8. 1917 Boston Store #82 Joe Jackson – PSA GOOD 2
Absolutely outstanding card from the fourth series is- sued by the Chicago retailer. Our research has uncovered that the Boston Store cards were issued in eight series of 25 cards each, for the bargain price of two cents for each series. The fourth series was issued the first week of May, 1917, and only advertised until June 1. According to the retailer, just 5,000 sets were produced, and there is no indication from the company advertising that any of the series sold out. PSA has graded just eight examples of Jackson’s Boston Store card, with five additional in the SGC pop report (though we believe at least one may have been graded by both companies without removal from the other’s census). This example has attained a grade of GOOD 2, largely due to a single crease beginning at the bottom edge under the card number and extending northward to Jackson’s shins. Close inspection reveals a very slight wrinkle in the background close to the card’s left side. Those flaws, along with centering, visible corner round- ing and edge wear, account for the grade. Despite the is- sues, the visual appeal of the card is exceptional. Joe Jackson is one of the hobby’s icons, particularly among collectors specializing in prewar baseball. Virtu- ally all his cards are rare and in high demand. Though his 1916 M101 and related cards describe him as being with Chicago, the image still pictures him in his Cleveland uniform – the 1917 issues are the first to picture him in the uniform that has etched his name into legend. Shoeless Joe Jackson is now eligible to be elected into the Hall of Fame, and although he has yet to have the oppor- tunity, it seems nearly a certainty that the Veterans Com- mittee will take up his case when they meet in late 2027, with possible induction in 2028. Though many collectors value his cards as if he were already so enshrined, it is likely that cards like this will vault into the stratosphere. Far be it from us to offer investment advice, but an op- portunity to acquire one of the rarest cards of a baseball legend who is not currently in the Hall of Fame seems like a “can’t miss.” One of the key cards from a rare set that we are even just today beginning to understand. MINIMUM BID: $15,000
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