Lot # 82: 1934 Goudey #37 Lou Gehrig PSA 8 NM-MT – Only 3 PSA Examples Graded Higher!

Category: 1921-1939

Starting Bid: $50,000.00

Bids: 19 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "Fall Rarities Premium Auction",
which ran from 11/12/2022 8:15 AM to
12/3/2022 7:00 PM




(LOT 82)
1934 Goudey #37 Lou Gehrig PSA 8 NM-MT – Only 3 PSA Examples Graded Higher!

SWEET LOU!!! The $157K record setting sale of a PSA 8 NM-MT 1934 Goudey #37 Lou Gehrig in October 2021 continued an on-going frenzy for off the chart cardboard pricing sales, including a staggering $303K for a 1933 Goudey #92 Gehrig realized in the summer of 2021. Substantiating this momentous pricing uptick, an additional three '34 Goudey #37 PSA 8 Gehrig's have fetched in excess of $130K, with both public and private sales, over the past several years for some of the hobby's most coveted high-grade cards continue to forge ahead with tsunami-like force. It comes as no surprise that the likes of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner appear to be leading the vintage card escalation, and this PSA 8 Lou Gehrig Portrait 1934 Goudey offering truly stands as one of the hobby's most hallowed mementos. Bested by only three meager examples, its astonishing aesthetics have rightfully earned the near-pinnacle assessment, and its stoic Iron Horse portrait pose arguably places it as the most desirable of all four Gehrig Goudey subjects issued in 1933 and 1934.

The illustrious Goudey Company's bubble gum/baseball card pioneering effort achieved remarkable success in 1933, rationalizing the necessity for a repeat performance in 1934. Inexplicably, the legendary Babe Ruth was omitted from the 1934 Goudey issue, with its two most popular subjects representing New York Yankees immortal first-sacker Henry Louis Gehrig who made a grand appearance on card #'s 37 and 61. "Larrupin' Lou", his legendary barnstorming nickname, would justify the Goudey Gum Company's decision to place two of his subjects in their 1934 compilation by claiming the baseball's highly exalted Triple Crown. Indeed, the '34 campaign would see Gehrig lead the American League in virtually every vital batting statistic including average (.363), Home Runs (49), RBIs (166), OBP (.465), SLG (.706), OPS (1.172) and Total Bases (409). The Yankee Captain had now clearly become the toast of the town due to Babe Ruth's career winding down in New York, with Gehrig finally appreciated for his world-class batting feats. Of course, Gehrig would continue his onslaught of opposing pitchers throughout most of the 1930s, with this RBI machine tallying 13 consecutive seasons of 100 or more runs batted in, while posting several remarkable lifetime batting marks including a .340 batting average and 1.080 OPS.

Unfortunately for Gehrig, the deadly ALS disease tragically crippled his amazing batting skills during the prime of his life, with Lou forced to retire in May 1939, and ultimately passing away in June 1941 at the tender young age of 37. Fortuitously for the Iron Horse, there are a number of classic cards that serve as a sheer testament to his unparalleled immortality, and this PSA 8 NM-MT portrait masterpiece surely resides as one of those exalted cardboard marvels. The breathtaking aesthetics of this Cooperstown worthy offering are exceptional to say the least, commencing with the highly coveted stoic Gehrig pose emanating the finest possible facial hues. Of course, the radiant yellow background stands as one of the key highlights for this pack-fresh keepsake, effectively projecting the portrait image in a 3D manner. Dazzling white borders, extremely sharp edges, pinpoint corners and near-immaculate surfaces all combine to support the accurate assessment. Arguably speaking, this Gehrig gem just might have been awarded the elusive 9 Mint grade had it not been for the illustration modestly favoring the right edge.

A collector favorite for many years via its candid Gehrig portrait pose and "Lou Gehrig Says…" facsimile signature in the lower blue text box, it just may suffice as the most popular card of the four different Gehrig Goudey subjects issued over the two-year 1933-'34 period. The ultra-rare combination of Gehrig's superior on the field achievements, and Lou's unbridled courage prompting his "Luckiest Man on the Face of The Earth" speech on July 4, 1939, have placed him at an unequivocal level in the treasured card hobby. Dubbed our National Pastime's "Gettysburg Address", it saddened an entire Nation, serving as a sheer reminder of how this quiet hero's legacy will echo for eternity. Lou Gehrig left an indelible mark on the game itself, and his heroism will forever place him amongst Cooperstown's most prominent inductees. Bested by only three paltry PSA examples, this revered gum card's PSA 8 assessment is ironically synonymous to Gehrig's world-class batting feats that have likewise withstood the test of time. While the Iron Horse's illness forced him to retire at an early age, his iconic stature will stand forever, ably assisted by some of his most iconic bubble gum cards including this extraordinary 1934 Goudey #37 subject that will forever reside as one of the hobby's quintessential issues.

MIN BID $50,000
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