Lot # 2825: 1935 R41 "Dick Tracy Caramels" Near-Complete Set (128/144)

Near-complete set includes 128 (out of 144) of the extremely rare "Dick Tracy Caramels" cards, issued in 1935 by the Walter H. Johnson Company of Chicago, Illinois, featuring the bright and extremely colorful artwork of Chester Gould. Missing the following sixteen cards for completion: #34, 67, 69, 73, 77, 83, 88, 89, 91, 102, 104, 105, 106, 107, 119, and 120. Includes the following sixteen duplicates: #3, two 6, 9, 13, 33, 36, 38, 40, 54, 57, 136, 137, 139, 143, and 144. R41 Dick Tracy cards have always been recognized as one of the all-time great nonsport sets of the 1930s. The set follows the adventures of Dick Tracy as he battles various criminals and villains. Dick Tracy Caramel cards are very scarce. An extremely large hoard of cards discovered in the 1980s (numbered 121-144; all of which are in Ex-Mt to Mint condition and which many collectors have questions regarding authenticity or at least the date of printing, as these find cards may have been printed from the original plates years later than originally issued), sometimes gives collectors the incorrect impression that cards from this set are readily available. The twenty-four high-grade "find" cards are relatively available, but after that, all others are actually pretty rare. This near-set grades 7% Ex-Mt to Nr/Mt (all are "find" cards #121-144), 17% Vg-Ex to Ex (mostly "find" cards #121-144), 27% Gd to Vg (including a PSA VG 3 example of #114), and 49% Pr to Fr. Don't be fooled about this set's rarity by the relatively abundant high-number series cards! This is a rarely offered near set of one of the 1930s most classic, noteworthy, and underestimated nonsport-card sets. Total: 144 cards (near set of 128 plus 16 duplicates).