(LOT 211)
Extremely Rare 1961 Topps Dice Game Willie Mays (PSA EX/MT 6) – One of Only Two Known Examples & the Finest Specimen on ANY "Pop" Chart!
HIGHEST GRADED!!! Presented here just happens to be one of the hobby's most miraculous Willie Mays cards, a near-impossible PSA 6 1961 Topps Dice Game marvel that stands alone on the "Pop" chart as the HIGHEST GRADED example of the 2 graded by PSA! To date, only a single other "inferior" Mays Dice Game specimen (a PSA 5) has been handled by ANY grading company, with this card's unparalleled paucity level justified by PSA's population report only listing a paltry total of 17 encapsulated copies.

If you are wondering about SGC's prestigious census report, they only list a single Dice Game card for ANY SUBJECT, a further testament for this issue's ultra-rare existence. The timeless slogan "finding a needle in a haystack" is the perfect description for locating any of these elusive keepsakes, and their seemingly unlimited potential value was substantiated by a PSA 1 Mickey Mantle Spring 2018 offering fetching a staggering $144,000! Measuring approximately 2-1/2" x 3-1/2", this scarce 18-subject Topps test issue was most likely never issued, with the cards excluding any Topps related identifying marks such as "copyrights" or 'trademarks". The obverse sides include unique black & white images not seen on any other cards, with the versos portraying various baseball plays that occur when a certain pitch is called and a specific number of the dice is rolled.

While this Dice Game Mays is not a T206 Wagner/Plank, an M101 Ruth Rookie, or 1952 Topps Mantle with regard to overall stature, its uncontested rarity far exceeds the obscurity level of any of those exalted cardboard mementos. In fact, even the highly revered Baltimore News Ruth has 10 known specimens, with only 18 encapsulated Dice Game graded examples known for ALL of the 18 known subjects, and the 2 known Willie Mays cards representing a mere 20% fraction of the majestic 1914 Baltimore News Ruth count. Regarding its condition, PSA is "spot-on" with its assessment, starting with the unique Mays batting pose that portrays the "Say Hey Kid" swinging his colossal lumber. The breathtaking illustration emanates the finest possible contrast and crystal-clear clarity, with a modest favoritism towards the left edge.

The brilliant aesthetics also include a gleaming obverse side surface, strong right-angled corners and an extremely bold/vivid "WILLIE MAYS – Center Field – National Lg." verbiage beneath his hallowed image. The final exclamation point is a relatively "clean" game verso, with this museum worthy Mays masterpiece easily residing as one of his most remarkable baseball cards. While Mickey Mantle currently resides as the hobby's post-war market king, most avid enthusiasts would surly validate that Willie Mays is not too far behind. The "Say Hey Kid" is actually ranked higher on baseball's all-time list and many historians believe he resides as our National Pastime's greatest 5-tool player. With that said, if a PSA 1 Dice Game Mantle realized $144K, we will defer to the sophisticated collector to ultimately determine the true worth of this unfathomable PSA 6 Mays Dice Game memento!

MIN BID $15,000

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