Sports Memorabilia, Trading Cards, and Americana May 16'26
Lot 663:
Description
BID PER WHAT YOU SEE IN THE PHOTO, NOT THE AI GENERATED TITLES AND DESCRIPTIONS! Two 1985 Baseball Rookie Cards Featuring Mark McGwire and Dwight Gooden
This lot consists of two significant baseball rookie cards from 1985. The first is a 1985 Topps Mark McGwire card, number 401. The front identifies him as a first baseman for the 1984 United States Baseball Team and includes the USA and Topps logos. McGwire is depicted in a red USA jersey holding a baseball bat. The reverse lists his statistics at USC and 1984 USA baseball statistics, with a 1985 Topps Chewing Gum copyright. The second card is a 1985 Donruss Dwight Gooden card, number 190. The front features Gooden in a New York Mets uniform with a blue cap, including the Donruss ’85 and Mets team logos. The reverse provides his 1984 major league performance and career highlights, noting his status as the runner-up for the 1984 NL Cy Young award. This card carries a 1984 Donruss copyright, which is standard for the 1985 set. Both items are ungraded.
Provenance / Authentication Note: This item originates from a single-owner collection assembled by a dedicated sports fan (with a strong focus on Notre Dame and New York Yankees memorabilia). The collector actively pursued autographs over many years through in-person events, including games, autograph shows, and visits to National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum during player events, as well as through direct mail requests to athletes and celebrities. The collection included supporting material such as handwritten correspondence sent to athletes (in some cases with payment enclosed), along with photographs of the collector with various signers. A portion of this same collection was featured in our March 21st auction, where multiple items were authenticated by James Spence Authentication (JSA). In regards to any items with signature(s): While this specific item(s) may not be individually submitted for third-party authentication, it originates from the same collection and shows consistency with previously authenticated pieces. As with many large autograph collections, there may be a small number of facsimile or clubhouse-style signatures present, but for the most part we have seen AUTHENTIC SIGNATURES within the collection. Based on the overall provenance and our review, we maintain a strong level of confidence in the authenticity of most items. Bidders are encouraged to review all photos carefully and bid according to their own level of comfort. No additional authentication documentation is included unless visible within the lot photos. Please reach out with any questions.
Condition report:
Mark McGwire Topps #401: The centering is shifted toward the top and left borders on the front. Corners are relatively sharp with very minor touches of wear visible at the bottom right corner. Edges appear clean without significant chipping or notches. Dwight Gooden Donruss #190: The centering is biased toward the right side. The corners show visible white chipping characteristic of the black-bordered 1985 Donruss set, most notably at the top left and bottom right corners. Minor chipping is also present along the black-bordered edges.
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