1954 TOPPS 75 TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION AUCTION
P hotos returned for 1954, and Topps celebrated by doubling them up, despite a reduction to 250 subjects. The cards depict a large color, Kodachrome portrait or action pose of each player, with a smaller black-and-white background photo, generally with the player swinging a bat or in a pitching pose - as the case may be - with many of these little photos sourced from famed sports photographer Willaim Jacobellis. The results were altogether spectacular, and the set remains immensely popular over seven decades later. Rookie cards of Henry Aaron, Al Kaline and Ernie Banks along with the Topps debut of Ted Williams, who both opens and closes the set, are just some of the highlights of a colorful set that Sy Berger always called his favorite. Similar to the third series in 1952, the first series (nos. 1-50) in 1954 can be found with white or gray backs, also referred to, without substantiation, as Canadian variant. “Hero numbers” also started being assigned this year, with first series cards ending in 0 reserved for star players, with some sporadic later series cards following suit.
99. 1954 Topps Complete Set (250) midgrade 1954 Topps set, assembled card by card with con- sideration for overall eye appeal. The cards are all attractive and clean, with centering and light cor- ner wear (consistent with handling but not abuse) being the primary con- dition flaws. Creases and surface abrasions are few and far between, resulting Strong
in a very attractive set. The key cards, in particular, are quite attractive and stronger than their assigned grades. A breakdown is as follows: #1 Williams (PSA GOOD 2), #3 Irvin (GOOD), #10 Robinson (PSA VG 3), #30 Mathews (PSA GOOD 2), #32 Snider (PSA VG 3), #36 Wilhelm (FAIR), #37 Ford (PSA VG-EX 4), #45 Ashburn (PSA VG-EX 4), #50 Berra (PSA GOOD 2), #70 Doby (PSA VG 3), #86 Herman (VG), #90 Mays (PSA EX-MT 6), #94 Banks (PSA VG 3), #102 Hodges (PSA VG 3), #128 Aaron (SGC VG/EX+ 4.5), #132 Lasorda (PSA VG 3), #183 Combs (VG), #187 Manush (VG-EX), #201 Kaline (PSA GOOD+ 2.5), #250 Williams (PSA GOOD 2). A complete breakdown of the grades are approximately as follows: 2% EX or better, #16% VG-EX, 39% VG, 41% GOOD, 2% FAIR with a few lesser. A very strong set, presenting in the middle grades, containing the rookie cards of Hall of Famers Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, Al Kaline and Tom Lasorda. 250 cards total.
MINIMUM BID: $5,000
98. 1954 Topps Print Variations Collection (9) MINIMUM BID: $50
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