1888 N162 Goodwin Champions Harry Beecher PSA-, SGC-, GAI-, and BVG-Graded Collection (18) - Very First Football Card!

While debate has raged regarding what constitutes the "first" baseball card, that controversy has never approached the gridiron realm of our industry. Harry Beecher was a quarterback and captain of the 1884-1887 Yale Football teams. Offered is an impressive collection of eighteen different examples of the first football card from this very popular and colorful set of fifty, issued by Old Judge and Gypsy Queen. All eighteen cards have been graded and encapsulated by PSA (9), SGC (7), GAI (1), and Beckett (1), highlighted by a VG+ 3.5 example graded by PSA. Grading Composite: VG+ 3.5 (1 card [PSA]). GOOD 2 (1 card [SGC]). FAIR 1.5 (6 cards [3 PSA, 1 SGC, 1 BVG, and 1 GAI]). FAIR 1.5 [MK] (1 card [PSA]). POOR 1 (5 cards [1 PSA and 4 SGC]). Authentic (4 cards [3 PSA and 1 SGC]). This is undoubtedly the most extensive collection of N162 Beecher's we've ever seen, and it is likely the largest grouping ever assembled. The collection represents about fifteen percent of the entire N162 Beecher graded population (excluding GAI), which presents a unique opportunity to acquire a substantial portion of the total known quantity of one of the most important cards in its respective set and one of the most famous football cards of the era.