Memory Lane to Auction 1869 Card

A 72-year-old California woman has turned her recent find of a rare baseball card into quite a bit of national media attention, including a scheduled appearance on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” She’s also hoping the attention helps her hit the jackpot when she sells the card.

“This card is an unbelievable find of historic importance in baseball and in the collecting hobby. We are honored to be involved in auctioning such a great card," said Memory Lane's J.P. Cohen.

Bernice Gallego, who owns an antique shop in Fresno, found a card of the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings, the first professional team in the U.S. She initially put a price tag of $10 on the card and listed it on eBay. She pulled it from auction after realizing it could be worth much more when someone asked her to end the auction immediately.

The front of the card features a photographic print of the entire team. The reverse features a red-and-white advertisement for Peck & Snyder, a New York sports equipment manufacturer. Experts at PSA say the card is authentic and the team photo is relatively unscathed.

“It’s a little card I found in a bunch of stuff,” she said.

Memory Lane will conduct the sale of the card, with bidding having started Jan. 20 and ending Feb. 10. All bidding will be conducted at www.memorylaneinc.com, with expectations to reach more than six figures.