Lot # 1004: 1939 R334 Play Ball Near-Complete Set (159/161)

Very attractive near-complete set of 1939 Play Balls, the first of three major baseball-card sets by Gum, Inc., consisting of 159 of the 161 total cards in the set. This landmark set includes all of the other major stars and Hall of Famers of the era. Missing only #26 DiMaggio and 92 Williams (both offered as separate lots in this current auction). The rarer high-number series cards (#116-162) in 1939 Play Ball have always made the assembly of a complete set particularly challenging for collectors. Low Numbers (#1-115): Condition is 48% Vg-Ex to Ex, 43% Gd to Vg, and 9% Pr to Fr. Keys: #1 Powell (Gd), 3 Ruffing (Vg-Ex), 6 Durocher (Vg-Ex), 7 Doerr (Gd+), 30 Dickey (Ex), 39 Ferrell (Vg), 48 Gomez (Vg+), 50 Gehringer (Pr-Fr due to partially erased pencil on front), 51 Ott (Gd), 53 Hubbell (Gd), 55 Vaughan (Fr), 56 Greenberg (Vg), 82 Klein (Vg-Ex), 89 L. Waner (Vg), 94 Manush (Vg), 103 Berg (Vg-Ex), 112 P. Waner (Vg-Ex+), and 113 Schacht (Vg-Ex+). High Numbers (#116-162): Condition is 39% Vg-Ex to Ex, 43% Gd to Vg, and 18% Pr to Fr. Keys: #143 Averill (Gd). While 1939 Play Balls are numbered #1 through 162, no #126 was issued, making the set complete at 161 cards. The 46 high-number cards and the numerous Hall of Famers naturally give this set an impressive break value. This mostly mid-grade near-set has many highlights and offers an outstanding value, representing an extremely desirable and relatively affordable alternative to a higher-grade set of this classic prewar gum issue. Total: 159 cards.