(LOT 1074)
1888 E223 G&B Chewing Gum (E223) Mike "King" Kelly SGC 1 PR – One of Only Two Examples on Any Professional Grading Co.'s Pop Charts!
SCARCE KING KELLY!!! An ultra-scarce landmark issue, G&B Candy Co. cards are considered the pioneers of candy/gum cards. All previous card issues were tied to tobacco products, with many G&B subjects including line drawings as opposed to real photo images. Presented here is an extremely rare SGC 1 PR 1888 G&B Chewing Gum Mike "King" Kelly marvel, with this Cooperstown Inductee one of the first catchers to give the pitcher finger signals while being credited for perfecting the "hit and run". He was arguably baseball's best-dressed player and on several occasions appeared on stage to recite "Casey at the Bat". Kelly's sepia line-drawing image boasts fine contrast, and vivid resolution, with the grade due to a small area of paper loss by his right stocking, general surface wear, some stray wrinkles, and a notable soling spot on the verso. Beneath the classic batting pose reads "KELLY, - CATCHER - NATIONAL LEAGUE - CHEWING GUM, G. & B., N.Y." with the bold brown-hued text fully intact. Extremely rare, only a single other SGC example is available for the taking!

MIN BID $2,500
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