This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/2/2021
Boasting the phenomenal rookie card quartet of Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Nellie Fox, and Whitey Ford in addition to Ted Williams, Yogi Berra, Roy Campanella, Bob Feller, Warren Spahn, Pee Wee Reese, and Duke Snider, the 1951 Bowman baseball series is easily placed among the top collections ever produced. Originally designed to be a 252-card series, Bowman made the last-minute decision during the production's run to expand the set by 72 cards, including the Mantle and Mays debut cards within the more difficult high-number series, in retrospect taking the series from ordinary to legendary in the eyes of vintage collectors. Offered is a high-grade assemblage that is six cards short of completion (#1 Ford, 253 Mantle, 256, 280, 281, and 305 Mays). Even with three key rookie cards needed for completion, the collection ranks #10 on the PSA Set Registry as every card here is graded PSA 8 NM/MT save for two, #57 and 152, which are graded PSA 8.5 NM/MT+ and remains within striking distance of several sets ranked higher should you decide to compete it at the same level of exceptional quality. It's one of the most important baseball sets ever produced and the last collection manufactured by Bowman before the start of their four-year battle with Topps for control of the baseball card market.