This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/22/2018
Graded EX 5 by SGC. The featured collectible is 1 of just 3 copies on record with SGC that have been graded EX 5 with none having been graded at a higher level, while the highest example on record at PSA is a VG/EX 4. Sporting Life was a Philadelphia-based weekly publication, and THE sports paper in the early part of the 20th century. In 1911, they issued a six-card set of cabinets cards which have become extremely desirable in the serious card collecting circles due to the rarity and subjects involved. Similar in size (5 5/8" x 7 1/2") to the more colorful T3 Turkey Red cabinets, these cards are considerably more rare than the Turkey Reds. The M110 Sporting Life set features tremendous pastel pictures of the best players of the time, with the picture a full-length action pose surrounded by a gray frame with gold player nameplate at the bottom. The Christy Mathewson card features an awe-inspiring pitching pose, the front foot lifted off the ground ready to plant, ball in hand ready to deliver another "fadeaway." Notice how deep the ball is in Matty's hand. A recently graded example, the offered copy appears far in advance of the opined grade with each of the four corners coming to ninety degree angles with no discernible wear apparent on the top two corners while the bottom two corners show ever so slight amounts of clean wear. The obverse is a terrifically focused image of the Hall Of Fame hurler with no apparent string or pitfalls to mention while the reverse offers an equally stain-free appearance with deep bold blue ink set upon a clean white stock. If you're a purveyor of the finest, this one is for you!