Lot 199

Al Capone Annotated Mugshot Image, Over 15 Words in His Hand From His Prison Cell, PSA Slabbed! Unique!

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Al Capone Annotated Mugshot Image, Over 15 Words in His Hand From His Prison Cell, PSA Slabbed! Unique!

Estimate: $8,000 - $12,000

Current Bid: $3,000

(1 Bid)

by University Archives
July 28, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Live Auction
88 Danbury Road
Suite 2A
Wilton, CT, US 06897

Al Capone
Terminal Island, Los Angeles, CA, ca. 1935
Al Capone Annotated Mugshot Image, Over 15 Words in His Hand From His Prison Cell, PSA Slabbed! Unique!
Archive

An extraordinary surviving handwritten inscription by notorious Chicago gangster Al Capone penned on the original page from The Story of America in Pictures featuring Capone's mugshot alongside an aerial view of his Palm Island estate in Miami. The page, titled "The Gangster Era: Capone," contains one of the most recognizable images of Capone ever published, his official mugshot. Also included is a copy of The Story of America in Pictures, matching the volume from which the handwritten Capone page was removed and preserving the page's original publication context. The archive is further enhanced by copies of Bureau of Prisons records relating to Capone's incarceration, including inmate records, prison correspondence, transfer memoranda, visitation requests, and internal administrative communications. Expected wear from handling in prison, toning, encapsulated by PSA/DNA to an overall size of 9.5" x 13.25".

Originating from the personal collection of E. J. Lloyd, Warden of the Federal Correctional Institution at Terminal Island, who oversaw Capone during the final stage of his imprisonment. The archive was later acquired by noted rare book dealer and crime historian Patterson Smith, whose work focused extensively on organized crime, criminology, and historic criminal archives, adding another distinguished layer of provenance to this exceptional grouping.

Because authentic signed photographs of Al Capone are among the rarest and most expensive gangster collectibles, this handwritten mugshot page represents an outstanding and considerably more attainable alternative for collectors seeking a display piece directly connected to Capone's likeness. The market for such material remains exceptionally strong; in May 2025, a signed Al Capone photograph realized $62,501 at RR Auction

Across the lower margin, Capone carefully wrote:

"The Story of America in Pictures
Published by Doubleday, Doran & Company Inc
Garden City, New York"

Al Capone (1899-1947) remains the most infamous gangster in American history. As head of the Chicago Outfit during Prohibition, he amassed enormous wealth through bootlegging, gambling, and organized crime while becoming a national symbol of the violent underworld of the 1920s. Despite years of investigations into murder, racketeering, and illegal liquor operations, federal authorities ultimately secured his conviction in 1931 for income tax evasion.

Following imprisonment in Atlanta and later Alcatraz, Capone's health declined dramatically due to advanced neurosyphilis. In 1939 he was transferred to the Federal Correctional Institution at Terminal Island, California, where prison officials believed he could receive more appropriate care during the final phase of his incarceration.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 9.5" x 13.25."
  • Medium: Archive

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000