This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/24/2020
The New York Yankees have the most storied history of any American sports franchise with 50 people who have either worn the pinstripes or worked for the organization currently enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Yet just 14 team captains have been named since Hall of Famer Clark Griffith first held the title in 1903 for the then New York Highlanders. One of those New York icons, on his way to a Hall of Fame career before tragically passing in an airplane crash, was catcher Thurman Munson. A 1970 Rookie of the Year and 1976 American League MVP, Munson personified the grit and determination that spearheaded Yankees championship teams of the past, doing so at the plate as well as behind it. The featured card is Thurman Munson's rookie appearance in a Topps collection, recently graded and now just the 4th example to emerge from the PSA grading factory with a perfect 10 GEM MINT score out of over 4,500 total submissions. As the scan shows, the card is nearly flawless and has avoided the myriad of pitfalls that often plague cards from the '70 Topps series, most prominent of which is poor centering and stray print marks. You won't find any of that here; the card is bull's-eye framed with virtually perfect corners and edges and an even slightly bolder appearance of the images. The border is stronger as well, casting off the usual silver appearance for a more charcoal gray look. The reverse touts brilliant blue and yellow pigments with fresh out of the pack qualities. A superior specimen and one that doesn't come along often!