(LOT 40)
Joe DiMaggio 1936 R312 Rookie Card PSA 5 EX
"YANKEE CLIPPER" ROOKIE!!! The iconic "Joltin' Joe" DiMaggio was truly a super hero, placing him among the foremost players to ever grace a baseball diamond. His 56-game hitting streak in 1941 just may be baseball's greatest record, such to the point that a song was written about Joe that same season personifying everything he meant to the game. Whether it's his hitting streak, MVPs, World Championships or marriage to the legendary Marilyn Monroe, Joe D has always and will forever be not only a baseball immortal but, more significantly, the true embodiment of a National Hero! This is why collectors actively seek his most prized artifacts and what could be more appealing than a card that was issued during his 1936 rookie season, which is the case for this outstanding PSA 5 EX DiMaggio R312 inaugural MLB card. One of only four meager examples at this desirable mid-grade tier, it has been bested by a mere six specimens, substantiating the extreme condition sensitivity of the beautiful 1936 R312 pastel subjects.

Printed on ultra-thin paper, a majority of the surviving examples are plagued by blatant surface flaws, tears, etc., with mid-grade examples seldom surfacing for any of the 50 subjects. One of DiMaggio's "true" rookie cards (along with his '36 Canadian World-Wide Gum & Wide-Pen issues), it stands as one of the Yankee Clipper's handful of 1936 inaugural cards since a true rookie card portrays the player in his first major league uniform (NOT Joe D.'s 1934-'36 Zeenuts issues since they depict DiMaggio in a pre-MLB minor league uniform playing for the San Francisco Seals). The 1936 season would mark the unprecedented emergence of the immortal Joe DiMaggio, and the Yankee rookie would not disappoint, clouting 29 round trippers and knocking in 125 runs while leading the Bronx Bombers to their first World Championship in four years.

Joltin' Joe would continue his batting and fielding exploits for the next three seasons, teaming up with Lou Gehrig to lead the Yankees to four consecutive World Championships. The spectacular aesthetics of this world-class offering include a classic Joltin' Joe swinging pose originally captured by the legendary photographer George Burke. The vast array of breathtaking pastel tints, bright white borders, fine centering and relatively clean surfaces justify the rare assessment, with some modest touching along the upper right corner preventing a higher assessment. To reiterate, we cannot overemphasize the significance of the Yankee Clipper's esteemed place not only in baseball history, but as an American hero. And with that in mind, now is the time to step up to the plate and add one of his true 1936 cards rookie issues to your exalted collection!

MIN BID $1,500
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