Lot # 969: 1953 Canadian Exhibits #22 Ralph Kiner (HOF - Green Tint) - SGC NM+ 7.5

Category: 1949-Present

Starting Bid: $50.00

Bids: 26 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "Summer, 2022 Premier Auction",
which ran from 8/2/2022 12:00 AM to
8/20/2022 9:00 PM



Many collectors are familiar, of course, with the thousands of arcade cards produced by Chicago's Exhibit Supply Company (ESCO) from the early Twenties through the mid Sixties but their Canadian issues are a surprise to many.  A really nice surprise as it turns out.  In 1953 ESCO came out with a two 32 card series that featured a mix of Major League players in one, followed by a hybrid that that primarily showcased players from the Brooklyn Dodgers top farm team, the Montreal Royals, with a few MLB'ers tacked on at the end. Each of the Canadian versions of the 32 first series cards can be found with two different colored tints (green or reddish-purple), with the card number displayed in a small diamond near the lower right corner, above a Made in U.S.A. manufacturing notation; some also state "An Exhibit Card".  These cards are slightly smaller than the ESCO US issues, blank backed with a rougher cardboard than is seen in the states and are definitely an order of magnitude tougher.

Ralph Kiner was one of the most feared sluggers in the National League for the Pirates after World War 2, earning a plaque in Cooperstown for his prowess with the long ball. This SGC 7.5 green tint example from the 1953 Canadian Exhibits of the future long time New York Mets announcer has four solid corners and a sharp image.  The white dot in the lower right quadrant is a recurring print or composition artifact.

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