(LOT 134)
1952 Bowman #218 Willie Mays PSA 9 MINT
MINT MAYS!!! Any early baseball card depicting the immortal Willie Mays ranks high on any advanced collector's list with his 1951 Bowman rookie card and 1952 Topps keepsakes leading the way. Running right behind these two rookie cards in stature is Willie's highly coveted 1952 high-number (#218) Bowman 2nd year card that is presented here in a miraculous PSA Mint 9 holder. One of only 6 meager specimens at this hallowed plateau, it joins these handful of other examples as the finest specimen on the planet! There is not much to say about Mays that most avid baseball fans don't already know. Highly regarded as baseball's greatest all-around player ever, Mays walloped 660 lifetime homers over 24 incredible seasons as well as catching virtually every batted ball directed his way. No wonder when Willie Mays was once asked to simplify the way he plays the game he so eloquently responded: "They throw the ball I hit it... they hit the ball I catch it"!

While he will forever be remembered for his 1954 World Series game #1 spectacular "over the shoulder" catch in the Polo Ground's deepest confines from a Vic Wertz batted ball, not even that "jaw dropping" moment exceeds the sheer brilliance of this offering's breathtaking aesthetics. The classic lithographic batting image is crystal clear, emanating the brightest array of sparkling hues including a "3-D like" cloudy sky setting. You can almost feel Willie May's intensity as he prepares to smack another pitched baseball towards the ballpark's farthest confines. Near perfect centering only reflecting a microscopic-like "hint" of favoritism towards the lower edge, bright white borders, pinpoint corner tips, a glistening obverse side surface and super clean verso are all additional superlatives supporting the pinnacle/ultra-rare Mint 9 assessment. One of the five supreme PSA encapsulated 1952 Bowman Willie Mays subjects, we cannot imagine any of the other four competing with the overall brilliance of this world-class marvel that stands as the perfect testament for the "Say Hey Kid's" unparalleled legacy!

MIN BID $15,000

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MLI is offering The "Mays Fan Club Collection" - #1 on the PSA Set Registry in an alternative selling format. All Lots numbered from 132-158 will be sold individually to the highest bidder, unless Lot # 131's hammer price exceeds the hammer price of Lots 132-158 combined cumulative total. In which case, the cards would be sold as a set. Once bidding starts, the green check mark below simply designates which format has the current high bid. In case of a tie - the set wins.

Lot 131 (Set Total):  $230,000
Lot 132-158 (Individual Card Total):  $406,299