This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/23/2018
Five years ago, Mile High Card Company offered what was the #1 ranked 1991 Topps Desert Shield set with an overall set rating of 10.77. At that time, we stated, "It seems unlikely, if not impossible, that another Desert Shield set will ever be assembled of this caliber and quality." Well, we were wrong. "The Carolina Collection" took over the top spot on the PSA Set Registry and has reigned ever since. So highly regarded within the baseball card world, The Carolina Collection has earned the distinction of "2017 Best Modern Baseball Set of the Year" by PSA. Ready to go to the highest bidder, MHCC presents The Carolina Collection, #1 on the PSA Set Registry with an astounding overall rating of 10.93. What makes this incredible collection all the more amazing is that these cards were not for sale to the general public. Distributed in individual wax packs sent to troops in the Middle East during Operation Desert Shield, the cards appear identical to the standard 1991 Topps set, but each card has a gold foil stamp embossed with a shield and palm tree emblem in the upper right corner, with the words “Operation Desert Shield” underneath. It is estimated that less than 6,500 of each card was produced, and complete sets were never offered. Due to the limited production and a distribution system that scattered these cards all over the world, attempting to assemble a complete 792-card set proved to be a daunting task. High-grade specimens are particularly difficult to find due to the rigors and travel the cards endured while overseas. It has been reported by service personnel that cards were often used as a fire starter to stay warm during the cold desert nights. As the war wound down and soldiers returned to the states, many of them tossed the cards out as they had served their purpose as a pleasant distraction when one was needed. Some with the foresight to see the potential value of these cards brought what they could home with them, again exposing the cards to potential damage as they traveled halfway around the world. There's no telling how much of the original production has survived, but the set remains one of the most coveted assemblages of the past 30 years. The 1991 Desert Shield Chipper Jones rookie card is one of the most desired baseball cards of the modern era and with his recent induction into the Hall of Fame, promises to only increase in value over time. OK, so let's get to it ... the award-winning Carolina Collection! Of the 792 cards, this set boasts an incredible 759 specimens in PSA 10 GEM MINT condition (almost 96% of the entire set) including the highly coveted #333 Chipper Jones rookie card and card #5 Cal Ripken, one of only 2 in existence graded PSA 10. The other 33 are graded PSA 9, and to save time, we'll list those: #13, 15, 26, 32, 33, 37, 56, 89, 109, 160, 220, 233, 338, 342, 358, 382, 394, 428, 431, 454, 465 Griffey Sr., 485, 537, 582, 607 E. Martinez, 622, 641, 642, 667, 691, 708, 730 Larkin and 777. As you can see, virtually every key card, major star, Hall of Famer or low pop is graded PSA 10. Chipper, Ripken, Ryan, Griffey Jr., Maddux, McGwire, Puckett, Bonds, etc. etc. ... all GEM MINT. One card (#123 Bush) is the only PSA 10 on record while eight others (#5 Ripken, 172, 317, 361 386 Fielder, 452, 522 and 693) have a PSA 10 pop of 2 and 42 others (including #519 S. Anderson) have a PSA 10 pop of 3. This is one of the most incredible examples of set-building ever accomplished and the winning bidder will be receiving not just the finest modern baseball set ever assembled, but an award-winning compilation recognized by the leader in third-party grading. In honor of the brave soldiers who risk their lives to defend our freedom, we salute you! Good luck and good bidding.