33. 1887 N172 Old Judge Cigarettes #317-3 Bid McPhee (HOF) – SGC FR 1.5
John “Bid” McPhee saw action at second base over eighteen major league seasons, all in Cincinnati, albeit in two different leagues. Elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 2000, a mere 101 years after he hung up his spikes, McPhee was known for his defensive prowess and unimpeachable personal character, and was a long time favorite in the Queen City. Cards of McPhee are highly prized by advanced collectors, as he is among the toughest Hall of Famers in the N172 issue, and there are no other cardboard options for hobbyists seeking a card from his playing career. In its list of scarcities, The Photographic Baseball Cards of Goodwin & Company ranks McPhee as the most scarce Hall of Famer (though that book was published before Deacon White’s election, and White is more scarce). This example has been graded FR 1.5 by SGC, the grade due in part to erased writing and soiling on the reverse, as well as some very light wrinkling and surface wear, more visible on the reverse near the bottom. Despite the technical grade, the eye appeal is remarkable, with outstanding image contrast. A very desirable and difficult to find card.
MINIMUM BID: $2,500
34. 1887 N172 Old Judge Cigarettes #254-4 King Kelly (HOF) – PSA GOOD 2
35. 1887 N172 Old Judge Cigarettes #285-2 Connie Mack (HOF) – PSA VG 3
Michael Joseph “King” Kelly was a colorful player and audacious base- runner. In 1886 he hit .388, and the next year he stole 84 bases. He was a two-time batting champion and a Hall of Famer. His sale for $10,000 was one of the biggest deals of baseball’s early history. Kelly has eleven (11) different poses in the N172 set. This is one of the more popular, depicting the Chicago star standing at the plate, holding a ring- style bat at the ready as if he were going to be batting left-handed, though he batted right-handed during his playing career.
Well-known as one of the more difficult Hall of Famers in the N172 issue, Connie Mack is ranked as the 6th toughest HOFer to obtain in The Photographic Baseball Cards Of Goodwin & Company , our “Old Judge Bible.” This example graded VG 3 by PSA is even more interesting as the “Type B” variety of “0” series cards with Mack’s name and position written in script at the bottom of the card. One of just three poses available of the future Hall of Fame manager, Mack’s tall, thin frame is well-illustrated in this example.
The image itself is the finest we’ve seen in terms of overall contrast and clarity; the card is bright and clean with a few very minor areas of wear at the corners and reverse, reducing the technical grade. PSA has assessed just nine examples of this pose, and although several have received higher technical grades, we believe this to be among the finest in terms of overall quality, particularly given the strength of the image and the fact that this example was graded under today’s much more stringent grading standards.
The recently-graded card carries a technical grade of GOOD 2 from PSA, the assessment speaking to rounding at the corners and edge wear, with some foxing and soiling on the reverse. The important part of the card – the image – is strong, with outstanding detail and a clear image. The detail is wonderful, the contrast strong enough for the viewer to discern the shadow cast by the bat on Kelly’s belt, the wrinkles in his jersey, and the shine on the painted ring around his bat.
MINIMUM BID: $2,500
MINIMUM BID: $5,000
FALL 2025 PREMIER AUCTION − CLOSES NOVEMBER 29, 2025 33
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator