(LOT 76)
1951 Bowman #198 Monte Irvin Rookie Card PSA 9 MINT – Only One PSA Example Graded Higher!
MONTE ROOKIE!!!... A five-time Negro League All-Star, Monte Irvin won two batting titles with the Newark Eagles before joining MLB's New York Giants for the 1949 campaign. The fine hitting left-fielder would ultimately team up with the immortal Willie Mays in leading the Giants to a 1954 World Championship title, ending his eight-year National League tenure after the 1956 season with a formidable .293 lifetime batting average.

His inaugural mainstream card would be his popular 1951 Bowman Gum issue, presented here in a remarkable PSA 9 MINT holder. Joined by only ten other examples at this hallowed plateau, it has only been bested by a single PSA specimen! A brilliant batting pose finds itself extremely well-centered between four bright white borders, with the sparkling hues and crystal-clear clarity literally creating a 3D effect. A razor-sharp perimeter includes four pinpoint corners and impeccable surfaces have eluded any notable flaws. A pack-fresh masterpiece to say the least, it truly stands as one of the finest Monte Irvin rookie cards on the planet!

MIN BID $2,500
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