1933 DeLong Goudey Lou Gehrig #7
The Crown Jewel of a Small but Mighty Set
In the golden age of gum card baseball, three sets dominated the early 1930s landscape: the sprawling Goudey series of 1933 and 1934, and the smaller but arguably more elegant 1933 DeLong Gum set. At just 24 cards, the DeLong set is a fraction of the size of its Goudey counterpart, yet it packs an outsized punch. Over half the players in the checklist went on to become Hall of Fame members. And at the very top of this concentrated collection of greatness sits card number 7: Lou Gehrig.
The 1933 DeLong Lou Gehrig is not just the key card in the set. It accounts for a majority of the entire set's total value. With over $1 million in tracked PSA auction sales and prices that continue to climb, this card represents the pinnacle of pre-war baseball card collecting.
The DeLong Gum Company
DeLong Gum Company operated out of Boston, Massachusetts, and entered the baseball card market in 1933, the same year Goudey released its landmark 240-card set. DeLong's approach was different. Rather than flooding the market with hundreds of cards, DeLong produced a tight, curated set of just 24 players.
The cards measure approximately 2 inches by 3 inches, slightly different dimensions from the Goudey cards of the same era. Each card features a color illustration of the player on the front, with the player's name and team identification. The backs include the card number, a brief biographical text, and an advertisement for DeLong Gum.
DeLong's baseball card venture was short-lived. The company produced only this single set before exiting the sports card market. This one-and-done production run contributes significantly to the cards' scarcity today.
Lou Gehrig: The Iron Horse
Henry Louis Gehrig needs little introduction to baseball fans. Born June 19, 1903, in New York City, Gehrig played his entire 17-year Major League career with the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1939. His consecutive games streak of 2,130 games stood as a record for 56 years until Cal Ripken Jr. surpassed it in 1995.
By 1933, the year of the DeLong set, Gehrig was at the peak of his powers. He had already won the Triple Crown in 1934 (the season following this card's release), been named American League Most Valuable Player, and established himself as one of the most feared hitters in baseball history.
Gehrig's lifetime statistics are staggering: a .340 batting average, 493 home runs, 1,995 RBIs, and an OPS of 1.080. He was unanimously elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in a special election in 1939, the same year he delivered his famous "Luckiest Man" speech at Yankee Stadium after being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the disease that would take his life in 1941 and forever bear his name.
The Card Itself
The DeLong Gehrig #7 features a colorful illustration of Gehrig in his Yankees uniform, captured in a batting pose. The artwork has a distinctive artistic quality that sets it apart from the more photographic-based illustrations common in other sets of the era.
The card's composition places Gehrig prominently in the foreground with a stadium background. The color palette is warm and vivid, with attention to detail in the uniform rendering, including the interlocking "NY" logo.
The reverse features standard DeLong card back elements: the card number, biographical information about Gehrig, and the DeLong Gum Company advertisement. The backs are printed in a single color on lighter card stock.
Rarity Analysis
The 1933 DeLong set was produced in significantly smaller quantities than the competing Goudey sets. Several factors contribute to the scarcity:
Limited Distribution: DeLong Gum had a smaller distribution network than Goudey, meaning fewer cards reached retail outlets. The company's primary market was the northeastern United States.
Single-Year Production: Unlike Goudey, which produced cards across multiple years, DeLong's one-year run means there was no sustained production to build up a large surviving population.
Depression-Era Economics: Produced during the Great Depression, many cards were discarded, used as spoke cards in bicycle wheels, or otherwise destroyed. The survival rate for cards from this era is generally low.
Star Power Premium: As the most valuable card in the set, the Gehrig #7 was more likely to be kept by original owners, but also more likely to be handled, displayed, and consequently damaged.
PSA population reports show relatively few examples graded across all conditions, with high-grade specimens being exceptionally rare.
Value Guide
| PSA Grade | Description | Estimated Value |
|---|---|---|
| Authentic | Trimmed or altered, but genuine | $2,000 - $4,000 |
| PSA 1 (Poor) | Heavy wear, creasing, paper loss | $5,000 - $8,000 |
| PSA 2 (Good) | Significant wear but intact | $8,000 - $15,000 |
| PSA 2.5 (Good+) | Moderate wear, some appeal | $12,000 - $20,000 |
| PSA 3 (Very Good) | Even wear, no major defects | $18,000 - $30,000 |
| PSA 4 (VG-EX) | Light to moderate wear | $30,000 - $50,000 |
| PSA 5 (Excellent) | Minor wear, good eye appeal | $50,000 - $80,000 |
| PSA 6 (EX-MT) | Very light wear, near perfect | $80,000 - $150,000 |
| PSA 7 (Near Mint) | Minimal wear, sharp corners | $150,000 - $250,000 |
| PSA 8 (NM-MT) | Near flawless | $300,000 - $500,000+ |
Condition Grade: A+ across all grades
The total tracked auction sales across all PSA grades exceed $1 million, confirming the card's status as one of the most actively traded pre-war baseball cards.
Comparison with Other Gehrig Cards
The DeLong #7 occupies a specific niche in the Gehrig card market:
1933 Goudey #92 and #160: These are the most well-known Gehrig cards from the same year. The Goudey cards are more common than the DeLong and typically sell for less in comparable grades, though they remain highly valuable.
1934 Goudey #37 and #61: Gehrig appeared on two cards in the 1934 Goudey set. The #37 features Gehrig alone and is considered scarcer, with low-grade examples starting around $750-$850.
Pre-War Exhibits and Strip Cards: Earlier Gehrig cards from exhibit machines and strip card sets offer different collecting experiences at various price points.
The DeLong Gehrig's value proposition is its combination of scarcity, artistic quality, and historical significance. It is rarer than the Goudey Gehrigs and comes from a more exclusive set.
Building the Complete DeLong Set
The 24-card DeLong set is achievable for dedicated collectors, though building a high-grade set represents a significant investment. Beyond Gehrig, notable cards include:
Jimmy Foxx
Al Simmons
Chuck Klein
Pie Traynor
Dizzy Dean
Kiki Cuyler
The set's small size is part of its appeal. Unlike the 240-card 1933 Goudey set, which requires significant time, patience, and budget to complete, the DeLong set can be assembled with focused effort.
Many collectors pursue the set in PSA 2-4 grade range, where the cards are affordable enough to collect as a set while still presenting well visually. A complete set in PSA 3-4 range might cost $50,000-$75,000, with the Gehrig accounting for roughly half that total.
Collecting Tips
Buy the card, not the holder. While PSA grading provides important authentication and condition verification, the grade on the label does not tell the whole story. Eye appeal matters enormously in the pre-war market. A PSA 3 with bright colors and centered imagery may be more desirable than a PSA 4 with off-center printing and dull tones.
Verify authenticity carefully. Pre-war card counterfeiting has become increasingly sophisticated. Buy from established dealers with return policies, or purchase only PSA/SGC graded examples.
Consider raw examples from reputable dealers. Ungraded cards from known dealers can offer value opportunities, as the cost of grading service and wait times are avoided.
Track auction results over time. The pre-war market can be cyclical, and patience may be rewarded with a below-market purchase.
Market Outlook
The pre-war baseball card market has shown exceptional strength over the past five years, driven by crossover interest from vintage card collectors, investment buyers, and fans of baseball history. The Gehrig name carries weight beyond the hobby, as his story resonates with sports fans, history enthusiasts, and the broader public.
Population scarcity is a structural advantage for DeLong cards. Unlike modern cards where population can increase through new submissions, the total surviving population of 1933 DeLong cards is fixed and slowly declining through damage and loss. Each high-grade example that enters an institutional collection or long-term holding effectively reduces available supply.
The 1933 DeLong Lou Gehrig #7 is a blue-chip collectible in every sense. Its combination of historical significance, artistic quality, extreme scarcity, and connection to one of baseball's most beloved figures creates enduring demand that has consistently outpaced supply.
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