Lot # 1136: 1951 Topps Blue and Red Backs Complete Set Pair (2 Sets, 104 Cards)

The 1951 Red and Blue Back sets are extremely significant as these were the first major baseball-card sets ever issued by Topps. Offered as a single lot are complete sets of both the 1951 Topps Red Backs and 1951 Topps Blue Backs, each with 52 cards, for a total of 104 cards. 1) 1951 Topps Red Back (52): Condition is 9% Vg-Ex, 33% Gd to Vg, and 58% Pr to Fr. Keys: #1 Berra (Vg+), 5 Rizzuto (Gd), 6 Reynolds (Fr), 8 Wynn (Ex), 15 Kiner (Fr), 20 D. DiMaggio (Fr), 22 Feller (Vg), 30 Spahn (Gd+), 31 Hodges (Pr), 36b Zernial/Philadelphia in bio (Fr), 38 Snider (Vg-Ex), 39 Kluszewski (Fr), 50 Irvin (Pr) and 52b Holmes/Hartford (Gd). 2) 1951 Topps Blue Back (52): Condition is 28% Nr/Mt to Nr/Mt-Mt, 43% Ex to Ex-Mt, and 29% Vg to Vg-Ex (including one Gd). Keys: #1 Yost (80/20 T/B, otherwise Nr/Mt), 3 Ashburn (Nr/Mt), 6 Schoendienst (Vg-Ex), 9 Sain (Nr/Mt-Mt), 10 Page (Vg-Ex), 20 Branca (Nr/Mt+), 30 Slaughter (Ex), 37 Doerr (Vg-Ex), 39 Lopat (Ex), 45 Pierce (Ex-Mt), 50 Mize (Nr/Mt), and 52 Chapman (Vg-Ex). The 1951 Red and Blue Back Topps sets are among the most significant yet overlooked of all early Topps cards, and in our opinion they represent an extraordinary value. Total: 104 cards.