November 30, 2017: Sports & Americana Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/30/2017
Travel back in time almost 40 years to the close of the decade of the 1970’s as the expiration of Topps’ monopoly in the baseball card business loomed, and here are four sets from that era that essentially look just as they must have when they rolled off the presses. These are basically Near-Mint to Mint or better sets, monsters that would simply have been described as Mint in the earlier years of the hobby. Probably only quibbling about center prevents that kind of blanket declaration now, and the centering here is fairly typical for the era. There are four sets: two from 1978 and one each from 1979 and 1980, with 726 cards in each. These are the kind of cards collectors fantasize about: seemingly from vending, with exceptional color and gloss, good photo registration and razor sharp corners and super clean card backs. The first 1978 set is easily Near-Mint to Mint or better, with no discernible difference between the Tier One Hall of Famers and the rest of the aggregation. The word unimproveable comes to mind. The keys like No. 20 Rose, 36 Murray, 100 Brett, 173 Yount, 200 Jackson and 400 Ryan are superb, with the first five Nr-Mt to Mt and Ryan Nr-Mt; Murray, Ryan and Reggie would likely carry an off-center qualifier, as would most of the League Leader cards, The second 1978 set is barely a whisper below the first, Near-Mint to Mint, with some below and the keys as follows: No. 20 Rose – Nr-Mt, 36 Murray – Nr-Mt, 100 Brett - Nr-Mt to Mt, 173 Yount – Nr-Mt, 200 Jackson – Nr-Mt o/c, 400 Ryan – Ex-Mt and 707 Molitor – Ex-Mt-Plus o/c. The 1979 and 1980 sets are remarkable, with amazing color, brightness and gloss, and worthy of Near-Mint to Mint or better appellations, save only for centering. The No.482 Henderson Rookie in 1980 is very nicely centered. In short, it seems unlikely there could be many other opportunities to pick up four key vintage Topps baseball issues in such pristine condition.
1978-80 Blazing High-Grade Topps Baseball Complete Sets (4)
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