This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on:
7/30/2010
You will get no arguments from advanced enthusiasts regarding the impact of the Topps Bubble Gum Company on the post-War card market. With the country emotionally removed from both World War II and the Koreon War, baseball once again renewed its popular standing as our National Pastime, with thousands of avid young fans storming their local candy stores in an effort to seize their baseball heroes depicted on bubble gum cards. In 1956, the on-going battle for between Topps and Bowman for “baseball card supremacy” finally ended with Topps buying out its chief competitor. Bar none, Topps had successfully staked claim as the card hobby’s “king of the hill”, and the iconic company responded by issuing what is still considered by many patrons as one of their most aesthetically brilliant sets. Two separate visually captivating colorful lithographic images were placed on the card’s obverse side, one reflecting a classic portrait player pose, with the smaller sized image reflecting a highly desirable action illustration. Furthermore, due to the absence of the Bowman Gum Company, no player contractual issues now surfaced regarding the player’s appearance on either the Topps or Bowman cards (as hobbyists realize, early to mid-1950’s Topps and Bowman sets sometimes excluded major stars such as Mantle, Williams, etc.), with ALL of the game’s legendary stars now appearing a one set. All of the above substantiate why collectors actively pursue completing a high-grade basic 342 subject 1956 Topps set, and this incredible offering just may suffice this ultimate dream. Presented here is an absolutely breathtaking 1956 Topps basic set, 100% complete, with ALL of the subjects graded a PSA “NM-MT 8”! That is correct, EVERY card carries the hallowed PSA 8 grade without a single qualifier, this set is registered with PSA, it would currently be listed as the 17th finest “basic set” out of the current 159 total registered sets!
No 1950’s Topps issue could possibly boast the significant number of prominent Hall of Famers included in this set. Leading off this 342 card batting order is the legendary Hall of Fame American League President Will Harridge (National League president Warren Giles is card #2), with the remaining set loaded with future Hall of Famers. The myriad of baseball immortals is virtually a Cooperstown “Who’s Who” list with an astounding 34 different HOF inductees including Mantle, Mays, Aaron, Clemente, Koufax, Banks, Snider, Campanella, Feller, Spahn, etc., just to name a few. Collectors are especially fond of some of the awesome action poses including the Mays, Robinson and Aaron “sliding into home”, Mantle and Clemente “leaping near the wall”, Ted Williams “batting” and Koufax “pitching” brightly colored images. Obviously, the set’s previous owner meticulously “cherry picked” these subjects, relentless in their pursuit of completing the perfect 1956 Topps PSA “NM-MT 8” basic 342 card set, unquestionably worthy of the highest hobby accolades. If this doesn’t “wet your appetite”, please consider the following statistical information relating to PSA’s current “pop” report, compiled at the time this was written:
• How impressive is the cumulative PSA 8 rating? Consider that PSA has currently encapsulated virtually 170,000 cards from the 1956 Topps set with the average grade approximately “6.58”. Therefore, this offering roughly surpasses the average PSA grade by a staggering 1.42 grade!
• Excluding qualifiers, a mere 2% of the total 170,000 encapsulated cards have achieved a higher grade than the PSA “NM-MT 8” rating!
• To reiterate, an amazing 34 Hall of Famers are included in the set including in subject# order: (1) Harridge, (2) Giles, (5) Ted Williams, (8) Alston, (10) Spahn, (15) Banks, (20) Kaline, (30) Jackie Robinson, (31) Aaron, (33) Clemente, (79) Koufax, (101) Campanella, (107) Matthews, (109) Slaughter, (110) Berra, (113) Rizzuto, (118) Fox, (120) Ashburn, (130) Mays, (135) Mickey Mantle, (150) Snider, (154) Killebrew, (165) Schoendienst, (180) Roberts, (187) Wynn, (194) Irvin, (195) Kell, (200) Feller, (240) Ford, (250) Doby, (255) Lemon, (260) Pee Wee Reese, (292) Aparicio, (307) Wilhelm
• The 342 card basic set includes the two pristine like checklist cards, somewhat tougher to obtain in high grade condition compared to other specimens. Not much more to say! Very impressive indeed considering the period of time it must have taken to assemble 342 near perfect cards, ALL with PSA 8 technical assessments without a single qualifier! A majority of the offered cards provide nothing but the utmost superior sparkling colored images, pin point corners, sharp edging, relatively fine centering, bold typography, and a mix of “white”/”gray” backs, with virtually every subject’s aesthetics associated with a “pack-fresh” card. While it is unfathomable to believe that 16 other sets could possibly surpass this miraculous offering, keep in mind that only a fractional weighted “0.37” grade separates this set from the fifth highest set on the PSA Set Registry, validating the fine line distinguishing the premier 1956 existing sets. We can practically assure you that this offering’s new owner will experience no buyers remorse once they flip through the seemingly countless number of brilliant cards, and highly recommend they immediately register it with PSA’s illustrious PSA Set Registry since it unquestionably merits “World Class” distinction!