1969 Mets "A Portfolio of Stars" - Complete Set with Each Individually Signed Including Gil Hodges - PSA/DNA

Sold For:

$1,659

Year:

1969

Auction:

2014 Spring

Lot #:

961

Category:

Autographed Baseballs/Flats/Photos

Issued by the the Daily News in 1969, the New York Mets "A Portfolio of Stars" set featured twenty individual portrait images housed within a paper folder. As noted on the front of the folder, all of the images were rendered by highly respected sports artist Bruce Stark. While the set is scarce (they could only be obtained in set form by mail through the Daily News at the time) the offered portfolio is far rarer and more significant in that each portrait has been personally signed by the respective player. This is the first autographed complete set of these portraits we have ever offered, and we cannot recall having ever seen another. The highlight portrait of the set as an autographed item is that of manager Gil Hodges, who died just three years later at the age of forty-eight. The Hodges portrait is accompanied by a full LOA from PSA/DNA, while the others are each accompanied by an individual COA from PSA/DNA. All of the signatures, penned in a variety of inks (mainly blue ink) appear on the front and grade "9" or "10." The players represented here are Hodges, Ryan, Seaver, Harrelson, C. Jones, Kranepool, McGraw, Koosman, Boswell, Agee, Clendenon, Shamsky, Taylor, Swoboda, Garrett, Gentry, McAndrew, Cardwell, Grote, and Weis. All of the portrait sheets (9 x 12 inches) display modest handling wear and are in Excellent condition overall. The folder (9.25 x 12.25 inches) is in Very Good condition. LOA from James Spence/JSA. Reserve $300. Estimate $500/$1,000. SOLD FOR $1,659