15. Impossibly Rare 1890 N172 Old Judge Cigarettes #210-4 Billy Hamilton (Philadelphia NL) – SGC VG-EX 4 – One of the Most Desirable N172 HOFers
This Hall of Fame N172 card proves special indeed, well beyond how “Sliding Billy” led his league in hitting, steals, and other cate- gories many times, which garnered him a plaque in Cooperstown. Our #210-4 listing shows Billy poised to catch a ball suspended on its slender studio string, one of five Hamilton poses seen in the Old Judge set. The specific example contains a multi-part story that drives interest well beyond simple variation collecting for a star 19th century player. We can start with its 1890 date, as Old Judge singles from that year prove incredibly rare. Goodwin & Co. ceased most card produc- tion after it joined the newly-formed American Tobacco Compa- ny, so just a small quantity of National League and Players’ League examples reached cigarette packs, identified by “N.L.” (National League) or “P.L.” (Players’ League) following its team designation. That date alone denotes a special card, regardless of player. What makes this example extra special is its rank among the rarest Hall of Famers for all of N172! The Photographic Baseball Cards of Goodwin & Company describes this “Philadelphia N.L.” variation as one of the seven most desirable HOF N172s (pg. 94/95), a re- markable confirmation of its rarity within the full scope of known Old Judge cards! It sits at the level of Cap Anson’s famed “in uni- form” pose and this is how that book articulates it. ”While Players’ League cards get most of the press, some 1890 Na- tional League cards are extremely rare. In 1890, Billy Hamilton moved up to the National League’s Philadelphia Phillies from the American Association’s Kansas City Cowboys. The card pictured [#210-4 Philadelphia N.L.] is one of the few copies of this team vari- ation known to the authors.” Our listing’s own VG-EX 4 grade would score far better than the book’s reference image on page 95 for that entry, in both technical grade and image quality, making this all the more remarkable! While lower in contrast compared to some N172 photos, one can clearly identify Hamilton, perhaps enough to recognize how card editors also removed the “Kansas City” lettering of that former team following his move to Philly. It’s otherwise a standout ex- ample and perhaps the most significant Old Judge N172 we have ever offered. MINIMUM BID: $10,000
22
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator