This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/22/2016
There must have been a lot of worried executives at the Topps Company when the 1954 season started. Although they had successfully rolled out two previous collections that were well received and had established a solid footing in the market, they'd have to do it this time without baseball's favorite son, Mickey Mantle, who signed an exclusive contract with rival Bowman. But Topps caught lightning in a bottle once again, beating out Bowman for exclusive rights to the debut pasteboard of 20 year old sensation "Hammerin' Hank" Aaron, which would prove over time to outpace even the great Mickey Mantle as the premier issue of the 1954 season and one of the most important cards ever produced. Aaron had yet to see a pitch while wearing a major league uniform, but his .362 batting average, 14 triples, 22 homers and 125 RBI en route to the Southern Atlantic League Most Valuable Player award clearly set Aaron apart as a player about to embark on a stellar career. The featured card was evaluated by PSA within the last few months and carries the new hologram on the flip, and we can assure you that it was freshly graded, not reholdered. Most collectors agree that independent grading has become considerably more stringent over the past few years, so for a high-profile card like a '54 Topps Aaron to land a grade of PSA 9 MINT, an assessment surpassed by just 2 others, requires and extremely elite specimen that flaunts many GEM MINT attributes without a single weakness. That's exactly what you have here as the first thing your eye notices is the incredibly bold and pristine field of orange that envelops a perfectly delivered portrait of Aaron. Even the supporting colors of blue, red and yellow, along with the intense brightness of the border, are absolutely spot on with no traces of inconsistency in the pigment. The centering is within a degree or two of perfect and each corner proudly upholds the rigid standards of a MINT card, with at least two endpoints lobbying for GEM MINT status. The reverse is equally as impressive, displaying deep color with barely any trace of chipping along the green edges. A simply spectacular, museum-quality piece that stands as a hallmark to any world-class collection!