Lot # 1137: 1951 Topps Red Back Near-Complete Set Pair (2 Sets, 89 Cards)

The 1951 Red Back set is extremely significant as it, and the blue back set, were the first major baseball-card sets ever issued by Topps. Offered as a single lot are two near-complete sets of 1951 Topps Red Backs. This collection consists of the following: 1) 1951 Topps Red Back Near-Complete Set (47/52): Condition is 15% Ex to Ex-Mt, 55% Vg to Vg-Ex, and 30% lesser. Keys: #1 Berra (Fr), 6 Reynolds (Vg), 15 Kiner (Vg-Ex+), 20 D. DiMaggio (Gd), 31 Hodges (Ex), 36a Zernial/Chicago in bio (Vg), 39 Kluszewski (Vg-Ex), 50 Irvin (Gd+), and 52b Holmes/Hartford (Gd). Missing the following five cards for completion: #5 Rizzuto, 8 Wynn, 22 Feller, 30 Spahn, and 38 Snider. 2) 1951 Topps Red Back Near-Complete Set (42/52): Condition is 19% Ex to Ex-Mt (including a couple Nr/Mt), 47% Vg to Vg-Ex, and 34% lesser. Keys: #6 Reynolds (Gd), 15 Kiner (Vg+), 31 Hodges (Vg), 36b Zernial/Philadelphia in bio (Pr-Fr due to paper loss on reverse), 39 Kluszewski (Gd), and 52a Holmes/Boston (Fr). Missing the following ten cards for completion: #1 Berra, 5 Rizzuto, 8 Wynn, 20 D. DiMaggio, 21, 22 Feller, 30 Spahn, 38 Snider, 42, and 50 Irvin. The 1951 Red Back Topps set is among the most significant yet overlooked of all early Topps cards, and in our opinion represents an extraordinary value. Total: 89 cards.