March 25, 2021: Spring Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/25/2021
This is an extraordinary opportunity to pick up a high-grade example of the Low Series of the iconic 1939 Play Ball issue, the groundbreaking set that helped launch a new era for collectors as World War II approached. This near set of Nos. 1-115, missing only the DiMaggio and Williams cards, is in a truly remarkable high grade, broadly Excellent to Ex-Mt-Plus (nearly 90 percent of the total), which is markedly better than this important issue is typically encountered in mature collections. It presents as a particularly sharp and consistent low-number set, with a noticeably uniform look, with uncommonly clean backs to boot. Overall, it comes out to 21 percent Ex-Mt-Plus, 40 percent Ex-Mt, 27 percent Excellent and only 12 percent below, most of that to VG-Ex. The breakdown: Ex-Mt-Plus (24) – No. 15, 22, 25, 27, 28, 33, 34, 35, 51, 55, 66, 69, 71, 75, 77, 80, 81, 87, 90, 100, 102, 107, 108 and 109; Ex-Mt (45) – No. 4, 5, 6 Durocher, 7 Doerr, 8, 9, 11, 13, 21, 23, 29, 32, 38, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46, 47, 50 Gehringer, 54, 56 Greenberg, 57, 58, 59, 61, 62, 63, 64, 70, 72, 74, 78, 85, 86, 89 Lloyd Waner, 93, 94 Manush, 95, 96, 97, 101, 106, 111 and 114; Excellent (31) – No. 10, 12, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 24, 30 Dickey, 36, 39 Ferrell, 40, 45, 49, 52, 53 Hubbell, 65, 67, 68, 73, 79, 82 Klein, 83, 84, 91, 99, 103 Berg, 104, 110 and 115; VG-Ex (10) – No. 1, 2, 3 Ruffing, 31, 48, 60, 98, 105, 112 Paul Waner and 113 Schacht; Very Good – No. 37; and Good (2) – No. 76 and No. 88.
1939 Play Ball High-Grade Low-Series Near Set, Dozen HOFers (113/115)
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