1971 Topps Greatest Moments Complete Set (55) Including 28 PSA- and SGC-Graded Cards

Sold For:

$12,600

Year:

1971

Auction:

2023 Fall

Lot #:

2208

Category:

Postwar Baseball - 1970s to Present Cards

Presented is an attractive complete 55-card set of the rare and popular 1971 Topps Test "Greatest Moments" baseball issue. Virtually all Greatest Moments cards in the hobby originate from Topps art director and legendary hobby pioneer Woody Gelman. Cards from this set feature great moments from the careers of the biggest stars of the day, including Munson, Killebrew, B. Robinson, Bench, Rose, Morgan, Banks, Yaz, Mays, Jackson, etc. Each card measures 2.5 x 4.75 inches, with a color portrait at left, and a larger black-and-white action shot at right. The backs are designed in the style of a newspaper with headline. This set has always been very popular with collectors due to its concept, design, the quality of players featured, and its rarity. Because of the flush-to-the-border design of their black borders, Greatest Moments cards are very susceptible to wear along the edges and corners, and individual cards are therefore particularly valuable in extremely high grade. Twenty-eight cards are graded and encapsulated by PSA (27) and SGC (1). PSA Grading Composite: NM+ 7.5 (1 card): #5. NM 7 (6 cards): #11 Oliva, 12, 33, 37 Williams, 40 Yastrzemski, and 51 Aparicio (SGC). EX-MT 6 (10 cards): #7 Kaat, 13 Bench, 22, 26 Cepeda, 32, 34 Morgan, 35, 36 Banks, 46, and 52 McCovey. EX+ 5.5 (3 cards): #14 Perez, 19 Kaline, and 45. EX 5 (8 cards): #1 Munson, 8 Killebrew, 9 B. Robinson, 15 Rose, 25, 31, 41 Mays, and 47 Jackson. The condition of the twenty-seven-card unencapsulated balance is 50% Ex to Ex-Mt (mostly Ex), 34% Vg-Ex, and 16% Gd to Vg (mostly Vg). Unencapsulated Keys: #2 Wilhelm (Vg-Ex), 24 Gibson (Vg-Ex+), and 27 Brock (Vg-Ex). This is an extremely attractive mid- to high-grade complete set of this scarce Topps test issue. The equivalent SMR value for just the twenty-eight graded cards (factoring in the four half-grades at the lower whole-grade level) is $3,013. Total: 55 cards. The size/weight of this item requires that there will be an additional shipping charge for this lot. Opening Bid $1,000.