Top 4 Iconic Lou Gehrig Cards

Lou Gehrig's parents, Heinrich and Christina, faced chronic health issues while Lou was a young man. Consequently, Gehrig chose to forgo his football scholarship and education at Columbia University and signed with the Yankees to provide financial security for them. This initial motivation instilled in him a strong desire to make the most of his opportunity as a professional baseball player.

Not only did he make the most of his opportunity, but he also went on to become the greatest first baseman of all time. He earned the nickname “The Iron Horse” by playing in 2,130 consecutive games, a record that stood for 56 years. Gehrig displayed extraordinary pain tolerance during the streak. He played through a broken thumb, a broken toe, countless back spasms, and at least 17 different hand fractures.

His streak finally ended in 1939 because of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the disease that would later bear his name. He showed remarkable grace in the face of a terminal illness, making the famous “Luckiest Man” speech on July 4th, 1939. That same day, the Yankees made Gehrig the first player in Major League Baseball history to have his number (4) retired by a team.

Gehrig was a well-deserved hero. While many athletes don't merit the title due to poor off-the-field behavior, Gehrig's character both on and off the field has validated his heroic status. Therefore, it is understandable as to why his baseball cards are so highly sought after.

There are around 27 Lou Gehrig baseball cards from his playing days, but four stand out from the rest. They are the most iconic, valuable, and best Lou Gehrig cards that exist.

4. 1934 Goudey Lou Gehrig #61

Highest Sale: 204K (PSA 8.5 copy sold for 204K on December 3rd, 2022)

Population Count (how many of these cards have been graded by PSA, BGS, SGC, and CGC): 1,362

Card Information: The 34 Goudey Gehrig is famous for being part of the "Lou Gehrig Says" series and one of only two Gehrig cards in the set. The back of the #61 card includes a Gehrig bio and an advertisement for Gehrig's "Knot Hole League of America," ) a baseball membership club for children.)

Interesting Facts: The 1934 Goudey set is often called the "Lou Gehrig set" because Goudey centered its marketing around him. It was a notable decision by Goudey to use Gehrig instead of Babe Ruth. At this time, Ruth’s career was winding down while Gehrig won the triple crown in 1934, leading the American League with a .363 batting average, 49 home runs, and 166 RBI. High-grade examples of this card are exceedingly rare. PSA has graded only 77 examples as PSA 7 or higher.

3. 1933 Delong Lou Gehrig #7

Highest Sale: $264K (PSA 8.5 copy sold for 264K on December 9th, 2020)

Population: 391

Card Information: This rare Gehrig is known for its popular design which includes vibrant colors and a mini baseball stadium in the background. The complete 1933 Delong set contains only 24 cards, but 15 of the featured players became Hall of Famers. The Lou Gehrig card is the most desirable card in the 1933 Delong set. (There is no Babe Ruth card.)

Interesting Facts: Delong Gum Company created a one-year wonder. They only produced baseball cards in 1933. The founder of the Delong Gum Company, Harold DeLong, previously served as the treasurer for Goudey. Instead of player stats, the back of the cards contains a "playing tip" written by Boston sportswriter Austen Lake.

2. 1933 Goudey Lou Gehrig (#92 and #160)

Highest Sale: $672K (PSA 9 copy of #92 sold for 672K on May 21st, 2022), $576K (PSA 9 copy of #160 sold for 576K on January 29th, 2019)

Population Count: #92-2,827 #160-1,596

Card Information: The 1933 Goudey set features two distinct cards for Lou Gehrig (#92 and #160) which are identical except for the background color and their scarcity. Card #92 has a lighter sky-blue background, while card #160 has a darker robin's egg blue background. Card #160 is scarcer than card #92.

Interesting Facts: In 1933, Goudey became the first company to put out baseball card packs with a stick of bubble gum. Card #158 in the 1933 set features Moe Berg, a relatively average player whose claim to fame was serving as a U.S. spy for the Office of Strategic Services (OSS, the CIA's predecessor) during World War II. He took photos used in the Doolittle bombing raids on Tokyo. He also attended a lecture in Germany with orders to assassinate a Nazi scientist if he felt their atom bomb project was too far along. Gehrig was named to the first official MLB All-Star Game in 1933.

1. 1925 Exhibit Lou Gehrig Rookie #37

Highest Sale: (PSA 6 MK copy sold for 782.4K on February 1st, 2021)

Population Count: 90

Card Information: This is considered his true rookie card and was issued during Gehrig's first full season with the Yankees. (Gehrig had brief appearances in 1923 and 1924, but 1925 was the year his career took off.) The card was part of a larger set issued by the Exhibit Supply Company, which operated vending machines that dispensed cards. As a larger card distributed through vending machines, finding high-grade examples of this Gehrig is nearly impossible. Many surviving copies show significant wear or are marred by pinholes, and the PSA 6 MK is the highest graded copy by PSA.

Interesting Facts: The card features Gehrig's full name, "Henry L. Gehrig," in a box on the front. The photograph used for the card was taken during the Yankees' 1924 spring training. The back of the card is blank. Many of the cards were also used as postcards, so some copies can be found with handwritten notes and addresses on the back.