This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/16/2015
Other than Mickey Mantle, there's no greater iconic figure in the 1952 Topps set than Brooklyn great Jackie Robinson. Oh, some might point to Willie Mays or Roy Campanella as challengers to Robinson's status, but it would be a valid to suggest that without the incredible courage and resolve required by Robinson in face of constant death threats, baseball immortals like Mays and Campanella would be relegated to stories of "what might have been," like the comparison of Josh Gibson to Babe Ruth. And like Mantle, Robinson's position in the difficult high-number series makes for one of the most coveted, and pricey, baseball cards of the 1950s. Even his Bowman debut of 1949 can't keep pace with his '52 Topps card, but it's no surprise given the incredible portrait and deep red background color that the super-sized Topps card offers. In any condition it's a desirable card, but the offered MINT example is as befitting for a world-class museum as it is for a world-class collection. While the centering is outstanding for the issue, the most impressive features include edges and endpoints that challenge GEM MINT specifications and a color and preciseness of the central image that is virtually flawless. The reverse is equally well-centered with bright red and black print on a spot-free surface. While it certainly can stand as the centerpiece of any advanced collection, the powerful impact it would make as part of a top-ranked PSA Set Registry set has to be enticing.