Lot # 1538: 1961 Topps Complete Set (587)

Presented is a very sharp-looking complete set of one of the era's most popular issues, crisp and clean throughout. The 1961 Topps set includes five different Mickey Mantle cards and was Topps' first venture into the popular League Leader subset. The Most Valuable Player subset, an extremely difficult high-number run, and the rookie cards of Juan Marichal, Billy Williams, and Ron Santo also highlight this set. Includes two of the three variations for #98 Checklist (98b and 98c). Condition is 13% Ex-Mt to Nr/Mt, 69% Vg-Ex to Ex, and 18% Gd to Vg (including a couple lesser and a few with a slight miscut). We have selected eight cards for grading and encapsulation by PSA. Keys: #2 Maris (2/98 L/R, otherwise Vg-Ex+), 10 B. Robinson (Vg-Ex+), 35 Santo RC (Ex-Mt), 44 AL HR Ldrs (Ex), 80 Killebrew (Ex), 120 Mathews (Ex), 141 B. Williams RC (NM 7), 150 Mays (Ex), 160 Ford (Vg-Ex+), 200 Spahn (0/100 T/B, otherwise Vg+), 211 Gibson (90/10 L/R, otherwise Nr/Mt), 228 Yankees Team (Ex+), 260 Drysdale (Vg-Ex), 287 Yastrzemski (EX-MT 6), 290 Musial (Ex-Mt), 300 Mantle (VG-EX 4), 307 Mantle WS Gm. 2 (Ex), 344 Koufax (80/20 T/B, otherwise Ex), 350 Banks (NM-MT 8), 360 F. Robinson (NM-MT 8), 388 Clemente (NM 7), 401 Ruth Hits 60th (Ex), 405 Gehrig Benched (Ex-Mt), 406 Mantle Blasts HR (Vg+), 415 Aaron (NM 7), 417 Marichal RC (NM 7), 425 Berra (Vg-Ex+), 429 Kaline (Vg-Ex), 443 Snider (Ex-Mt), 475 Mantle MVP (miscut right edge, otherwise Ex+), 478 Maris MVP (Vg-Ex), 482 Mays MVP (Ex), 484 Aaron MVP (Vg due to centering), 517 McCovey (Ex-Mt), 576 Maris AS (Vg-Ex), 577 Aaron AS (Vg), 578 Mantle AS (Vg), and 579 Mays AS (Ex). 1961 will always be remembered as a "magical year" in baseball history, and a high-quality, mid- to high-grade complete set of 1961 Topps as offered here will always be a highly prized "time capsule." Total: 588 cards (complete set of 587 plus one variation).