Lot # 2505: 1948 Leaf Football Near-Complete Set (92/98) Including 11 PSA- and SGC-Graded Cards

Presented is a very attractive near-complete set of the classic 1948 Leaf football gum-card issue, highlighted by 10 Hall of Famers. The first 49 cards (#1-49) represent the complete first series, and the scarcer second series of 49 cards are the high-number cards (#50 thru 98). These are the first color football cards of the post-World War II era. Missing only the following six cards for completion: #22 Van Buren, 34 Baugh, 36 Dudley, 49 Tripucka, 52 Nomellini, and 54 Bednarik (all offered as separate lots in the current auction). Condition is 17% Nr/Mt or slightly better, 64% Ex to Ex-Mt, and 19% Vg to Vg-Ex (including one lesser and a few that measure a bit small). We have selected 11 cards for grading and encapsulation by PSA (9) and SGC (2). Keys: #1 Luckman RC (VG 3), 3 Turner RC (EX 5), 4 Walker RC (EX 5), 6 Layne (SGC EX 5), 13 Lujack RC (Ex+), 15 Justice RC (20/80 L/R, otherwise Nr/Mt+), 16 Pihos RC/yellow jersey (25/75 L/R, otherwise Nr/Mt-Mt), 19 McAfee RC (Ex-Mt), 26 Waterfield RC (Ex due to centering), 28 Wistert (SGC Authentic), 29 Trippi RC (EX-MT 6), 37 Connor RC (Ex-Mt), 53 Conerly RC (VG-EX 4), 73 Jensen RC (85/15 T/B, otherwise Ex-Mt), 91 Hart RC (Ex), and 98 DiMarco RC (Vg). Additional PSA-Graded Cards (4): #17 (NM 7), 50 (EX 5), 67 (EX-MT 6), 72/bright yellow jersey (EX-MT 6). Just as the cards in the 1948-1949 Leaf baseball series are much rarer than Bowman and Topps cards from the late 1940s and early 1950s, Leaf football cards are also rarer than most other postwar football issues. They are also very distinctive, with an unusual and very colorful design that has always made these a favorite with collectors. This is an extremely attractive mid- to high-grade near-complete set of 1948 Leaf Football, one of card collecting's most popular classics. Total: 92 cards.