6. 1887 N690 Kalamazoo Bats Wilbert Robinson (HOF RC) – SGC EX 5
Few prewar card issues epitomize the phrase “scarce and desirable” the way the 1887 N690 Ka- lamazoo Bats cards do. Issued between 1886 and 1887, the “K-Bats” are CdV-sized photographic cards mounted on heavy cardboard. While many feature blank backs, this example boasts the more desirable advertising back, featuring redemption offers for everything from a cigar tube to a “very fine silk umbrella with gold mounted handle.” As rare as the Kalamazoo Bats cards are (only around 250 have been graded across all grading companies), Hall of Famers are even more so. Just seven of the 61 known subjects feature Hall of Fam- ers (Wilbert Robinson is pictured on this example, and a second features him along with a teammate, outfielder Fred Mann). Just 20 of the graded cards known feature Hall of Famers, with just two graded examples of this card - this one, by far, the higher of the two.
around the infield. Robinson managed the Brook- lyn Dodgers for 18 seasons, won two pennants, and retired in 1931 with almost 1400 career victories. This card shows light corner and surface wear, but a strong image, the highest of just two graded ex- amples. It is quite spectacular, boasting outstand- ing visual appeal, one of the finest examples from this issue we have handled. Indeed, SGC has grad- ed just 14 examples of ANY Kalamazoo Bats card higher than EX 5. Although several hobby resources include Rob- inson’s N172 Old Judge cards when defining his “rookie,” this is a misnomer. The massive card sets issued by Goodwin & Co. between 1886 and 1890 did not include any Philadelphia Athletics players in either 1886 or 1887, meaning his N690 Kalam- azoo Bats cards predated his Old Judge issue by at least a year. As a result, the N690 card is Robin- son’s true rookie, and with just two known exam-
ples graded, is among the rarest of all Hall of Fame rookie cards. The highest-graded of two known specimens, this is easily the single most desirable card of the Hall of Fame catcher and manager. A truly out- standing card, a rare and important Hall of Fame rookie card from one of the hobby’s most desirable 19th Century issues. MINIMUM BID: $15,000
This 1887 N690 Kalamazoo Bats card pictures future Hall of Fame manager Wilbert Robinson during his days as a catcher in Philadel- phia. The pleasing SGC EX 5 grade displays a clear and detailed image of Wilbert with a ball in hand, ready to fire it back to the pitcher or
7. 1893 Just So Tobacco Jake Virtue – SGC GOOD+ 2.5
Spectacular card from the incredibly rare Just So Tobacco issue, a set so rare that just fifteen specimens are known, all members of the 1893 Cleveland Spiders. Just two graded specimens of J.K. Virtue’s card are known, and we believe there is a chance the same card was graded twice, as we submitted this card ungrad- ed, and it sits aside an SGC 2 example as the only two in their population report. The cards are extremely rare, with many of the subjects having just one or two known examples. First baseman/outfielder Jake Virtue, in addition to having a spectacular mustache, played five years with the Spiders between 1890 and 1894, with a .274 lifetime batting average. A left-handed thrower, he is one of the few switch hitters to hit 20 triples in a season and actually played five games at shortstop as a southpaw. A stroke before the beginning of the 1895 season forced him to retire at just 29 years old. The card is an extraordinary specimen, with a clean image and strong centering. Some surface wear and a few areas of foxing are evident, with the date “1893” written lightly in pencil on the reverse in the bot- tom-right corner, likely reducing the technical grade. An impossible card from one of the rarest and most highly coveted of all 19th Century issues, a centerpiece to any advanced collection. MINIMUM BID: $5,000
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