Baby Face Nelson Appraisal

“Baby Face” Nelson Trading Card

This item is a collectible trading card featuring a stylized portrait of the notorious Depression-era gangster Lester Joseph Gillis, better known as “Baby Face” Nelson. The card is printed on a rectangular off-white or cream-colored cardstock with a thin white border. The central image is a high-contrast artistic rendering of Nelson, wearing a period-appropriate newsboy cap, a collared white shirt, and a dark tie. The illustration uses a muted palette of grays, blacks, and flesh tones with a reddish tint on the nose and cheeks to emphasize the subject's features. Below the portrait, the text "“BABY FACE” NELSON" is printed in a bold, black, sans-serif font. The card appears to be part of a historical or true crime-themed series, possibly from a 1990s-era set such as the Eclipse 'True Crime' series or a similar educational/historical reprint. It is currently housed within a plastic protective sleeve, which has preserved it in excellent condition. The corners appear sharp, the centering is balanced, and there is no visible surface wear, staining, or fading. The printing quality is sharp, suggesting a modern production rather than an original vintage piece from the 1930s. The back of the card, though not visible, would historically contain biographical details or a narrative of the subject's criminal history and death in 1934.