This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/23/2018
It would have been an eye-opening experience to sit in on a meeting of the Topps brass just prior to their inaugural set going into production. They were making all the right moves; offering a "super-sized" product with uniquely formatted biographical data and current statistics on the reverse that caught longtime kingpin Bowman flat-footed. But when it came to who would be posted as card #1, a critical decision that could ultimately make or break the company before the printing press even started, Topps didn't pick an established name like Jackie Robinson or Mickey Mantle, they didn't pick reigning MVP award winners Yogi Berra or Roy Campanella. They went with Andy Pafko, a good but unremarkable player that was traded out of Brooklyn after the season was over. And now, Pafko lives in baseball card immortality as arguably the most coveted "common" ever produced. The featured item, a 1952 Topps #1 Andy Pafko card at the elevated grade of PSA 7.5, compares favorably to any other at its grading level. Most people tend to believe that when PSA distributes a half-grade like 7.5, it's really more like 7.9, displaying all of the traits of the higher grade with one slight detail that keeps them from pulling the trigger. With a card of this magnitude, that half-grade makes a mammoth difference in value. Does this card deserve the bump to PSA 8? We think so. The central image is bold and well-focused, the corners qualify for the NM/MT level in our opinion and the red-backed reverse is bright and clean with that deeply printed, historic "1" proudly announcing its presence. Finally, a strong layer of reflective gloss protects the likeness of the Dodgers' slugger, obviously avoiding the fate of excessive handling that has been the downfall of so many others. If you're going to compete with the finest collectors, your '52 Topps set has to start off with one of the finest specimens.