Willie Mays
High-grade 1952, 1968 Topps cards, sets highlight April auction at Mile High Card Co.
Johnny Bench, Nolan Ryan, Hank Aaron, Frank Robinson, Roberto Clemente, Bob Gibson, Willie Stargell, Willie McCovey and Pete Rose.
Even Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays, though late in their Hall of Fame careers, are also featured, making the 1968 Topps Baseball set one of the greatest of all time. The popular set, which features the rookie cards of Bench and Ryan, has always been a favorite among card collectors.
Now one of the finest 1968 sets in the hobby is coming to auction in Mile High Card Company’s April Auction, which opens April 3 and runs through April 20.
Featured both as a complete set as well as individual lots, the 1968 Topps set has an amazing 9.94 GPA and 10.90 set rating, with 572 of the 598 cards graded GEM MINT. The Mantle card #280 and the #247 Bench rookie card are both graded PSA 10, while the cards of fellow Hall of Famers Aaron, Mays, Clemente, Stargell, Gibson, McCovey, Rose, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Rod Carew, Joe Morgan, Harmon Killebrew, Al Kaline, Carl Yastrzemski, Roger Maris, Ernie Banks, Steve Carlton, Lou Brock and Jim Palmer are also among the PSA 10 examples. Ryan’s #177 rookie card is graded PSA 9.
“It’s an incredible set that has earned a PSA Set Registry Hall of Fame rating, but it’s just the start of a truly incredible event,” MHCC CEO and President Brian Drent said.
Also featured in the auction is a large selection of 1952 Topps high-numbered cards, including #311 Mickey Mantle (PSA 5.5), Willie Mays (PSA 8), Jackie Robinson (PSA 8), Andy Pafko (PSA 7) and two Ed Mathews cards (SGC 7 and PSA 6).
Other key cards in the April auction include: 1887 Allen & Ginter N28 Adrian C. Anson (SGC 7); 1909-11 T206 Old Mill Ty Cobb Portrait Red (PSA 6); 1911 M110 Sporting Life Cabinets Honus Wagner (PSA 2 GOOD); 1933 Goudey #53 Babe Ruth (GAI 8.5); 1933 Sport Kings Baseball #1 Ty Cobb (PSA 8); 1933 Sport Kings Gum #2 Babe Ruth (SGC 5.5)l 1948-49 Leaf Gum Co. #79 Jackie Robinson (SGC 4.5); 1949 Bowman #224 Satchell Paige (PSA 9); 1951 Bowman #253 Mickey Mantle (PSA 6); 1954 Red Heart Mickey Mantle (PSA 9); 1954 Topps #128 Henry Aaron (PSA 8); 1961 Topps #150 Willie Mays (PSA 9); 1961 Topps #300 Mickey Mantle (PSA 9); 1963 Topps #537 Rookie Stars Pete Rose (PSA 8); 1967 Topps #581 Mets Rookies Tom Seaver (PSA 9); 1978 Topps #36 Eddie Murray (PSA 10); 1978 Topps #707 Rookie Shortstops (Molitor/Trammell) (PSA 10); and 1950 Bowman #45 Otto Graham (PSA 9).
The 1968 Topps set isn’t the only elite set. Others include: 1952 Topps high-grade partial set with high numbers (333/407); 1955 Topps complete set PSA graded; 1960 Topps high-grade complete set PSA 8 or higher 8.10 GPA; 1964 Topps high-grade complete set made entirely from vending with 240 PSA-graded cards, including Hank Aaron PSA 9; 1967 Topps complete set with each card graded PSA 8;, 1955 Topps All-American complete set with 99/100 cards graded 8; and 1969-70 Topps Basketball PSA 8 complete set.
Unopened boxes and packs include: a 1974 Topps wax box BBCE; 1976 Topps Baseball box; 1977 Topps Baseball vending box case with 24/500 count boxes; 1980 Topps Baseball vending box case with 24/500 count boxes; 1989 Upper Deck low number series case with 20 boxesl 1987-88 Fleer Basketball wax box; 1959 Topps Football 1st Series vending box; and a 1957 Topps Basketball 5-cent wax pack (PSA 7).
Other notable items include: rare Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson multi-signed album page (PSA/DNA AUTHENTIC); Ruth/Lou Gehrig signed ONL Heydler Baseball (PSA/DNA 8); 1927-28 Pat Collins game-worn road jersey; 1959 Al Kaline Gold Glove Award; 1966 Al Kaline game-used and signed Detroit Tigers away jersey (MEARS A10); 1979 Chicago Blackhawks ticket stub Wayne Gretzky NHL Debut (PSA 3); and Augusta Masters green jacket.
