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Signed 1934 R320 Goudey #37 Lou Gehrig PSA/DNA NM 7
Sold For:
$150,000
Year: 1934
Auction: 2020 Fall
Lot #: 10
Auction: Featured
Within the card-collecting hobby, there exists for every player an iconic card (or cards) that immediately comes to mind when that player is brought up in conversation. For Lou Gehrig, the 1934 R320 Goudey #37 is one of those cards. Depicting a full-size portrait of Gehrig set against a vibrant yellow background and atop a "Lou Gehrig says..." banner, this card is not only one of the key cards to the 1934 Goudey set but also an integral piece of any Lou Gehrig, gum-card, or Top 250 Sportscards collection. Presented is a remarkably significant example of this classic card, which bears a beautifully scripted, black fountain pen signature of Lou Gehrig across his image. The signature, which is graded NM 7 by PSA/DNA, contrasts beautifully against the white background of his uniform. The card, which is encapsulated as "Authentic", technically grades Good to Very Good overall, but presents at a much higher level than suggested by its technically accurate grade. Gehrig signed baseball cards are scarce, and this is one of only four signed examples of the 1934 Goudey #37 listed in the PSA Population Report. It is the first such example that we have ever offered! Recently, high-quality signed cards have drawn tremendous interest in public and private sales. This summer, one of the other four signed #37 Gehrig cards sold at public auction for $218,300 as part of the much-heralded "Uncle Jimmy Collection." This card has a similar outstanding provenance as it was held in the same family for over eighty years alongside a signed 1933 Goudey Lou Gehrig. The original collector lived in Washington, D.C., and routinely attended games at Griffith Stadium, even striking up a rapport with visiting players, including Lou Gehrig. In 2017, the family of the original collector decided to consign his collection of baseball cards, including the two signed Gehrig cards, to auction, where our consignor was the winning bidder. A letter of provenance provided by the family outlines the history of the collection and accompanies this card. This is a remarkable surviving example, in ideal condition, of one of signed-card collecting's most desirable combinations: a beautiful Lou Gehrig signature on his iconic 1934 Goudey #37 card! Full LOA from James Spence/JSA. Opening Bid $10,000. Estimate (open).