Goldin Elite Auction Ending May 22-23
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/22/2021
This lot closes on May 22nd, 2021 at 10:00 PM EDT for initial bids.
Graded MINT 9 by PSA. Hall of Famer. This is the only example at its tier (with none graded higher) among a total of seven specimens of this Kelly "Bat at Ready at 45°, R/Handed" depiction recorded in PSA's census reporting. In the population's continuum of relative excellence, a veritable chasm – five full grading increments – separates this stunning collectible from its next-highest, PSA-graded counterpart. (Further, among a grand total of more than 5,400 examples from the 1880s N172 production holdered by PSA, only seven – seven! – cards have achieved the PSA MINT 9 tier, and none has been graded higher.)
One of 19th Century baseball's most indomitable and flamboyant characters, Michael Joseph "King" Kelly compiled a storybook career that culminated in a .308 lifetime batting average and totals of 1,813 hits and 1,357 runs scored in 1,455 games. During his sixteen-season tenure, "King" Kelly established a reputation as his chosen sport's most popular player. His extraordinary fame was summarized by the widespread and lasting use of the "$10,000" nickname, a moniker that came about when Kelly was sold by Chicago to Boston for that princely sum on February 14, 1887.
Kelly's likeness is seen in eleven different poses in N172, and this "Bat at Ready at 45°, R/Handed" version (Pose 254-5) is one of the most evocative. It's fully appropriate to conclude that the offered paper heirloom picturing the 1945 Cooperstown enshrinee features the most desirable and elusive picture, as well as the absolute finest condition, that can be found on any King Kelly Old Judge card that's been confirmed to exist. An incredible combination!
Aesthetically, this photographic antique projects a peerless sight that's completely consistent with its PSA "1 of 1" status. A crisp and clear, sepia-toned photo of Kelly graces the obverse, its eye appeal enhanced by exceptional resolution of facial and uniform details, caption and advertising print, and studio-placed background elements. The card's borders and corners showcase fresh, uncirculated character, and the item's unprinted back concedes no marks or discoloration. This is an unquestionably elite and superior tobacco insert of an important player, in superlative Mint condition.