Lot # 1139: 1951 Topps Red Backs Near-Complete Master Set (50/54) Plus 16 Duplicates and Wrapper

Presented is an outstanding, mostly high-grade near-complete master set of 1951 Topps "Red Backs" consisting of 50 cards out of 54 in a complete master set. The landmark "Red Backs" set is extremely significant as this was one of the first major baseball-card sets ever issued by Topps. Missing the following four cards for completion: #1 Berra, 5 Rizzuto, 50 Irvin, and 52a Holmes/Boston. Includes an original wrapper and the following sixteen duplicates: Two #4, 8 Wynn, 13, 16 Roe, 19, 23, 27, 28, 33, 34, 42, 44, 46, 47, and 51. The condition of the near set is 32% Nr/Mt to Nr/Mt-Mt, 16% Ex to Ex-Mt, and 28% Vg to Vg-Ex, and 24% lesser. The condition of the duplicates is three Ex or slightly better, eight Vg to Vg-Ex, and eight lesser. We have selected five cards for grading and encapsulation by SGC. Keys: #6 Reynolds (Vg), two 8 Wynn (NM 7 and Vg due to light staining), 15 Kiner (EX/NM 6), two 16 Roe (Ex and Vg-Ex+), 20 DiMaggio (Vg due to light staining), 22 Feller (Gd due to staining), 24 Bauer (Gd+ due to light staining), 30 Spahn (Gd due to staining), 31 Hodges (Gd due to staining), 33 (NM 7), 36a Zernial/Chicago (NM/MT 8), 36b Zernial/Philadelphia (Gd+ due to light staining), 38 Snider (Gd+ due to light staining), 39 Kluszewski (Vg), and 52b Holmes/Hartford (NM 7). The original wrapper grades Very Good due to a small tear of the top edge. The 1951 "Red Backs" Topps series is among the most significant, yet overlooked, of all early Topps cards, and in our opinion represents an excellent value. Total: 67 items (near master set of 50 cards plus 16 duplicates and a wrapper).