(LOT 25)
1933 Goudey #1 Benny Bengough (PSA 8 NM-MT) - "1 of 6" - Only 2 Graded Higher!
Catcher Benny Bengough may never achieve Hall of Fame immortality, yet his astonishing PSA 8 1933 Goudey #1 subject presented here certainly qualifies for Cooperstown cardboard stature. One of only six examples at this stratospheric plateau, it has only been bested by a measly two PSA copies, with its "rare for the grade" status placing it among the most coveted "commons" for sophisticated PSA Registry collectors. Remarkable as it may seem, PSA has encapsulated nearly 600 Bengough examples, with a PSA 8.5 and PSA 9 as the only two specimens managing to exceed the hallowed "NM-MT 8" assessment. This is a sheer testament to the daunting task of locating "high-grade" #1 subjects, for as the most meticulous collectors surely realize, #1 cards were typically placed at the top of the stack and subjected to various condition damaging scenarios including rubber band marks, stains, perimeter wear and general surface wear. Bengough played ten years in the majors including eight with the New York Yankees from 1923 thru 1930, capturing three world championships in '23, '27 and '28.

He ended his career with the St. Louis Browns, with this '33 Goudey gem portraying him in his period style Browns uniform and catchers gear. Immaculate resolution, vibrant hues, a seemingly flawless red background, scintillating corner tips and a brilliant surface all contribute to the accurate assessment. The superb centering only reveals the slightest trace of favoritism towards the lower edge, and the final exclamation point is the verso's bold green typography. As a testament to its unquestionable value, a previous PSA 8 NM-MT 1933 Goudey Bengough fetched an extraordinary $66K in early 2019, and considering the soaring prices realized for prestigious sports cards over the past several years, we cannot even begin to estimate the true worth for this extreme Goudey rarity. Bottom line is it certainly doesn't take a Hall of Famer to spur stratospheric price tags, with "high-grade/low-pop" commons also achieving amazing pricing points via their highly coveted PSA Set Registry stature!

MIN BID $15,000
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