This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/14/2008
Graded PSA NM/MT 8 with just two higher. Presented is a high-end example of one our hobby’s most memorable and contentious creations, the 1954 Bowman Ted Williams issue. The offered example boasts four above-grade corners the likes of which could easily be found on a MINT 9 example. Even more impressive are the MINT to GEM MINT edges and unblemished borders that surround Teddy’s fabled image like a titanium frame encompassing a modern art masterpiece. The centering is accurate left to right but noticeably favors the top edge. The front surface is as resplendent as the reverse, with only a few trace microscopic imperfections. Teddy’s image itself is as bold and as any we’ve ever seen, with accurate enough registration for a superior PSA grade. In sum, the subtle centering bias in favor of the top edge appears to be the only facet restraining this stunner from a PSA MINT 9 holder. Perhaps a mark of NM/MT+ 8.5 would be more appropriate, but no such grade exists at PSA. With his hat resting gently askew on his now cryogenically frozen head, the offered NM/MT+ 1954 Bowman Ted Williams features one of the most memorable images of “The Splendid Splinter” ever applied to pasteboard. No significant collection is complete without one.