Love of the Game Auctions - 10th Anniversary Auction

23. Rare 1911 T216 People’s Tobacco Christy Mathewson (HOF - Small Print) - PSA GOOD 2

Something of an anomaly, T216’s share images with the E90-1 and E92 caramel sets and are part of a trio of sets dubbed “Louisiana Issues” so named for their state of origin. The Peoples Tobacco Com- pany of New Orleans was the producer the set is rife with variations and known for its complexity. Mathewson, one of 74 players in the set, can be found several different ways, in this case the “small print” variety with a Factory 4 back. PSA has assigned a technical grade of 2, no doubt due to the small triangle of paper loss under the caption and the smaller missing spot at the 8 o’clock position. There is some light foxing on the front borders, not affecting the image, which is colorful and in-register and the reverse is in fine form. The grade is essentially meaningless though, with six Mattys overall having been graded by PSA, and no way to properly separate the large and small print variations in their population report. Exactly one Mathewson grades higher in the PSA pop report, a 5, and there are two 2’s, with all others grading lower. The eye appeal is off the charts, as is the rarity-these just never come up. An extraordinary card. MINIMUM BID: $2,000

24. 2002 Ultimate Collection Buyback #134 Kobe Bryant

Exceptional modern basketball issue featuring a “buyback” autographed rookie card of Kobe Bryant from the 1996 SP issue, which Upper Deck purchased on the secondary market for the Lakers great to autograph. The cards were then inserted randomly into packs of 2002 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection, with a total of 10 Bryant rookie cards inserted. This example, hand-numbered 2 of 10, has been signed in blue Sharpie by Bryant across his forehead. We submitted this card to PSA for grading and authentication in October of 2022 and it became the first such card to be assessed by PSA. The card itself received a grade of NM- MT 8, with the signature grading a perfect GEM MINT 10, the highest grade for this particular card that we have found. An extraordinary card of the late Hall of Famer, one of just 10 such cards produced for this issue. MINIMUM BID: $5,000

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