Dean Hanley was a Major League Baseball player who played primarily as a third baseman and outfielder from 1937 to 1951. While he only had a career batting average of .252 over parts of 11 seasons, Hanley found success as a versatile role player and pinch hitter. He played for the Boston Bees/Braves, Chicago Cubs, and Pittsburgh Pirates over his career. Hanley’s career spanned an era when baseball card collecting really began to take off in popularity. As a result, he has several baseball cards that are popular among collectors today.
One of the most notable Dean Hanley baseball cards is his 1937 Goudey card. The Goudey Gum Company began producing modern style baseball cards in 1933 and their sets from the 1930s are among the most iconic and valuable in the hobby. Hanley’s rookie card came from the 1937 Goudey set, which is considered one of the finest and most complete sets from the early modern era of baseball cards. The photo on the card shows Hanley in a Boston Bees uniform from his debut 1937 season. In gem mint condition, graded PSA 10, Hanley’s 1937 Goudey rookie card can sell for over $10,000 due to its significance and the high demand for 1930s Goudey cards in general. Even well-centered, sharp examples in lower grades still command prices in the hundreds of dollars.
Another prized Hanley baseball card comes from the very rare 1939 Play Ball set. Produced by the Play Ball Gum Company, the 1939 Play Ball set is one of the most sought after vintage issues. Only about 50 complete sets are known to exist today in collectors’ hands. Hanley’s card in this set again shows him as a member of the Boston Bees. What makes it especially notable is the photo, which depicts him in a batting stance holding his bat at an unusual angle. The rarity of the 1939 Play Ball set alone makes Hanley’s card quite valuable, with PSA 10 examples potentially selling for over $5,000. Even poorly centered copies still sell for well over $1,000 due to the set’s legendary rarity.
In addition to his early career Goudey and Play Ball cards, Hanley has several notable post-war issues that remain popular as well. In 1949, Bowman Gum began their first modern set that would help popularize the modern glossy photo on a cardboard stock design that remains the standard today. Hanley’s 1949 Bowman card shows him as a member of the Chicago Cubs. High grade 1949 Bowman cards in general are quite valuable, with a PSA 10 Hanley potentially selling for over $2,000. He also has a 1950 Bowman card that remains quite collectible for Cubs and Hanley collectors, often selling for $150-$300 in top condition.
Hanley finished his playing career with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1951. That season, he appeared in the final Topps complete set before they lost their license. His 1951 Topps card is another popular issue for collectors of Dean Hanley and Pirates cards. Top graded examples can sell for $500 or more. Topps would regain the baseball card license in 1956 and kick off the modern era of the sport’s most iconic card manufacturer. As such, Hanley’s 1951 Topps issue serves as a bookend to his career in the pre-modern era.
While Dean Hanley was not a star player statistically, he developed a strong cult following among vintage baseball card collectors thanks to his appearances in some of the most famous and collectible early 20th century sets. His rookie card in the iconic 1937 Goudey set leads the way in terms of value and demand. But lesser known issues like his 1939 Play Ball and 1950 Bowman are very collectible as well for specialists. Overall, Dean Hanley’s baseball cards spanning the 1930s to 1950s serve as a reminder of the early growth of the hobby and how even role players from history can have memorable collecting legacies decades later.
