Memory Lane Inc. | The Leader in Vintage Sports Cards & Memorabilia
IRON HORSE ROOKIE!!!... The most significant rookie card in our illustrious hobby continues to be the 1916 M101 Babe Ruth keepsake, with his immortal teammate Henry Louis Gehrig's inaugural card steadily gaining ground on the incomparable Bambino. For the longest time, the 1925 Exhibits Gray Tint Gehrig rookie was extremely undervalued and was obtainable for a fraction of the cost of the Babe's 1916 subject.
The past 4-5 years have seen that concept radically change, with a PSA 5 Iron Horse Rookie fetching a record $1.032 million in July 2021. Additional notable price tags include a whopping $802K for a PSA 6 (MK) in February 2021; $387K for a PSA 4 in April 2023; $126K for a PSA 2.5 likewise in April 2023; and $195K for a PSA 3 (MK) in August 2021. Indeed, these lofty figures clearly indicate that the Gehrig Rookie is here to stay with regard to its popularity and value. That said, Memory Lane is ultra-proud to present a super eye-pleasing PSA 3.5 VG+ 1925 Exhibits Gray Tint Lou Gehrig Rookie that truly stands as one of the finer examples you will ever come across. A POP 2 marvel, it has only been bested by thirteen PSA specimens, and as vintage enthusiasts surely realize, locating a VG or better 1925 Exhibits Gehrig is a painstaking chore.
Most of the examples that have sold in the $60-$100K range reflect both low assessments and poor eye appeal, with 2 GOOD or lower rated Gehrig's portraying unsightly soiling, creasing and corner wear. Interestingly enough, while the Ruth Rookie has experienced several pricing surges over the past several years, his teammate's 1925 Exhibit has not realized proportional pricing upticks. Ruth Rookies in the VG range are now valued around $500K+, with PSA 3 Gehrig Rookies fetching approximately $150K-$250K based on their aesthetics.
This is especially puzzling since, at the time this was written, PSA's illustrious Pop Chart listed 82 Babe Ruth Rookies versus only 46 Gehrig Gray Tint 1925 Exhibits. While now achieving solid six-figure price tags, it's clearly obvious the Gehrig Rookie has mysteriously received a glaring lack of respect with regard to its justifiable value. Considering the Gehrig Rookie count stands at nearly HALF of the total Ruth population, it would make perfect sense that the value of an Iron Horse 1925 Exhibit card will continue rising at a meteoric pace.
It was only a matter of time for the value of a 1925 Exhibit Lou Gehrig rookie card to begin taking off tantamount to an ICBM missile soaring to a stratospheric level, with a still vast upside regarding its future prosperity. The unparalleled legacy of Henry Louis Gehrig can be traced back to his Columbia University playing days, where Gehrig dominated as both a standout pitcher and a slugging first baseman. Catching the attention of renowned New York Yankee scout Paul Krichell, on April 28, 1923, Gehrig hit one of the longest home runs ever seen at Columbia's South Field. The mammoth 450-foot blast sailed completely out of the ballpark, prompting Krichell to sign Gehrig to a Yankees contract only two days later.
While Gehrig would be called up to the majors before the end of the season, he would see limited time as a pinch hitter in both the 1923 and 1924 seasons, accumulating only 38 official at-bats in those two campaigns. It would be the 1925 season (the year his inaugural Exhibits Supply card was issued) that the Iron Horse would enjoy his first breakout season, batting .295 and walloping 20 home runs in nearly 500 plate appearances. Now considered one of the game's most fearsome sluggers, Gehrig would embark on one of the most formidable careers in baseball history, typically categorized as one of the top five players in baseball history.
The card itself reveals a classic rookie-era batting image portraying Gehrig completing his mammoth swing as he connects on what is most likely another mighty blast, exhibiting fine gray tinted contrast and crystal-clear clarity. The original Gehrig batting photo for this awe-inspiring rookie card was first issued during the Yankees 1924 spring training, effectively turning back the clock to Gehrig's early MLB origin when the mighty Iron Horse was about to place his indelible stamp on America's Pastime.
Gehrig would start his miraculous 2,130-game streak on June 1, 1925 which sadly ended some 14 years later when Lou pulled himself out of the lineup on May 2, 1939 before a game against the Detroit Tigers at Briggs Stadium. Atypically, the sanctified swinging pose has eluded any noteworthy flaws, miraculously sidestepping the common soiling and glaring surface blemishes that plague a majority of these highly coveted mementos.
Preventing a higher assessment is even corner wear, a faint wrinkle barely visible to the naked eye near the upper left corner, some negligible edge chipping, including diminutive enamel peel along the upper left edge/corner, and a microscopic surface imperfection within the upper right quadrant. The lower left text box reveals the critical "HENRY L. GEHRIG - Infield - New York, A.L." bold verbiage, and the relatively clean blank back is the final exclamation point for this rare for the grade inaugural Gehrig masterpiece.
Seldom does the opportunity arise to capture a super visually pleasing PSA 3.5 Lou Gehrig rookie card, with most examples revealing lower assessments as well as hideous aesthetics. Yet, regardless of the grade, any Gehrig 1925 Exhibits Rookie is excruciatingly tough to find compared to the seemingly infinite number of Mantle, Mays, Clemente, and Aaron Rookies (just to mention a few post-WWII stars that surface in every auction).
Any original collectible of Gehrig is widely sought-after within the collecting community due to his unequivocal legacy, let alone one that stands as the Yankee captain's undisputable inaugural cardboard heirloom. Tragically, Gehrig's incredible career was cut short by ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, that claimed his life at the tender age of 37. Considering all of his world-class on-the-field accomplishments, he will always be best remembered for his 2,130-consecutive game streak, accounting for his revered "Iron Horse" nickname.
Furthermore, his legendary farewell "Luckiest Man on the Face of the Earth" speech at Yankee Stadium on July 4, 1939 will forever stand as our National Pastime's "Gettysburg Address". He was the quiet hero, simply going about his business with such steadfast purpose that the mention of his hallowed name inspires a still tranquility amongst his vast following. We have seen so many modern sports stars' rookie cards sell in excess of seven figures, a notion that should prompt the advanced collector to seriously contemplate the true potential value for one of the better-preserved Lou Gehrig rookie subjects. To reiterate, a majority of Gehrig 1925 Exhibits unfortunately reveal substandard aesthetics, with this outstanding PSA 3.5 marvel surely destined to become a centerpiece attraction within one of the finest rookie-card gatherings on the planet!
MIN BID $25,000