This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/2/2022
The 1968 Topps set rarely ranks among the favorites of vintage collectors but it houses one of the most iconic rookie cards of the post-war era; the debut of Mets superstar hurlers Jerry Koosman and Nolan Ryan. While Koosman was an accomplished pitcher in his own right, scoring 222 career victories, it's the legendary prowess of "The Ryan Express" that hobbyists love. An 11-time strikeout king, Ryan defied father time by taking four straight K crowns from the ages of 40-43. His 5,712 career strikeouts will likely never be broken, and his 324 lifetime victories ranks #14 all-time. The Mets should have known they had a gem to pair with phenom Tom Seaver when Ryan posted a 17-4 record with a 2.36 ERA and 307 strikeouts over 202 innings in the minor leagues in 1966. But Ryan was traded by the Mets to the California Angels in December 1971 and recorded subsequent stints with Houston Astros and Texas Rangers, posting double-digit victories for 16 consecutive seasons and 20 of his 27 years in the majors. The featured card has been graded PSA 9 MINT and could easily make a case for PSA 10 GEM MINT status, a territory that houses just one example. The front centering is really close to dead-on while the back is much closer to center than most, even at this grade level. The corners and edges usually yield some wear given the nature of the vulnerable brown border, but not this time. Most obvious is the color and sharpness of the two players, delivered with perfect registration, while the purple circle that houses the Mets name is free from fisheye circles that usually impede upon it. A masterful card of a masterful Hall of Famer, in elite MINT 9 condition.