1887 N172 Old Judge Mickey Welch SGC FAIR 20

Sold For:

$3,840

Year:

1887

Auction:

2023 Summer

Lot #:

45

Category:

Pre-1900 Baseball Cards (1830-1899)

Graded FAIR 20 by SGC. Outstanding 1887 N172 Old Judge of Hall of Famer “Smiling” Mickey Welch of the New York Giants (Pose #486-3). Welch was one of the legendary Hall of Fame pitchers of the nineteenth century. He was the Major League's third 300-game winner. During his thirteen Major League seasons, he won twenty or more games nine times, including seven straight years. The card presents in overall Vg condition with tremendous photo contrast and image quality, even corner wear, and centering slightly toward the left. Downgraded due to evidence of album removal on the blank reverse. Reverse flaws such as this "come with the territory" when dealing with nineteenth-century cards, and collectors place far more significance on the strength of the image (which is superb in this case) instead of the technical grade. A modestly graded yet still extremely high-quality example. Opening Bid $500.