April 4, 2024: Spring Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/4/2024
Offered is perhaps the nicest example of the historic 1964 Philadelphia Gum Football issue we’ve encountered in a long time, found here in a nice consistent presentation of Ex-Mt to Near-Mint, with the emphasis to the upper end of the spectrum, with the No. 30 Jim Brown graded BVG 5.5 due to centering issues. The cards boast vivid colors and gloss on the front and uncommonly clean and attractive card backs. After several years of wrangling over exclusive player contracts between the entrenched National Football League and its new rival the American Football League, the contentious maneuvering spilled over into the cardboard realm as 1964 unfolded. After almost a decade of producing cards of the NFL, Topps lost that contract to the Philadelphia Gum Co., which would produce cards for the older league for four seasons starting that fall. Of such historic note comes this inaugural issue, a striking compilation of truly nice condition cards from that first-ever offering. A breakdown of the keys: No. 1 Berry – Near-Mint, 4 Marchetti – Ex-Mt-Plus, 8 Parker – Ex-Mt-Plus, 12 Unitas – Ex-Mt-Plus, 17 Ditka – Ex-Mt-Plus, 48 Lilly – Ex-Mt-Plus, 50 McDonald – Nr-Mt, 51 Meredith – VG-Ex, 62 Lary – Nr-Mt, 66 Schmidt – Nr-Mt, 71 Adderly – Ex-Mt, 72 Davis – Ex-Mt-Plus, 73 Gregg – Ex-Mt-Plus, 74 Hornung – Ex-Mt-Plus, 78 Ringo – Ex-Mt, 79 Starr – Nr-Mt, 80 Taylor – Nr-Mt, 91 Olsen – Ex-Mt, 104 Marshall – VG-Ex, 109 Tarkenton – Ex-Mt-Plus, 117 Gifford – Nr-Mt, 124 Tittle – Ex-Mt-Plus, 164 St. Clair – Nr-Mt, 185 Huff – Ex-Mt-Plus, 186 Jurgensen – Ex-Mt-Plus, 189 Mitchell – Ex-Mt, 197 Checklist – Excellent-Plus and 198 Checklist – Ex-Mt o/c.
1964 Philadelphia Gum Football High-Grade Complete Set (198)
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