Phil -
I'm not sure if this has already been addressed, but I was searching around and found an 1870 The World Newspaper Woodcut of Candy Cummings graded by BVG. This would certainly pre-date the 1873 Baltimore Team Composite you have listed on this post.
Link to the website where I saw the Cummings card:
http://www.rustywilly.com/largecards...mingsCandy.htm
Thanks again for all your contributions on this site helping all those (myself included) HOF "rookie" card collectors out there - - all of us chasing the
impossible dream.
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http://imageevent.com/derekgranger
HOF "Earliest" Collection (Ideal - Indiv): 244/342 (71.4%)
1914 T330-2 Piedmont Art Stamps......: 114/119 (95.8%)
1923 V100 Willard's Chocolate............: 177/180 (98.3%)