1934 Goudey #73 Ed Wells
High number: this card belongs to the fourth and final 24-card press sheet (#73-96), printed as the 1934 season wound down — the reason the set's last two dozen cards are its hardest to find.
About Ed Wells
Edwin Lee Wells started his pro career in 1922 with Ludington of the Central League and reached Detroit the next June for a twelve-year career as a left-handed starter. His finest stretch came in 1926, when he led the American League with four shutouts — all in June — anchored by a 31-inning scoreless streak. Traded to the Yankees for 1928, Wells pitched four seasons alongside Ruth and Gehrig and claimed his only pennant in 1932. He didn't pitch in that Series, but he stood in uniform at Wrigley Field for Ruth's legendary called-shot homer and insisted he'd seen the real thing, recalling that Ruth wept in the clubhouse afterward. Wells closed his career with the St. Louis Browns in 1933-34 — the club pictured on his high-number 1934 Goudey card, issued on the scarce closing series (#73-96) and recognized today as his rookie card despite a decade already in the majors. He finished 68-69 with a 4.65 ERA in 291 games, then pitched in the minors through 1937.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 188 | 0 | 2 | 25 | 34 | 20 | 40 | 65 | 2 |
| SGC | 57 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 3 | 9 | 30 | 2 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-08-14. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1934 Goudey Ed Wells card?
It is card #73 of the 1934 Goudey (R320) Baseball set - the 96-card, 2-3/8 by 2-7/8 inch color-art set issued in 1934 with Big League Chewing Gum. It pictures Ed Wells with the St. Louis Browns.
Is the 1934 Goudey #73 a high number?
Yes. Cards #73-96 came from the fourth and final press sheet, issued late in the 1934 season, and are the toughest cards in the set - with #49-72 a step behind.
Is the 1934 Goudey Ed Wells #73 a rookie card?
By modern catalog convention, yes. Sheet 1 of the set reused returning 1933 subjects, but most of the remaining cards picture players getting their first major gum card - 63 of the 96 are rookie cards.
How many cards are in the 1934 Goudey set?
96 cards, printed on four 24-card press sheets. 84 fronts carry the blue 'Lou Gehrig says' strip and 12 carry the red 'Chuck Klein says' strip (#80-91). The high numbers #73-96 are the scarcest cards.
Sources: PSA CardFacts, Trading Card Database, Baseball-Reference, PSA & SGC population reports, and hobby press-sheet research (SABR). Card data compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-10-05.