This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/20/2013
One of the most endearing of all 1950s baseball card issues, the 1956 Topps set holds a special place in the hearts of many collectors. The set marks the beginning of Topps' virtual monopoly of the baseball card industry, having successfully bought out the Bowman Gum Company at the beginning of the year. The return of the smiling phenom, Mickey Mantle, is certainly among the highlights of the issue, having been absent the prior two years. Rookie cards of Luis Aparicio and Walt Alston along with league presidents William Harridge and Warren Giles are also notable, as is the card format, which again employs both a portrait and an action picture, but this time the action shot consists of a full image as opposed to just a cut-out, thereby spawning such unforgettable images as Mickey Mantle leaping into the outfield bleachers to rob a home run, or Jackie Robinson and Willie Mays sliding in for a score, perhaps just after stealing home. Offered here is a complete set of the cherished pasteboards, including both checklists and the Mantle in PSA 8 NM/MT holders, in overall high-grade condition, with a total of 164 examples graded by PSA and 1 card graded by SGC. The breakdown of the graded cards is as follows: PSA 9 MINT (1 card): 282; PSA 8 NM/MT (53 cards): 5 Williams, 9, 12, 15 Banks, 21, 31 Aaron, 37, 41, 43, 55, 65, 79 Koufax, 80, 96, 121, 126, 134, 135 Mantle, 136, 145 Hodges, 146, 151, 152, 160, 161, 163, 178, 184, 185, 195, 196, 205, 206, 211, 220, 222, 266, 271, 274, 276, 279, 285, 287, 292 Aparicio, 301, 305, 311, 314, 319, 322, 330, CL 1/3, CL 2/4; PSA 7.5 NM+ (2 cards): 33 Clemente, 107 Mathews; PSA 7 NM (107 cards): 8 Alston, 14, 18, 32, 38, 39, 45, 47, 50, 53, 56, 57, 60, 63, 69, 72, 73, 74, 76, 77, 78, 82, 85, 86, 90, 91, 102, 108, 109 Slaughter, 113 Rizzuto, 114, 116, 118 Fox, 120 Ashburn, 124, 125, 128, 131, 137, 141, 148, 149, 157, 158, 159, 162, 169, 175, 187, 188, 190, 193, 200 Feller, 201, 202, 207, 213, 215, 216, 217, 218, 224, 225, 226, 229, 232, 233, 236, 238, 246, 247, 248, 252, 253, 257, 258, 259, 262, 263, 269, 270, 273, 275, 280, 284, 289, 293, 295, 299, 300, 302, 303, 307 Wilhelm, 308, 309, 313, 317, 318, 323, 324, 326, 327, 332, 334, 335, 336, 339; SGC 84 NM 7 (1 card): 256; PSA 6 EX/MT (1 card): 337. The ungraded portion of this amazing set grades approximately 10% NM/MT, 45% NM, 40% EX/MT, and 5% EX with the following keys: 1 Harridge EX, 2 Giles NM, 10 Spahn EX/MT, 20 Kaline EX/MT, 25 Kluszewski NM+, 30 Robinson EX/MT, 100 Orioles EX, 101 Campanella EX/MT, 110 Berra NM, 111 Red Sox "Name Centered" NM, 130 Mays EX/MT, 150 Snider EX/MT, 164 Killebrew NM, 166 Dodgers "Name Centered NM/MT," 180 Roberts NM/MT, 181 Martin EX/MT, 240 Ford NM/MT (OC), 251 Yankees EX/MT, 260 Reese NM+, 268 Mitchell NM+. Whether you're a die-hard 1950s collector or a dealer looking for quality inventory, including many ungraded specimens ready to be slabbed, the offered lot is certainly worthy of your attention!