Newly Discovered 1887 N693 Kalamazoo Bats Pittsburg B.B.C. Team Card PSA VG-EX 4 - Highest PSA Graded & One of Only Four Known Examples!

• Sold For: $26,400
• Year: 1887
• Auction: 2017 August
• Lot #: 2
• Auction Category: Pre-1900 Baseball Cards (1830-1899)

Highest Graded 1887 N693 Kalamazoo Bats Pittsburg Team Card in the Hobby! Graded VG-EX 4 by PSA. Lest we forget that great finds still occur in the hobby, the offered 1887 N693 Kalamazoo Bats Pittsburgh B.B.C. Team Card is proof positive that the extraordinary still occurs! This 130 year-old artifact was uncovered by its original owner in a late nineteenth century scrapbook amid a selection of period clippings, trade cards, CDVs and other sundry keepsakes. Tucked among the antique pages was a loose baseball team picture of the Pittsburg Alleghenys depicting ten ball players and admiring fans in an early ballpark setting. Produced by Charles Gross & Co. of Philadelphia, the 1887 N693 Kalamazoo Bats series featured six ball clubs from both the American Association and National League. Each sepia premium for the brand was mounted on a slab of sturdy cardboard. Of the six squads distributed by the manufacturer, very few have survived the century and decades since production. However, some ball clubs are more prevalent than others. As of June 1, 2017, the combined population census for the issue from both PSA and SGC is as follows: Athletic Club: (Seven SGC Graded) Boston: (Six SGC Graded, One PSA Graded) Baltimore: (Six SGC Graded) Detroit: (Four SGC Graded) Philadelphia: (Three SGC graded) Pittsburg: (One PSA Graded, One SGC Graded 10 Poor 1) In consulting with authorities on nineteenth century baseball cards (who confirm the existence and placement of four total examples of the Alleghenys) and by following current data it is determined that the offered 1887 N693 Kalamazoo Bats Pittsburgh B.B.C. Team Card is the rarest of all premiums from the designation! The Alleghenys have survived the passage of time in remarkable condition and perfect clarity (of note, Hall of Famer Pud Galvin is pictured fourth from left). The horizontal depiction exhibits proper centering and only limited fraying along the upper edge. A microscopic upper edge crease to the left of the third bystander is detectable only upon close inspection. The confirming “Smoke Kalamazoo Bats” advertising text is strong and legible. While the blank reverse exhibits age-induced browning due to storing methods, the overall construction is not compromised in the least. A mesmerizing specimen worthy of any advanced pre-war collection!