1933 Goudey Nap Lajoie PSA 9
mikeschmidt
Posts: 5,756 ✭✭✭
It appears as if there is a sale of one of these pending currently. The card was originally listed at $110,000.
Having seen the scan -- the card is incredibly sharp and in amazing condition. One of the best examples I've ever seen. It is a card with an interesting story, for sure. As the Lajoie card was never properly issued by Goudey (or if it was -- in such ridiculously low quantities that it was all but non-existent), quite a few persistent collectors wrote in to Goudey to complain of this discrepancy, and the Lajoie card was thus born. As such -- those dedicated collectors of 70 years ago were obviously persistent and careful. The end result is that today the card has the highest population (six) in PSA 9 of any card from the 1933 Goudey set (Mel Ott also has six PSA 9s). Very unusual in that the card is generally easier to find in high grade because of these unique circumstances than it is to find in low grade.
Does anyone out there know who owns the unique example of the 1933 goudey #106 Leo Durocher that was originally sold in the Halper collection and then again by Mastro a few years ago?
MS
Having seen the scan -- the card is incredibly sharp and in amazing condition. One of the best examples I've ever seen. It is a card with an interesting story, for sure. As the Lajoie card was never properly issued by Goudey (or if it was -- in such ridiculously low quantities that it was all but non-existent), quite a few persistent collectors wrote in to Goudey to complain of this discrepancy, and the Lajoie card was thus born. As such -- those dedicated collectors of 70 years ago were obviously persistent and careful. The end result is that today the card has the highest population (six) in PSA 9 of any card from the 1933 Goudey set (Mel Ott also has six PSA 9s). Very unusual in that the card is generally easier to find in high grade because of these unique circumstances than it is to find in low grade.
Does anyone out there know who owns the unique example of the 1933 goudey #106 Leo Durocher that was originally sold in the Halper collection and then again by Mastro a few years ago?
MS
I am actively buying MIKE SCHMIDT gem mint baseball cards. Also looking for any 19th century cabinets of Philadephia Nationals. Please PM with additional details.
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Apparently, the buyer never reached that decision because according to an article by Dennis Purdy in VCBC the card was listed as selling for I believe $75,000. However, it did not meet the hidden reserve despite being shill bid up to that amount. Or at least that is how the story goes.
The card itself was very nice - I wonder if the consignor ended up keeping it or selling it.
Was that Louis Bollman's? I just got a spam from his site about an "important '33 goudey", but I blasted it already.
I haven't read the whole thing yet, but it looks very interesting....
Goudey article
In the article, Fogel mentions something about the Lajoie card that I had never
considered. Apparently, Goudey had omitted card 106 *on purpose* as a marketing
tool so that collectors would continue to buy packs in order to complete the set.
And here I thought it was just a goof....
Chuck
a similar situation happened in 1924 when Maple Crispette intentionally short printed the Sprague Cleghorn hockey card so kids wouldnt be able to redeem the hockey skates prize. its so rare in fact that neither i nor anyone else i've ever talked to has ever seen it.
i personally think that the goudey #106 exists, but i doubt they produced more than 2 or 3
-Will
<< <i>Interesting story. Thanks for sharing. So I wonder if a PSA 8 version of the Lajoie would be worth more since it's scarcer?
gemint,
actually, there are more PSA 8's (7) than 9's (6).
<< <i>...i personally think that the goudey #106 exists, but i doubt they produced more than 2 or 3... >>
Will,
The card definitely exists ... actually, 53 of them have currently been graded.
JEB.
As Marc said there is a proof of Durocher as #106, then they changed him to another number. I think it was hand cut, and is unique.
The story I've always read is that Goudey paper clipped the Lajoie's to a letter to anybody that wrote in requesting one. If that is the case I'm surprised that any made it into PSA 7 holders, let along 8's and 9's.
US Caramel also intentionally shorted a card in its '32 set, #16 Lindstrom, to prevent anybody earning a premium by sending in a full set. With a pop of 2 its got to be the scarest 20th century card, followed by the T206 Doyle. I think they did the same thing with their presidents set and the McKinley card.
Always looking for Topps Salesman Samples, pre '51 unopened packs, E90-2, E91a, N690 Kalamazoo Bats, and T204 Square Frame Ramly's
As for the Lindstrom card -- do you remember back in 1988 when Leland's unearthed the first one and proceeded to proclaim it as the first million dollar baseball card? It was quite the sensation back in the day! The more interesting thing about that card is that, despite a population of two, Larry Fritsch owns them both to the best of my knowledge (he did have the PSA 3 from ScP re-encapsulated to an SCD 3, but that failed to meet reserve a year or two ago when he tried to auction it off). I also understand that he has at least one of the Doyle cards.
So many stories with the cards from so many years ago. What a refreshing change vis a vis the modern stuff out there!
Murcerfan and I were talking on the phone a few months ago and listing what were the rarest cards in the hobby. Some of the reasons why were very interesting. I think its great when something has been undiscovered for 60-100 years and then pops up, like Doyle, Lindstrom, Tango Eggs, etc. Sort of like that deep sea creature that washed ashore in Chile last week that they are still trying to figure out. Anyway I find it much more interesting that seeing what shinyrefractorchromegameusedchasecard will be 1/1 this year.
Always looking for Topps Salesman Samples, pre '51 unopened packs, E90-2, E91a, N690 Kalamazoo Bats, and T204 Square Frame Ramly's
.....gibberish about My stash of Felin Franks and T208's??
BTW, I think there may be more Tangos than Rochester Baking (the tougher D359's).
At least they do not seem to be circulating at all any more.
BOTR