A CURATED SELECTION OF GREAT CARDS
33. 1887 N172 Old Judge Cigarettes #88-3 Roger Connor (HOF) - PSA VG- EX 4
34. 1887 N172 Old Judge Cigarettes #177-2 Put Galvin (HOF) - SGC FR 1.5
Pud Galvin, “in jacket, arms at side,” looks almost dapper on this card #177-2, an early script version of the N172 card. The image quality here is superb, well-defined and clear, slightly miscut at the top edge some some printing can actually be seen. Despite the miscut, the card appears midgrade, with light corner wear and a left-to-right centering issue. The handwriting of a long-ago owner (dated 1887) reduces the card’s technical grade, but actually increases its desirability among many collectors who value such provenance. Galvin
A Hall of Fame infielder who played 18 National League seasons beginning with the Troy Haymakers in 1880, Connor was a power hitter in a league that didn’t have many, the game’s all-time home run leader before the record was broken by Babe Ruth. He was with the Giants from 1883 through 1891, this “script name” example issued in 1887. A sparkling image, well-centered with some light corner wear have resulted in a grade of VG-EX 4, with
was one of the most prolific pitchers in baseball history, throwing more than 6,000 innings, with 646 complete games in his 15-year career. In 1883 and 1884, Galvin threw 70 complete games each season , with more than 600 innings pitched in each. Galvin is considered one of the more difficult Hall of Famers in the monstrous N172 set, his cards always the subject of spirited bidding.
virtually all the flows related to the corners. Image contrast is tremendous, the clarity strong enough to make out significant details in the photo. A clean card with tremendous aesthetic appeal.
MINIMUM BID: $2,000
MINIMUM BID: $1,000
35. 1887 N172 Old Judge Cigarettes #251-4 Tim Keefe (HOF) - PSA GOOD+ 2.5
Though he is pictured here holding a bat, Tim Keefe was one of baseball’s first great pitchers. From 1885 through 1889, Keefe never won fewer than 28 games in a season, leading the league with 35 in 1888, and leading all major leagues with 42 in 1886. He won two of his three career ERA titles in that stretch, winning the Pitching Triple Crown in 1888. He led the New York Giants to back-to-back World Series titles in 1888 and 1889, ending the most dominant 5-year run of his Hall of Fame career. Perhaps a testament to his popularity at the time, Keefe has a total of nine poses in the N172 set. This example is remarkably well-preserved, with square corners and a crisp, clean surface. The image quality is also exceptional, slightly faded but still boasting excellent clarity. Mild glue staining on the reverse reduces the technical grade of the card, but when it comes to the N172 issue, advanced collectors are far less concerned with numerical grad than with eye appeal, and this card is at the upper end of that spectrum.
MINIMUM BID: $2,500
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