Extremely Rare 1958 Menko Doyusha #4560 Jackie Robinson PSA VG+ 3.5

Sold For:

$54,000

Year:

1958

Auction:

2024 Spring

Lot #:

1405

Category:

Postwar Baseball - 1950s Cards

Graded VG+ 3.5 by PSA. Presented is a rare 1958 Menko Doyusha card of Jackie Robinson. This is the only example graded at this level by PSA with just one higher (NM-MT 8). Issued in Japan by the Doyusha Company, this card features a striking portrait of Jackie Robinson and was released shortly after his playing days with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Robinson's final season was 1956. Like Babe Ruth before him in the 1930s, when Robinson toured Japan with the Dodgers following the 1956 season, he made quite an impression on the public. Robinson was not just a great player but a legend whose historical significance resonated with the Japanese public in 1956 just as it does in America today. When the Doyusha Company released its baseball card set in 1958 (fifty-three cards are known in the set), they included only one American player: Jackie Robinson. He is pictured on this card in a photo taken during the 1956 Dodgers barnstorming tour. It is fascinating to note that both the front and reverse of the card actually misidentifies Robinson (in kanji) as Chico Barbon, the only black player playing in Japan at the time the set was issued. As a point of further clarification, in addition to the text listing Chico Barbon's name, it also lists his stats and position as well. The offered card is bright and crisp with just honest corner wear. The reverse is boldly printed in blue ink. This is a very attractive example from this scarce Japanese issue. An interesting video of the 1958 Menko Robinson card can be viewed on YouTube at the following link: https://youtu.be/VBDvF_dD5BU. Opening Bid $10,000.