One of the hobby’s most perfect 1968 Topps sets is about to hit the auction block. Whether it stays intact or is sold piece by piece is up to bidders.
Mile High Card Company will kick off its next catalog sale by offering the set both as a single lot and individually. Whichever total brings the most money to the consignor is how the set will change hands.
In all, 572 of the 598 cards in the set have been graded Gem Mint 10 by PSA including the #280 Mickey Mantle and #247 Johnny Bench rookie card. The set carries a 9.94 GPA and 10.90 set rating.
“It’s an incredible set that has earned a PSA Set Registry Hall of Fame rating, but it’s just the start of a truly incredible event,” says MHCC CEO and President Briant Drent.
Cards of Hall of Famers Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Brooks Robinson, Rod Carew, Willie Stargell, Bob Gibson, Joe Morgan, Roberto Clemente, Rod Carew, Carl Yastrzemski, Ernie Banks and several others rate PSA 10. The Nolan Ryan rookie card (#177) is a PSA 9.
A large selection of higher grade 1952 Topps high numbers are also part of the auction including a Mickey Mantle (PSA 5.5),and PSA 8 copies of the Jackie Robinson and Willie Mays cards and a PSA 7 example of the #1 Andy Pafko.
There are two ’52 Topps Eddie Mathews, as PSA 6 and SGC 7.
Other key cards in the April auction are 1887 Allen & Ginter N28 Cap Anson SGC 7, a T206 Old Mill Ty Cobb Portrait Red PSA 6, a 1911 M110 Sporting Life Cabinets Honus Wagner PSA 2 (MK), a 1933 Goudey #53 Babe Ruth GAI 8.5, a 1933 Sport Kings Ty Cobb PSA 8, a 1933 Sport Kings Ruth SGC 5.5, a 1948-49 Leaf Jackie Robinson SGC 4.5, a 1949 Bowman Satchell Paige PSA 9, s 1951 Bowman Mantle rookie PSA 6, a 1954 Red Heart Mantle PSA 9, a 1954 Topps Aaron rookie PSA 8, a 1967 Topps Tom Seaver rookie PSA 9 and a 1950 Bowman Football Otto Graham rookie PSA 9.
The 1968 Topps set isn’t the only elite assemblage on the auction block as MHCC is also featuring a 1952 Topps partial set (333/407), plus complete sets of 1955, 1964 and 19567 Topps (all PSA 8s), 1955 Topps All American Football with 99/100 cards graded PSA 8 and an all-PSA 8 set of 1969-70 Topps Basketball.
Vintage unopened material set for sale includes wax boxes of 1974 and ’76 Topps Baseball, 1977 and 1980 Topps vending cases, a 1959 Topps Football vending box, a 1989 Upper Deck low number series wax case, a 1987-88 Fleer Basketball wax box and an unopened pack of 1957 Topps Basketball graded 7 by PSA.
Other notable items include an album page signed by Ruth, Cobb and Walter Johnson , a baseball signed by Ruth and Gehrig, a 1927-28 Pat Collins game-worn jersey, Al Kaline’s 1959 Gold Glove award and 1966 game-used and autographed Detroit Tigers road jersey, a PSA 3 graded ticket to Wayne Gretzky’s 1979 debut and a club member’s Masters Green Jacket.
Bidding will run through April 20 on the company’s website.
Related Stories:
Vintage Mantle, Signed Goudey Ruth and Gehrig, Jordan Inserts Headline MHCC Auction
“Mind Boggling” 1968 Topps Baseball Set Sells for $1.4 Million
T206 Wagner Authentic Fetches $1.9 Million in Mile High’s September Auction
2nd Best 1956 Topps Set; Mantle Cards Headline RR Auction Catalog
Ty Cobb Bat Nets Big Price in Private Sale
Notes: New MHCC Auction Opens; eBay Stats; Project 2020 Update
Records Fall in $5.5 Million Mile High Sale
Ruth, Mantle, Ryan Among Hottest Tickets in $10 Million Memory Lane Auction
