• Home
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Get Sports Collectors Daily via EMail
    • Advertise with SC Daily
    • Write for Sports Collectors Daily
    • Write About Your Sports Collection
    • Where Can I Sell My Baseball Cards?
  • Hot on Ebay
    • Most Watched Baseball Cards
      • Bowman Chrome Cards
      • Mike Trout Cards
      • Fernando Tatis Jr. Rookie Cards
      • Babe Ruth Cards
      • Hank Aaron Cards
      • Jackie Robinson Cards:
      • Mickey Mantle Cards
      • Willie Mays Cards
      • Vintage Baseball Card Sets
      • T206 Cards
      • Hottest Baseball Hobby Boxes
    • Most Watched Basketball
      • Top 100 Most Watched Basketball Rookie Cards
      • 100 Hottest 2020-21 NBA Rookie Cards
      • 100 Hottest 2019-20 NBA Rookie Cards
        • Zion Williamson Rookie Cards
        • Ja Morant Rookie Cards
      • Prizm Basketball Cards
      • Luka Doncic Rookie Cards
      • LeBron James Rookie Cards
      • Michael Jordan Cards
      • Kobe Bryant Cards
      • NBA Top Shot
      • Panini National Treasures
    • Most Watched Football Cards
      • Most Watched NFL Rookie Cards
      • 2020 NFL Rookie Cards
      • Tom Brady Cards
      • Patrick Mahomes Rookie Cards
    • Most Watched Hockey Cards
      • Top 100 Most Watched Hockey Rookie Cards
      • Most Watched 2020-21 Rookie Cards
      • Most Watched 2019-20 Rookie Cards
      • Connor McDavid Cards
      • Wayne Gretzky Cards
      • Bobby Orr Cards
    • Most Watched Soccer Cards
    • Most Watched UFC Cards
    • Most Watched Golf Cards
    • Most Watched Graded Rookies
    • Most Watched PSA 10 Cards
    • Most Watched 1 of 1 Cards
    • Most Watched Memorabilia
    • Most Watched Racing Cards
    • Most Watched Autographs
  • Ending Soon on Ebay
    • Baseball Cards
    • Basketball Cards
    • Football Cards
    • Hockey Cards
    • Golf Cards
    • Vintage Sports Memorabilia

Sports Collectors Daily

Sports collecting news - Sports cards and sports memorabilia industry news.

Our articles may contain affiliate links. If you click one and make a purchase, we may receive a commission.  It helps keep us afloat!

  • Sports Memorabilia News
    • Barnebys Sports Auction Highlights
  • Sports Card News
    • Modern Sports Card News
      • New Sports Card Release Calendar
      • Shop Talk
    • Vintage Sports Card News
      • Affordable Vintage Cards, Collectibles
      • Old Baseball Card Sets
      • Old Basketball Card Sets
      • Old Football Card Sets
      • Old Hockey Card Sets
      • Vintage Pack Facts
  • Business/Industry News
    • Sports Memorabilia Business News
    • Sports Memorabilia Industry News
    • Hobby Shops Selling, Breaking Online During COVID-19
  • Around The Hobby
    • Editor’s Blog
    • David Cycleback’s Identification and Authentication Advice
  • Popular Stories
  • Sell Your Cards
You are here: Home / Business/Industry News / Sports Memorabilia Business News / Vintage Rarities Headline Latest LOTG Auction
Baseball Card Exchange

Vintage Rarities Headline Latest LOTG Auction

March 15, 2018 By Rich Mueller

Rare 19th and early 20th century display pieces and photos, complete sets from the pre-War era and other memorabilia from virtually every era of baseball are up for grabs this month in Love of The Game Auctions’ Spring catalog.

Already underway and set to run through Saturday, March 24, highlights include a significant number of “pre-rookie” items from past greats, vintage Type 1 photos, rare and popular baseball card singles and sets and a large assortment of pre-war baseball postcards.                

The Hall of Fame “pre-rookie” collection is highlighted by a gorgeous, framed 22 x 19 ½”  1871 Stratford Base Ball Club team photo that includes an early image of “Orator” Jim O’Rourke who would go on to a Hall of Fame career.   

The auction also features two complete pre-war sets: a 1934 Goudey offering that ranks among the top 30 on the PSA Set Registry and an 1888 N162 Goodwin Champions complete set of 50, with all the cards graded.

Goudey set 1934

The auction also features two 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle cards.

“There’s no question that as we head into our sixth year presenting auctions, this is our finest,” said Auction Director Al Crisafulli.  “Love of the Game is known for its unique assortment of scarce collectibles – the kind of stuff you just don’t see every day – and this auction has the largest array of that sort of material that we’ve ever offered.”

Stag Sweaters advertising photo with Babe Ruth.

A strong market for early baseball advertising will absorb a 1912 Boston Garter Advertising Display Sign that features Hughie Jennings and Johnny Kling, a 1916 Stag Sweaters Boston Red Sox advertising cabinet photo with Babe Ruth, and a 1917 Timothy Murnane Day “All-Star” Team Photo with Ty Cobb, Joe Jackson and more.  The 1934 Tour of Japan is also well-represented, with one of just three known photos of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Jimmie Foxx to be signed by all three, and a baseball signed by the members of the team, plus a Hawaiian All-Star team that played against Ruth, Gehrig and the other legends in Honolulu on October 25, 1934.

 

Hall Of Fame “Pre-Rookie” Cards

You may know their traditional rookie cards but collectors who like something a little more challenging will uncover some “before they were stars” items such as a 1901 Terre Haute (IN) Hottentots team cabinet photo featuring Hall of Fame pitcher Mordecai “Three-Finger” Brown.

The auction features “pre-rookie” postcards from the likes of Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker, Rogers Hornsby, Hack Wilson, Casey Stengel, Harry Hooper (also Hal Chase), and more.  Other pre-rookie offerings include Zach Wheat, Lefty Grove, Bob Gibson, Don Sutton, Frank Robinson, Ernie Banks, and others.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame pre-rookie offering is highlighted by a large run of rare Diamond Matchbooks that includes the ultra-rare 1934 Walt Kiesling – one of just two known examples, and possible the most desirable of all the Diamond Matchbooks.  Almost as rare as the Kiesling is the 1934 George Musso, also featured in the auction.  A salesman’s sample of the 1933 Turk Edwards is also featured.

Other Football pre-rookie Hall of Famers featured in the auction include a 1926 Sports Co. of America Ernie Nevers, a 1927 W560 Ken Strong (PSA NM-MT 8), Diamond Matchbooks offerings from Cliff Battles, Mel Hein and John “Blood” McNally.

Vintage Baseball Photography

One of the hottest segments in the hobby continues to be that of original vintage photography.  LOTG will offer more than 60 lots within that category, highlighted by a 1909 original news service photo of Christy Mathewson by George Grantham Bain.  The photo may be the only in existence, and is accompanied by a full LOA from PSA/DNA.

 

Other PSA/DNA-authenticated Type 1 photos include an early 1920s photo of Babe Ruth by Underwood & Underwood, a 1928 portrait of Grover Cleveland Alexander by Charles Conlon, a 1930s portrait of Lou Gehrig by George Burke, and a 1922 photo of Ty Cobb at the batting cage.  Ruth, Cobb, Gehrig, Walter Johnson and other Hall of Famers are also represented.

Baseball Autographs

Autographed cards take center stage here, highlighted by yet another group of PSA/DNA-graded 1951 Bowman cards (261 in total).  The auction also features a 1953 Bowman Color #59 Mickey Mantle, with the signature graded MINT 9 by PSA/DNA.  Other Mantle autographs include an Upper Deck Authenticated New York Yankees “Number 6” autographed replica jersey, one of very few known to exist.  Also featured is a 1951 Kansas City Blues replica jersey from the noted Barry Halper Collection, featuring Mantle’s signature in the back collar, fully authenticated by PSA/DNA.  A number of additional Mantle signatures are featured, on various photos, prints, a vintage autograph book, a vintage baseball, and more.

Autographed Ty Cobb photo

Possibly the most notable signature in the auction, however, is an original photo of Ty Cobb, autographed and inscribed to his good friend Helene Champlain.  The photo is matted and framed to a finished size of 13 ½” x 16 ½”, a large display with a full LOA from PSA/DNA.  Additional signed Cobb items include a 1920 agreement to appear in an exhibition game in Rhode Island and a 1922 response to an autograph request, on Tigers letterhead.

The auction also includes autographs from Honus Wagner, Roger Maris (a rare 2001 SP Legendary Cuts insert), Walter Johnson, Eddie Collins and Johnny Evers among others.

Rare Cards

Heading up a list of scarce cards offered by LOTG are particularly two difficult cabinet cards of Ty Cobb – his 1911 T5 Pinkerton, and 1911 M110 Sporting Life Cabinet (graded GOOD 2 by PSA).

The company is also breaking up two extremely difficult sets –1906 Ullman Postcards set (including the highest-graded example of the Christy Mathewson card) and the 1923 Maple Crispette set (including one of the highest-graded examples of Jim Bottomley’s rookie card). 

Other rarities include a 1922 W575-1 Henry Johnson Confectioners card of Babe Ruth (the highest-graded PSA example), a rare 1908-11 Bregstone Postcard of Rube Waddell, and a 1879 Buffalo Bisons cabinet photo with Pud Galvin and Jim O’Rourke, possibly created by the “Father of Political Cartooning” Thomas Nast.  The auction features rare card types like an 1888 N321 SF Hess California League Jack Hayes, an 1888 N403 Yum Yum Tobacco Billy Nash, an 1889 Number 7 Cigar Mike “King” Kelly, a 1910 E104-1 Nadja Harry Davis, and more. 

To register for the auction and review the selection online, visit LOTG’s website.

Love of the Game is in the process of assembling its Summer, 2018 catalog auction.  For more information, or to consign, contact Love of the Game at [email protected] or (973) 452-9147.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Reddit
  • Facebook Messenger

Related Stories:

Prices for Cards of Baseball’s First Hall of Famers Have Soared Lou Gehrig 1933 DelongGehrig, Cobb Cards Top Memory Lane’s I Own It Now Results Ty CobbNew Baseball History and Collecting Magazine Debuts with Cobb Insert 1951 Mantle Contact Proof Photo Tops Huggins & Scott Auction World Series photo 1924Baseball Photos from Christy Walsh Estate Coming to Auction Photo of the Day: Maris-Mantle 1961 LIFE Publicity Shot 1917 Collins-McCarthy Set Offered Plenty Of Stars 2 Types Of E210 York Caramel Cards Make For Confusing Set Ruth “All-American Game” Uniform Hits Auction Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb Anchor 1924 V122 Willard’s Sports Champions Set
Mile High Card Co Accepting Consignments
Rich Mueller

About Rich Mueller

Rich is the editor and founder of Sports Collectors Daily. A broadcaster and writer for more than 30 years and a collector for even longer than that, he's usually typing something somewhere. Type him back at [email protected]

Filed Under: Sports Memorabilia Business News Tagged With: babe ruth, Christy Mathewson, Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Ty Cobb

Our articles may contain affiliate links. When you click one and make a purchase, we receive a commission.  The revenue is what helps keep SC Daily afloat!

What\
  • Football
  • Basketball
  • Baseball
  • Hockey

High End Cards and Memorabilia

  • BBCE Authenticated Boxes, Packs
  • Graded Rookie Cards
  • Authenticated Photos
  • Graded Tickets & Stubs

Bargain Corner

  • Michael Jordan cards $5 and less
  • Kobe Bryant cards $5 and less
  • Mickey Mantle Cards Under $150
  • Graded T206 Cards Under $75
  • Pre-1980 Graded Baseball Cards $10 and Less
  • Pre-1985 Graded Football Cards $5 and Less
  • Pre-1980 Graded Basketball Cards $10 and less
  • Pre-1990 Graded Hockey Cards $5 and Less
  • Complete Sets Under $10 with Free Shipping
  • Baseball Hall of Famers for $5 or Less
  • Football Hall of Famers for $5 or Less
  • Hobby Boxes Under $30
  • Pre-1986 Rookie Cards Under $1

RSS Auction Report

  • 2021 Auction Schedule
  • Steve Novella Offers 125 MISC PSA STAR, HOF, ROOKIE Cards Ending March 3, 2021
  • Consign Today to an Upcoming Rockhurst Auctions Event


Categories

  • Around the Hobby
  • Business/Industry News
    • Sports Memorabilia Business News
    • Sports Memorabilia Industry News
  • David Cycleback's Identification and Authentication Advice
  • Editor's Blog
  • Hobby Shop Talk
  • National Sports Collectors Convention
  • Popular Stories
  • Rich Klein's Ramblings
  • Sports Card News
    • Modern Sports Card News
      • New Sports Card Release Calendar
    • Vintage Sports Card News
      • Old Baseball Card Sets
      • Old Basketball Card Sets
      • Old Football Card Sets
      • Old Hockey Card Sets
      • Vintage Pack Facts
  • Sports Memorabilia News

Sponsor Links

  • Sports Card Forum
  • Buying Vintage Sports Cards
  • Game Used Jerseys
  • 1952 Topps Baseball
  • Championship Rings For Sale
  • Vintage Basketball Cards
  • NBA Signed Items
  • Signed Sports Memorabilia
  • UFC Memorabilia
  • Autographed Baseballs
  • NASCAR Autographs
  • Vintage Graded Baseball Cards
  • Player Pictures
  • Vintage Football Cards
  • Sports Card Boxes
  • Sports Collectors Store

Pages

  • 10 Hottest Kareem Hunt Rookie Cards
  • 100 Hottest 2019-20 NBA Rookie Cards
  • 100 Hottest UFC Trading Cards
  • 100 Most Watched Graded Rookie Cards for Sale on eBay
  • 100 Most Watched Tom Brady Card Auctions on eBay
  • 20 Hottest Barry Sanders Football Cards
  • 2016 Cubs Replica Championship Rings Don’t Cost a Fortune
  • 2017 Topps Definitive Collection Box Breaks, Most Watched
  • 2019 Toronto Raptors NBA Championship Memorabilia Guide
  • 2019 US Women’s World Cup Apparel, Merchandise, Memorabilia Guide
  • 50 Hottest Baseball Hobby Boxes at Auction on eBay
  • 50 Most Watched Golf Trading Cards on eBay
  • 50 Most Watched Kevin Durant Auctions on eBay
  • 50 Most Watched Wrestling Trading Cards on eBay
  • 75 Most Watched Bowman Chrome Cards
  • 8 Types of Kobe Bryant Collectibles to Remember Him By
  • Aaron Judge Game Used Memorabilia Inventory Growing
  • About Us/Contact/Advertise
    • Advertise with SC Daily
    • Contact Us
    • Get Sports Collectors Daily via EMail
  • Affordable Vintage Sports Cards and Collectibles
  • Barnebys Sports Memorabilia Auctions
  • Baseball Card Auctions on eBay Ending Soon
  • Basketball Card Auctions on eBay Ending Soon
  • Best Derek Jeter Baseball Cards on eBay
  • Best Display Cabinets for Sports Memorabilia
  • Best Joey Votto Rookie Cards
  • Best Pascal Siakam Rookie Cards
  • Chiefs Super Bowl Champs Memorabilia Hits the Market
  • Current Most Watched Baseball Cards on eBay
  • Dale Murphy Rookie Card Remains Popular, Affordable
  • Eagles Super Bowl Champions Memorabilia Guide
  • Fanatics Under Wraps 2017 Next Level Edition Autographed Baseballs
  • Football Card Auctions on eBay Ending Soon
  • Frank Gore Rookie Cards Get No Respect
  • Gardner Minshew Rookie Cards Heat Up as Fun-Loving Rookie Shows His Ability
  • Great Gifts for Cubs Fans
  • Guide to 2018-19 Clemson Tigers National Championship Memorabilia
  • Guide to Houston Astros Championship Memorabilia
  • Guide to LSU National Championship Merchandise, Memorabilia
  • Guide to Nationals World Series Champs Memorabilia, Merchandise
  • Guide to St. Louis Blues Stanley Cup Champions Merchandise, Memorabilia
  • Guide to Vegas Golden Knights Stanley Cup Memorabilia
  • Hank Aaron Cards on eBay
  • Henrik Lundqvist Rookie Cards a Strong Long-Term Play
  • Hockey Card Auctions Ending Soon on eBay
  • Hottest 2019 Baseball Rookie Cards
  • Hottest 2019 NFL Rookie Cards on eBay
  • Hottest Chicago Bulls Memorabilia Auctions on eBay
  • Hottest Devin Booker Rookie Cards as Suns Star Piles Up Points
  • Hottest Kyle Lewis Rookie Cards on eBay
  • Hottest Lonzo Ball Rookie Cards on eBay
  • Hottest Panini National Treasures Cards on eBay
  • Hottest Panini World Cup Stickers on eBay
  • Hottest Pokémon Card Auctions on eBay
  • Hottest PSA 10 Cards for Sale on eBay
  • Hottest Topps Living Set Auctions on eBay
  • Hottest Topps NOW Cards on eBay
  • Hottest Xander Bogaerts Rookie Cards
  • LeBron James Lakers Jerseys Already Available
  • Links
  • Mickey Mantle Cards on eBay
  • Most Popular Bobbleheads on eBay
  • Most Popular Mark McGwire Rookie Card Auctions on eBay
  • Most Watched 1/1 Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Basketball Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Complete Baseball Card Sets at Auction on eBay
  • Most Watched Football Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Football Rookie Card Auctions
  • Most Watched Goudey Baseball Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Hockey Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Kobe Bryant Basketball Card Auctions on eBay
  • Most Watched Racing Cards on eBay
  • Most Watched Soccer Cards for Sale on eBay
  • Most Watched Sports Autographs on eBay
  • Most Watched Sports Jerseys on eBay
  • Most Watched Topps Project 2020 Auctions on eBay
  • Most Watched Unopened Sports Card Boxes, Packs on eBay
  • Most Watched Vintage Sports Memorabilia on eBay
  • Nick Bosa Rookie Cards Getting Collectors’ Attention
  • Patriots Super Bowl 51 Champions Merchandise
  • Ryne Sandberg Rookie Cards, Minor League Issues Still Collector Favorites
  • Selling Sports Cards on eBay for Cash
  • Sports Card Bargain Bin
  • Sports Memorabilia Auctions Ending Soon on eBay
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Test
  • The 2013 Bowman Chrome Draft Kris Bryant Auto Saga: A Timeline
  • Tony Gwynn Rookie Cards Recall “The Best Hitter Since Ted”
  • Top 100 Most Watched Baseball Rookie Cards on eBay
  • Top 100 Most Watched Basketball Rookie Cards for Sale on eBay
  • Top 100 Most Watched Hockey Rookie Card Auctions
  • Top Authenticated Vintage Unopened Sports Card Boxes, Packs on eBay
  • Top Selling Patriots Super Bowl Championship Items
  • Upper Deck Authenticated Autographs Remain Popular, Accessible
  • Vintage Sports Memorabilia on eBay Ending Soon
  • Wade Boggs Rookie Cards Still a Collector Favorite
  • Wayne Gretzky Cards
  • What’s Hot on eBay
  • What’s It Worth
  • Where Can I Sell My Baseball Cards?
  • Where to Buy the Anthony Fauci Topps Baseball Card
  • Write About Your Sports Collection
  • Write for Sports Collectors Daily

Copyright © 2021 SportsCollectorsDaily.com | Genesis Web Design by Wickam Group