1889 N172 Old Judge Ed Delahanty Rookie SGC VG 3

Sold For:

$16,800

Year:

1889

Auction:

2025 Spring

Lot #:

24

Category:

Pre-1900 Baseball Cards (1830-1899)

Graded VG 3 by SGC. Extremely rare and desirable 1889 N172 Old Judge of Hall of Famer Ed Delahanty (Pose #123-3) dating from his playing days as a second baseman with the Philadelphia Quakers. Delahanty is one of the rarest of all Old Judge Hall of Famers. While this card features Delahanty with the Philadelphia Quakers in his second year in the majors, it is the first of his few baseball cards ever issued, and as such is recognized as Delahanty's rookie card. There are very few baseball cards of Delahanty due to his untimely and tragic death in 1903 and the fact that few baseball card sets were issued during the years in which he played (1888 to 1903). Delahanty was one of the premier stars of the nineteenth century. Bright and clean, with excellent photo quality, outstanding centering, and light corner wear. The contrast is virtually unimprovable! The blank reverse has very light staining. There is a slight diamond cut along the left and bottom edges (noted for accuracy). This is a magnificent example of one of the key nineteenth-century and Old Judge Hall of Famer rarities.