Outstanding collector-grade example of the key card in Leaf's 1949 baseball set and one of the most important cards of its era! Jackie Robinson appears here soon after his breakthrough rookie season, with stats from both 1947 and 1948 listed on his card back. The PSA GOOD 2 grade reflects surface and corner wear that suit this score, along with a handful of small marks near its edges. The color for his central image remains bright and its reverse is fully legible. Accessible mid-career cards of Jackie Robinson prove harder and harder to find, let alone those from the earliest years of his Dodger career.

We noted above that Jackie's card provided his stats for 1947-48 and sharp eyes will see the "Copyright 1949" text on its reverse. Recent research into the legal wrangling between Leaf and Bowman shows that Leaf Gum first distributed their baseball series in early 1949, just long enough for a lawsuit from Bowman Gum to force them to halt further production, creating what vintage collectors know is a scarce set indeed. While Leaf released other sets in 1948, these findings contradict the long-running impression that their baseball issue came out in 1948, which has predictable impact on potential rookie cards from its checklist. Whether or not you argue this card should be officially a "rookie," its significance to the hobby and overall desirability remain high, and perhaps higher than they've ever been.

Size: medium
Condition: yes