Lot # 1539: 1961 Topps Complete Set (587)

Presented is a sharp-looking complete set of one of the era's most popular issues. 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. Condition is 15% Ex-Mt to Nr/Mt, 51% Vg-Ex to Ex, 25% Gd to Vg, and 9% lesser (mostly due to pen marks on the front and including two altered and a few with a slight miscut). Three cards have been professionally graded and encapsulated by PSA. Keys: #2 Maris (Fr), 10 B. Robinson (Vg-Ex+), 20 Roberts (EX-MT 6), 35 Santo RC (Vg+), 44 AL HR Ldrs (Fr), 80 Killebrew (Vg), 120 Mathews (Vg), 141 B. Williams RC (Gd+), 150 Mays (Vg-Ex), 160 Ford (Vg-Ex+), 200 Spahn (Vg), 207 Koufax/Podres (VG-EX 4), 211 Gibson (Vg), 228 Yankees Team (Vg), 260 Drysdale (Vg), 287 Yastrzemski (0/100 L/R, otherwise Vg-Ex+), 290 Musial (Ex-Mt), 300 Mantle (color added, otherwise Pr), 307 Mantle WS Gm. 2 (Ex), 344 Koufax (10/90 T/B, otherwise Vg-Ex), 350 Banks (Vg), 360 F. Robinson (Fr), 388 Clemente (Pr due to tape and back damage), 401 Ruth Hits 60th (Ex), 405 Gehrig Benched (Vg), 406 Mantle Blasts HR (Gd due mostly to miscut centering), 415 Aaron (Ex due mostly to centering), 417 Marichal RC (Gd), 425 Berra (Vg-Ex), 429 Kaline (Vg), 443 Snider (Vg), 475 Mantle MVP (Vg), 478 Maris MVP (Vg), 482 Mays MVP (Vg-Ex), 484 Aaron MVP (Vg+), 517 McCovey (Gd), 576 Maris AS (Fr), 577 Aaron AS (Fr), 578 Mantle AS (Vg+), and 579 Mays AS (EX 5). 1961 will always be remembered as a "magical year" in baseball history, and a very attractive complete set of 1961 Topps as offered here will always be a highly prized "time capsule." Total: 587 cards.