1939 R334 Play Ball Near-Complete Set (149/161) Including DiMaggio and Williams

Sold For:

$4,444

Year:

1939

Auction:

2014 Spring

Lot #:

635

Category:

Prewar Baseball - 1930s and 1940s Cards

Extremely attractive near-complete set of 1939 Play Balls issued by Gum, Inc., consisting of 149 of the 161 total cards in the set. Missing only the following twelve cards for completion: #117, 125, 135, 136, 139, 143 Averill, 145, 151, 152, 158, 161, and 162. The first of three major baseball-card sets by Gum, Inc., this landmark set includes Ted Williams"™ rookie card, Joe DiMaggio, and all of the other major stars and Hall of Famers of the era. The rarer high-number series cards (#116-162) in 1939 Play Ball have always made the assembly of a complete set particularly challenging for collectors. Condition is 74% Vg-Ex to Ex-Mt (averaging Ex), 20% Gd to Vg, and 6% lesser (including a few trimmed). REA submitted the Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams cards to be graded by SGC (both of which by chance happened to be particularly strong examples). Low Numbers (#1-115): 90% range from Vg-Ex to Ex-Mt (averaging Ex), 10% Gd to Vg. Keys: #1 Powell (Vg-Ex+), 3 Ruffing (Ex), 6 Durocher (Ex-Mt), 7 Doerr (Vg-Ex+), 26 Joe DiMaggio (SGC NM 84, bright, crisp image, with square corners, and outstanding centering), 30 Dickey (Ex), 39 Ferrell (Ex), 48 Gomez (Ex-Mt), 50 Gehringer (Ex+), 51 Ott (Vg-Ex+), 53 Hubbell (Vg+), 55 Vaughan (Ex), 56 Greenberg (Ex-Mt), 82 Klein (Ex-Mt), 89 L. Waner (Ex), 92 Ted Williams RC (SGC EX/NM+ 82, perfect centering, crisp image, and even wear to the corners), 94 Manush (Ex-Mt), 103 Berg (Ex), 112 P. Waner (Ex+). Four cards (#52, 75, 86, and 107) are "Free Sample" varieties. High Numbers (#116-162): Consists of thirty-four of the forty-six high numbers. 15% grade Vg-Ex, 62% grade Gd to Vg, and 23% are Pr (including three trimmed). While 1939 Play Balls are numbered #1 through 162, no #126 was ever issued, making the set complete at 161 cards. Consigned from an old-time collection. This is a very attractive near-complete set in an extremely desirable grade which offers an outstanding value, and represents a relatively affordable alternative to a higher-grade set of this classic prewar gum issue. The equivalent SMR value for just the two graded cards (factoring in the Williams at the lower whole-grade level and not including the 147 ungraded cards!) is $2,700. Total: 149 cards. Reserve $1,000. Estimate $2,500++. SOLD FOR $4,444