(LOT 6)
1954 Topps #128 Hank Aaron Rookie PSA 8.5 NM-MT+
Prestigious high-grade rookie cards of our National Pastime's greatest stars continue to "rock" the hobby with an infinite-like demand for the inaugural cards of Ruth, Cobb, DiMaggio, Williams, Mantle, Mays, Jackie Robinson, Aaron, Clemente, and so many more of our National Pastime's greatest heroes. The unparalleled demand for these cardboard immortals is clearly evident by some of the price tags realized for cardboard icons such as the 52 Topps Mantle, 1955 Clemente and 1954 Aaron rookies. Incredible as it may seem, some '52 Topps Mantles in "NM/MT-8" grade have realized prices between $500,000-$660,000, a 1955 Topps Clemente sold for $486,000 and a PSA Mint 9 Aaron has posted a staggering $359,000 sale! With regard to Hank Aaron, one of the most undervalued post WWII cards has always been his 1954 Topps rookie card.

Fortunately, this inexplicable disservice to "Hammerin Hank's" first cardboard issue no longer exists, with many sales for his high-grade 1954 Topps gem achieving extremely high pricing points. Presented here just happens to be one of the finest preserved 1954 Hank Aaron Topps rookie cards, a breathtaking PSA NM/MT 8.5 copy that stands as one of only six PSA encapsulated examples! Furthermore, of the 5,000+ PSA encapsulated specimens, only a fractional 0.5% have achieved a higher assessment. This miraculous "time defying" offering would be the cornerstone of any prestigious collection, with its "near-perfect" aesthetics arguably meriting it similar accolades as any of the "Mint 9" examples. Its extremely rare grade has likewise produced some imposing pricing points with a PSA 8.5 previously realizing a robust $88,000 some three years ago.

Regarding Aaron's remarkable legacy, due to the ongoing steroids issue in professional baseball, many diehard baseball fans still consider Aaron's 755 lifetime home runs the all-time mark, dismissing Barry Bond's "tainted" 762 statistical high mark. Additionally, Aaron is a member of the elusive 3,000 hit club and is the undisputed owner of the most lifetime R.B.I.'s in Major League history. For these reasons alone, more hobby enthusiasts continue to "jump aboard" the Aaron bandwagon, seizing his prized high-grade cardboard artifacts as they continue to achieve stratospheric pricing levels. Similar to legendary cards such as the Babe Ruth M101 and Mickey Mantle '51 Bowman rookie issues, the Aaron rookie was significantly undervalued for quite some time, and has finally earned its rightful standing among the hobby's most desirable and valuable inaugural cardboard keepsakes.

Regarding its immaculate eye appeal, the crystal- clear Aaron portrait image accompanied by a vivid black & white fielding pose are both set against a brilliant orange background, with the classic illustration atypically revealing near-perfect centering between three bright white borders. Pin-point corners, gleaming surfaces, extremely sharp edges, and a pristine-like verso complete one of the finest Hank Aaron rookie cards extant. Simply stated, this amazing "pack-fresh" heirloom defines the meticulous collecting nature of our esteemed consignor, justifying why it anxiously awaits a new home in one of the hobby's foremost compilations. Considering "Hammerin Hank's" immortal standing among baseball's greatest players, you can easily make the argument that his high-grade 1954 Topps subjects still retain considerable growth potential, especially bearing in mind that from a statistical perspective, he stands "heads and tails" above his hallowed rookie card peers such as Mantle, Mays and Clemente!

MIN BID $15,000
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