December Card & Memorabilia Auction Dec 9 - 18/19
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/18/2022
Graded GEM MINT 9.5 by BGS. Hall of Famer Shown here is the earliest professional trading card of Tony Gwynn, the only minor-league issued card from his illustrious career. The Hawaii Islanders were a Triple-A affiliate of the Padres. The card showcases Tony Gwynn in a posed color photo as though he were looking toward the batter ready for the next pitch.
The card features an all-white border on the front while the back takes a minimalist approach, but includes statistics that show Gwynn well on his way to becoming a prolific hitter with the San Diego Padres. The Hall of Famer finished his career with an impressive 3,141 hits, good for 21st all-time. He also had a career .338 batting average with an incredible .394 average in the 1994 season. He led Major League Baseball in batting average in eight of his 20 seasons.
The card's BGS condition report: Centering: 9.5, Corners: 9.5, Edges: 9.5, Surface: 9. This 1982 TCMA-issued Tony Gwynn card is a spectacular example in Gem Mint condition.