Lot # 1554: 1962 Topps Near-Complete Set (578/598) Including #200 Mickey Mantle

Presented is a near-complete set of 1962 Topps consisting of 578 different cards (out of 598 in the set). The 1962 Topps set has a well-deserved reputation for being the era's most condition-sensitive issue. The flush-to-the-border brown wood-grain design of the 1962 Topps set makes this issue particularly susceptible to edge and corner wear, and makes the assembly of high-grade sets all the more difficult. This grouping includes most of the keys to the set, including Mantle, Mays, Aaron, Clemente, and Brock (rookie). Includes two of the four variations for card #139. Condition is 35% Ex to Ex-Mt (mostly Ex and including a couple Nr/Mt), 59% Vg to Vg-Ex, and 6% lesser (including a couple that measure small). We have selected five cards for grading and encapsulation by SGC. Keys: #1 Maris (trimmed left edge and tiny pen mark on reverse, otherwise Gd+), 5 Koufax (Vg), 10 Clemente (Vg-Ex+), 25 Banks (Vg), 30 Mathews (5/95 L/R, otherwise Ex), 45 B. Robinson (Vg-Ex+), 50 Musial (Vg), 70 Killebrew (Vg), 99 Powell RC (10/90 L/R, otherwise Vg-Ex+), 100 Spahn (Vg), 134a Hoeft/green sky (measures a bit small, otherwise Ex), 139a Reniff/portrait (Vg), 139d Babe Hits 60/no pole in background (Vg-Ex), 140 Gehrig/Ruth (Vg-Ex), 150 Kaline (Ex), 199 Perry RC (Gd), 200 Mantle (VG 3), 218 Torre RC (Ex), 300 Mays (EX+ 5.5), 310 Ford (Vg-Ex), 313 Maris Blast (Vg), 318 Switch Hitter Connects - Mantle (Vg), 320 Aaron (EX 5), 340 Drysdale (Vg), 350 F. Robinson (Ex-Mt), 360 Berra (Ex), 387 Brock RC (EX 5), 395 Mays AS (Ex), 425 Yastrzemski (Ex), 471 Mantle AS (VG+ 3.5), 500 Snider (Pr), 505 Marichal (Vg), 530 Gibson (Gd), 544 McCovey (Vg+), 545 Wilhelm (Vg+), 575 Schoendienst (Vg-Ex+), 592 Bouton RC (Ex), and 594 Uecker RC (next card showing, otherwise Ex). Missing the following 20 cards for completion: #18 Manager's Dream, 53 AL HR Ldrs, 65, 96, 159, 190, 237, 251 Yankees Team, 263, 394 Aaron AS, 401 Maris/Cepeda, 465, 469, 552, 584, 593, 595, 596 Pepitone, 597, and 598 Hickman. This is a very attractive mid-grade near-complete set of 1962 Topps, particularly for this very condition-sensitive issue. Total: 579 cards (near set of 578 plus one variation).