PSA’s top-ranked 1968 Topps Baseball set highlights spring auction at Mile High Card Co.

The 1968 season was a magical year for Major League Baseball, capped by the Detroit Tigers beating the St. Louis Cardinals 4 games to 3 in a thrilling, pitching-dominant World Series.

Tigers left-hander Mickey Lolich was the star of the show, going 3-0 with a 1.67 ERA to outduel Cardinals ace Bob Gibson, who was 2-1 with a 1.67 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 27 innings pitched. The Fall Classic mirrored the regular season, which featured two pitchers winning the league MVPs—Gibson in the National League, and Lolich teammate Denny McLain in the American League.

Topps also unveiled one of its greatest card series that year, with 1968 Topps Baseball featuring such rookie cards as Johnny Bench and Nolan Ryan, as well as such iconic Hall of Famers as Mickey Mantle, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Roberto Clemente.

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Mile High Card Company has the No. 1 1968 Topps set on the PSA Set Registry up for bid in its Spring Auction, which features more than 2,000 lots. The auction opens Friday, March 29 and runs through April 13.

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The 1968 Topps master set, which is being broken up into single lots, has a 10.94 set rating. It features such gems as: #280 Mickey Mantle (PSA 10); #247 Reds Rookie Stars Johnny Bench (PSA 10); #50 Willie Mays (PSA 10); #150 Roberto Clemente (PSA 10); #230 Pete Rose (PSA 10); #110 Hank Aaron (PSA 10); and #177 Mets Rookie Stars Nolan Ryan (PSA 9).

“Collectors looking to add to their PSA Set Registry will like this auction, not just for the 1968 singles but so many other high-grade, low-pop cards that rarely come up for auction,” MHCC President and CEO Brian Drent said.

Other vintage baseball card highlights include:

• 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle (SGC 4).

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• 1907-09 Dietsche Detroit Tigers Postcards of Ty Cobb, and 1907 Wolverine News Co. cards of Cobb.

• 1909-11 T206 Sweet Caporal #150/649 Christy Mathewson White Cap (SGC 8).

• 1933 Goudey and DeLong cards of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.

• 1948 Leaf #79 Jackie Robinson (PSA 6.5).

• 1949 Bowman #50 Jackie Robinson (SGC 7).

• 1951 Bowman #253 Mickey Mantle (PSA 6).

• 1952 Bowman #101 Mickey Mantle (PSA 7).

• 1969-73 Topps cards of Johnny Bench and Pete Rose, all graded PSA 10 or PSA 9.

Other top vintage sports cards includes: 1961 Fleer #8 Wilt Chamberlain rookie card (PSA 8.5); 1957 Topps #77 Bill Russell (PSA 6.5); 1964 Philadelphia #30 Jim Brown (PSA 10); 1951 Parkhurst #66 Gordie Howe (PSA 6); 1979 O-Pee-Chee #18 Wayne Gretzky (PSA 8.5); 1966 Topps USA Test #35 Bobby Orr (PSA 8.5).

Key memorabilia includes: a 1910s American League “All-Star” Team Type I Photo featuring Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker, Walter Johnson, etc.; a 1915-16 Type I Photo of Ty Cobb; a 1927 signed Babe Ruth photo; and a 1968 game-used Willie McCovey San Francisco Giants home jersey. 

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