When it comes to pre-war collectibles, the 1941 Play Ball baseball card set (produced by Gum, Inc.) stands out as one of the most iconic sets of the 20th century. Not only is the set famous for the portraits of the players that it featured, but it also continues to draw significant hobby interest from a higher-graded perspective.
With that said, I wanted to take this opportunity to take a closer look at the recent sale of four PSA 10s from the 1941 Play Ball set. The cards I’ll be featuring include Joe DiMaggio (New York Yankees), Elden Auker (St. Louis Browns), Cecil Travis (Washington Senators), and lastly, Walt Judnich (St. Louis Browns).
Joe DiMaggio – New York Yankees (Card No. 71)
From a value perspective, the raw version of this card generally sells in a range of $1,600-$2,200, whereas its graded counterparts offer much more attractive value. From a graded perspective, there is just 1 PSA 10 followed by 5 PSA 9s, and 31 PSA 8s. According to Card Ladder, the highest public sale of a PSA 10 occurred on February 21, 2020, and was sold for $750,000
Elden Auker – St. Louis Browns (Card No. 45)
From a value perspective, the raw version of this card generally sells in a range of $8-$20, whereas its graded counterparts offer much more attractive value. From a graded perspective, there is just 1 PSA 10 followed by 4 PSA 9s and 21 PSA 8s. According to Card Ladder, the highest public sale of a PSA 10 occurred on May 12, 2023, and was sold for $15,000
Cecil Travis – Washington Senators (Card No. 48)
From a value perspective, the raw version of this card generally sells in a range of $10-$20, whereas its graded counterparts offer much more attractive value. From a graded perspective, there is just 1 PSA 10 followed by 3 PSA 9s and 21 PSA 8s. According to Card Ladder, the highest public sale of a PSA 10 occurred on May 12, 2023, and was sold for $15,000
Walt Judnich – St. Louis Browns (Card No. 67)
From a value perspective, the raw version of this card generally sells in a range of $10-$30, whereas its graded counterparts offer much more attractive value. From a graded perspective, there is just 1 PSA 10 followed by just 1 PSA 9, and 13 PSA 8s. According to Card Ladder, the highest public sale of a PSA 10 occurred on May 12, 2023, and was sold for $12,600
When it comes to the 1941 Play Ball baseball set, most cards in their raw form can still be found at relatively affordable prices. However, their higher-graded, low-population counterparts continue to command substantial premiums because so few have survived in exceptional condition (ranging from PSA 8 to PSA 10). With that said, PSA 10s still represent the pinnacle of pre-war preservation, and therefore continue to drive prices far higher than they’ve ever been.
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MATT SCHILLING
Passionate sports card collector and writer based in Queens, NY. Lifelong fan of the New York Mets, Jets, and Rangers. Covering sports cards and collectibles with deep industry knowledge and enthusiasm, while bringing a fresh perspective to the ever-evolving hobby world on http://SI.com/collectibles.
