Lot # 82: 1888 N403 Yum Yum Tobacco Roger Connor Portrait SGC Authentic

Extremely rare card from the Yum Yum Tobacco series of 1888 featuring New York Giants Hall of Famer Roger Connor in a portrait pose. Yum Yums are one of the 19th century's legendary rarities. In fact, only 113 examples have been graded by SGC and PSA combined! Only three N403 Anson cards have been evaluated by SGC. It is extremely rare to find even a common N403 Yum Yum, let alone a key Hall of Famer. Yum Yum Tobacco was a brand of the August Beck Company of Chicago. Since the earliest days of organized collecting, advanced collectors have appreciated the mystique of the rarest pre-1900 baseball-card issues, especially Yum Yum Tobacco cards. Whether it is because of the brand name, their unusual look, extreme rarity, or a combination of all of these factors, few card issues command the respect that Yum Yum Tobacco cards do among the most serious collectors. It is always a privilege to offer a Yum Yum, regardless of condition. This particular example is encapsulated as "Authentic" by SGC due to vintage tape repairs across the center of the card and in the lower left corner. The tape reinforces heavy creasing (especially severe in the lower left; it appears the corner separated and was reattached). The blank reverse displays moderate soiling as well as pencil marks underneath the band of tape across the center. Despite these condition flaws, this is a pleasing photographic-style example (Yum Yums were also issued with line-drawn woodcut designs) from this extremely rare and desirable 19th century set, featuring one of the 19th century's most legendary Hall of Famers, Roger Connor.