Lot # 946: 1951 Topps Red Backs Complete Set (52) Plus Two Variations

Complete 1951 Topps "Red Backs" set of fifty-two cards plus two variations (#36 and 52) and three duplicates (#20, 33, and 52a), for a total of fifty-seven cards. The landmark "Red Backs" set is extremely significant as this was one of the first major baseball-card sets ever issued by Topps. Condition is 40% Nr/Mt to Nr/Mt-Mt (including a couple bordering on Mint), 45% Ex to Ex-Mt (mostly due to creases on the reverse), and 15% Vg to Vg-Ex. Five cards have been professionally graded and encapsulated by PSA. Keys: #1 Berra (Vg-Ex+), 5 Rizzuto (Ex), 6 Reynolds (Nr/Mt), 8 Wynn (Nr/Mt), 15 Kiner (Vg-Ex), two 20 D. DiMaggio (Nr/Mt and EX-MT 6), 22 Feller (Ex), 30 Spahn (Ex), 31 Hodges (Nr/Mt-Mt+), two 33 (one NM+ 7.5) 36a Zernial/Chicago (NM-MT 8), 36b Zernial/Philadelphia (Nr/Mt), 38 Snider (Ex), 39 Kluszewski (Ex), 50 Irvin (Nr/Mt+), two 52a Holmes/Boston (EX-MT 6 and EX 5), and 52b Holmes/Hartford (Nr/Mt). This set represents Topps' first major effort in the baseball-card business. The 1951 "Red Backs" Topps set is among the most significant, yet often overlooked, of all early Topps cards, and in our opinion represents an extraordinary value. Total: 57 cards (complete set of 52 pus two variations and three duplicates).