On Display: 1971 Topps Nolan Ryan PSA 9 MINT
Issued: 1971 by Topps Chewing Gum, Inc.
Card Number: #513
Population: 0 PSA 10s | PSA 9 is Highest Grade Known
Historical Note: Last card of Nolan Ryan as a New York Met
“I never had a pitch I could get over for a strike. So I threw as hard as I could and hoped for the best.” – Nolan Ryan
Few baseball cards pose a greater challenge to collectors than those from the 1971 Topps set, infamous for its black borders that magnify even the slightest edge wear. Among them, this card featuring fireballer Nolan Ryan stands as a true crown jewel—graded PSA 9 MINT, the highest grade ever awarded for this issue, with no known PSA 10s in existence.
This particular card captures Ryan in one of his most iconic cardboard images: coiled in his signature windup, poised to unleash a 100+ mph fastball from the mound at Shea Stadium. The vivid colors, razor-sharp edges, and remarkably clean borders defy the typical flaws that plague the 1971 series.
This card marks Ryan’s final appearance as a New York Met before his trade to the California Angels in 1972—a move that would set the stage for one of the most legendary pitching careers in baseball history. Over the next two decades, Ryan would go on to:
The significance of this card goes far beyond condition—it is a pivotal moment in Ryan’s career, a final snapshot before he transformed into the immortal “Ryan Express.” With only a small handful of PSA 9s known and none better, this piece is as rare as it is revered.