Lot # 606: 1916 M101-4 Green Joyce #164 George Sisler Rookie SGC VG/EX+ 4.5 - 1 of 1 - Highest Graded!

Graded VG/EX+ 4.5 by SGC. This is the ONLY example graded at this level by SGC with none higher! Presented is an extremely rare rookie card of legendary Hall of Famer George Sisler from the M101-4 series featuring an extremely scarce Green Joyce advertising reverse. The M101-4 (and the closely related M101-5) set is commonly referred to as Sporting News (in honor of its most prominent sponsor), but cards were actually issued with a variety of advertising backs as well as with blank backs. To date, only 66 examples featuring a Green Joyce back (of all players) have been graded by SGC. While exact population numbers for ungraded examples cannot be known, in their extensive research into the M101-4/5 sets and their advertising backs (http://www.oldcardboard.com/m/m101-4/m101pop.asp), hobby scholars Tim Newcomb and Todd Schultz estimate that Green Joyce cards are among the most difficult to find (along with Everybody's, Holmes to Homes, and Mall Theatre) and account for less than 1 percent of the entire M101-4/5 production run of all back varieties (Green Joyce has been confirmed to appear only on M101-4 cards). While this card may be appreciated by collectors for its rarity over its technical grade, it remains an extremely attractive example, with a crisp image, outstanding contrast, and honest corner wear. The reverse advertisement for Green Joyce is bold and crisp. This is a striking rookie card of George Sisler featuring an ultra-rare back advertisement from one of the most important baseball-card issues of the era. A worthy addition to even the most advanced George Sisler, Hall of Fame, or type-card collection!