale at Chukchansi Park.

Tickets can be purchased on the main concourse during home games or at Clovis Sports Cards & Collectibles, 442 Pollasky Ave.

About the raffle:

• The prize: An unopened, professionally graded 1909-11 Piedmont cigarette pack that may include a valuable trading card from baseball’s early years.
• Cost: $5
• Where: Tickets available at Fresno Grizzlies homes games; Clovis Sports Cards, 442 Pollasky Ave.; or by calling (559) 320-2552
• Benefits: Grizzlies Community Fund, which supports causes throughout the Central Valley.