Lot # 2759: 1951 Topps Ringside Boxing Near-Complete Set (94/96)

Near-complete set (minus two) of Topps "Ringside," missing just #49 Murphy and 62 for completion. Topps' first attempt at boxing cards was the 96-card "Ringside" boxing series issued in 1951. The exceptional artwork and the inclusion of boxing greats from all eras, such as Rocky Marciano, John Sullivan, Gene Tunney, Joe Louis, and Ray Robinson, among others, has always made this set one of boxing-card collecting's premier issues. Topps apparently found much greater success with baseball and football. This is confirmed both by the relative scarcity of "Ringside" cards, and the fact that this is the only Topps boxing set ever issued. The production quality of this issue, however, is equal or superior to that of all early 1950s bubble-gum cards issued by Topps or Bowman. Condition is 11% Ex, 47% Vg to Vg-Ex, and 42% lesser. Keys: #1 Lesnevitch (Vg), 2 Armstrong (SGC EX 60), 11 Baer (Gd+), 32 Marciano (Pr due to paper loss on reverse), 43 Robinson (Ex+), 54 Jeffries (Gd), 56 Gans (Pr), 69 Sullivan (Vg), 88 Louis (Vg), 95 Tunney (Vg), and 96 Charles (Fr). This is a very attractive and mostly mid-grade near-complete set of Topps' first attempt at boxing cards. The 1951 Topps Ringside Boxing set has always been extremely popular with collectors due to its exceptional artwork and the inclusion of boxing greats from all eras. Total: 94 cards.