(LOT 275)
1968 Topps #247 Johnny Bench Rookie Card PSA 10 GEM MINT - FINEST OF ITS KIND!
It is virtually inconceivable that the 1968 Topps set would issue two of the most coveted post-war rookie cards extant; portraying players that achieved pinnacle stature at their respective positions. Both Johnny Bench and Nolan Ryan's accomplishments stand atop a seemingly infinite number of players, with Ryan's all-time leading strikeouts placing him as baseball's premier power pitcher ever. Regarding the legendary Johnny Bench, most historians nominate him as baseball's greatest all-time catcher, with the iconic backstop playing his entire 17-year in the Queen City.

Bench spearheaded the Reds to two consecutive World Championships (1975 & '76) while belting 389 lifetime homers. The Cooperstown Inductee's combined offensive and defensive dominance placed him as one of baseball's finest players of the 1970s, with Bench capturing two MVP Awards in 1970 and 1972 as well as claiming the World Series MVP in 1976, when his two home runs and incredible .533 average led Cincinnati to a four-game sweep over the Yankees. Bench was one of the main cogs of the "Big Red Machine" that boasted one of the most imposing line-ups in baseball history, and aside from his superior clutch hitting, Bench will forever be noted for his unparalleled defensive prowess including a "cannon-like" throwing arm to cut down would-be base-stealers.

His first full season was in 1968 when he claimed the National League Rookie of the Year Award, while starting his amazing streak of being on 13 consecutive All-Star teams (1968-80). Presented here just happens to be one of the most significant artifacts from Johnny Bench's inaugural campaign, an absolutely sensational PSA 10 GEM MINT 1968 Topps #177 rookie card that along with 14 other examples proudly stands as the finest of its kind! Indeed, of the approximate 9,700 PSA encapsulated specimens, a microscopic-like 0.15% have managed to achieve the hallowed "10" assessment. The card reveals impeccable "pack-fresh" aesthetics, starting with the two sparkling portrait images of a young Johnny Bench and right-handed twirler Ron Tompkins.

In a candid moment, Bench is wearing his striped period-style Reds' cap backwards, in an almost leisurely manner. Typically plagued by serious condition sensitivity issues including poorly skewed image positioning, this Bench offering portrays fine centering, only reflecting a negligible partiality towards the left edge. Blistering sharp corner tips, a sheen/glossy obverse surface, sparkling hues and a super clean verso are the final superlatives justifying the perfect assessment. Its highly coveted prestige is justified by the past three PSA 10 sales fetching between $93K and $108,000K, with this offering's pinnacle "Pop" Chart stature ironically synonymous with Johnny Bench's arguable standing as our National Pastime's greatest all-time catcher!

MIN BID $25,000