(LOT 83)
1957 Topps #55 Ernie Banks PSA 9 MINT – Only a Sole PSA Example Graded Higher!
MINT MR. CUB!!! Seldom does a 66-year-old 9 MINT cardboard issue of a great Hall of Fame player surface, but such is the case for this breathtaking 1957 Topps #55 Ernie Banks marvel that exhibits virtually impossible to find near-perfect centering. Graded an unfathomable PSA 9 MINT, of the 3,400+ PSA encapsulated examples, only a single specimen has achieved the hallowed "10" assessment! It's no secret among hobbyists regarding the sheer condition-sensitivity of the 1957 Topps subjects with respect to their typically skewed images. That said, finding a near-immaculate PSA 9 MINT '57 Topps well-centered card for any subject is an extremely tall order, let alone one that represents one of our National Pastime's greatest all-time players.
By 1957, the great Ernie Banks was establishing himself as one of baseball's premier power hitters, having already blasted 44 homers in 1955, and walloping 43 round-trippers the year this '57 Topps subject was issued. The next two seasons, Mr. Cub would claim consecutive NL MVP Awards, the only shortstop to ever accomplish that amazing feat, with Banks belting 512 lifetime dingers in his illustrious HOF career. A perfect testament for his magnificent legacy, this virtually perfect card includes pack-fresh surfaces, a crystal-clear batting image portraying Banks in his Chicago-road gray flannels, and the near impossible to find spot-on centering between four bright white borders. Bested by only a single PSA example, it serves as a vivid reminder of how Banks would show up at the ballpark and boldly shout out "Let's Play Two!"
MIN BID $2,500
_