A CURATED SELECTION OF GREAT CARDS
52. 1940 Play Ball #1 Joe DiMaggio (HOF) – PSA EX-MT 6
54. 1948 Bowman Basketball #69 George Mikan (Gray Variation – HOF RC) – SGC AUTHENTIC
While not particularly scarce, it was in the process of writing the description for this 1940 Play Ball Joe DiMaggio card that we realized: in 14 years, this is the first example we have ever offered. It’s an excellent first as well, an attractive example from a valued consignor, a longtime hobbyist with an outstanding eye for quality. This particular example has been graded EX-MT 6 by PSA and has some light, age-related toning along the right edge. The card image is centered slightly north on the canvas, but the thin borders of
Bowman’s 1948 basketball set, the first nationally distributed issue for this fledgling sport, contains what most consider the top Hall of Fame rookie of its era in Minnesota’s bespectacled center, George Mikan. His dominant play at 6’10” raised the bar for big men in scoring prowess, defensive agility, and on-court smarts. This “gray background” variation offers a modern visual impact beyond most others of its era, thanks to outstanding clarity and a dynamic dribbling pose. Mikan’s intriguing outstanding
the issue make centering less of an offense than in wide-bordered issues where off-centered images are more distracting. Corners are lightly touched, with some mild surface wear conspiring to keep the card from a higher holder. Still, a great card, the #1 card from an important war era issue.
back includes an overprint from the seminal non-sport “America Salutes the FBI” cards of that same 1948-49 era and shows a design consistency Bowman carried across several 1940s and 50s sets. While other Mikan rookies share an SGC AUTH designation, this compelling combination of high-quality front and double-printed back makes it likely a unique find among such singles. Love of the Game is excited to offer such unusual examples throughout our auctions.
MINIMUM BID: $1,500
53. 1949 Bowman #50 Jackie Robinson (HOF RC) – SGC GOOD 2
MINIMUM BID: $1,500
55. 1950 Bowman #22 Jackie Robinson (HOF) – PSA VG-EX 4
This bright and beautiful example is one of the best-looking 1949 Bowman cards for Jackie that we’ve seen in technical collector grade. Print registration and color quality are above average, and centering is nearly perfect. The corner rounding and a wrinkle at the upper right merit this SGC GOOD 2 score without diminishing his winning smile and enduring star power. (Light ink marks on his shoulder and cap appear to be from the card’s original red ink pass.)
This vibrant midgrade example of Jackie Robinson’s 1950 Bowman card, one of that set’s most desirable, celebrates his 1949 NL MVP award, as he continued to break new ground during baseball’s integration era. It reflects Bowman’s own evolution in card artistry with a bright, full- length pose of Jackie warming up at home in Ebbets Field. The PSA 4 score displays excellent centering, modest corner rounding, and light marks along its borders. Love of the Game is
This first Bowman card rivals Jackie’s 1949 Leaf and some lesser- known issues from 1947 as the key finds for any Robinson or Hall of Fame collector. It will be tough to find a better balance of presentation and accessibility.
excited to offer a number of similar Jackie Robinson cards in this auction, covering his career in a range of years and conditions.
MINIMUM BID: $1,000
MINIMUM BID: $1,000
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