1952 Topps Near-Complete Low-Number Run (309/310) Including 143 PSA-Graded Cards

Sold For:

$15,000

Year:

1952

Auction:

2025 Spring

Lot #:

1481

Category:

Postwar Baseball Cards (1948-present)

Near-complete low-number run (#1-310) from the classic 1952 Topps series. Missing just #261 Willie Mays (offered individually in this auction) and the ninety-seven rare high-number series cards (#311-407) for completion. Includes a total of twenty-two black-back variations, including both back variations of the following eighteen cards: #10, 15, 20 Loes RC, 25, 28, 33 Spahn, 36 Hodges, 39, 43, 46, 52, 54, 59 Roberts, 61, 63, 65 Slaughter, 71, and 76. A total of 143 cards have been professionally graded and encapsulated by PSA. Grading Composite: NM-MT 8 (3 cards): #105, 165 (OC), and 175 Martin RC (OC). NM 7 (8 cards): #39/black back (MC), 56, 92, 113, 139 (OC), 170 (MC), 239, and 265. EX-MT+ 6.5 (3 cards): #125, 180, and 299. EX-MT 6 (76 cards): #16, 21, 30, 41/black back, 50, 61/black back, 63/black back, 68, 70, 74, 75, 77, 85, 87, 90, 93, 94, 97, 99, 102, 104, 106, 111, 112, 115, 119, 126, 132, 133, 137, 140, 144, 154, 156, 162, 163, 164, 166, 167, 168, 169, 172, 177, 189, 190, 192, 193, 201, 203, 204, 206, 209, 212, 213, 217, 218, 220, 224, 225, 227 Garagiola, 229, 232, 234, 242, 247, 248, 249, 256, 260, 264, 268 Lemon, 276, 300, 302, 308, and 309. EX+ 5.5 (1 card): #28/black back. EX 5 (38 cards): #8, 10/black back, 17, 27, 43/black back, 47, 51, 54/black back, 59 Roberts/black back, 60, 62, 81, 84, 89, 96, 98, 101, 120, 131, 135, 145, 174, 184, 196, 208, 210, 245, 252, 253, 257, 262, 263, 269, 271, 274, 280, 297, and 304. VG-EX+ 4.5 (4 cards): #20 Loes RC/black back, 49b Sain/correct, 71/black back, and 284. VG-EX 4 (6 cards): #33 Spahn/black back, 46/black back, 52/black back, 65 Slaughter/red back, 66 Roe, and 250 Erskine. VG+ 3.5 (1 card): #76/black back. VG 3 (3 cards): #15/black back, 25/black back, and 36 Hodges/black back. The condition of the 184 unencapsulated cards is 14% Vg-Ex to Ex (mostly Vg-Ex), 49% Gd to Vg, and 39% lesser (including a few due mostly to pencil on the reverse and sixteen trimmed). Unencapsulated Keys (#1-310): #1 Pafko (Fr), 2 Runnels (Gd), 11 Rizzuto (Gd), 20 Loes RC/red back (Vg), 22 DiMaggio (Fr), 26 Irvin (Gd+), 29 Kluszewski (Vg), 33 Spahn/red back (Vg), 36 Hodges/red back (Vg), 37 Snider (Vg+), 48b Page/correct (Vg-Ex), 57 Lopat (Vg), 59 Roberts/red back (10/90 L/R, otherwise Vg+), 65 Slaughter/black back (Vg), 67 Reynolds (Fr), 88 Feller (Vg), 91 Schoendienst (Pr), 122 Jensen (trimmed, otherwise Pr), 129 Mize (Vg), 191 Berra (Vg+), 195 Minoso RC (Pr due to back damage), 215 Bauer (Vg-Ex), 216 Ashburn (trimmed, otherwise Pr), 243 Doby (Vg-Ex+), 246 Kell (Pr due to partially erased pencil on front), and 277 Wynn (Vg+). This is a very attractive near-complete low-number run of 1952 Topps, highlighted by 143 PSA-graded examples and representing a very substantial start toward a complete set. The SMR value for just 138 of the graded cards (not including the five PSA-qualified cards and factoring in the nine half grades at the lower whole-grade level) is $10,990. Total: 327 cards (near low-number run of 309 plus 18 variations). The size/weight of this item requires that there will be an additional shipping charge for this lot.