(LOT 215)
1954 Topps #201 Al Kaline Rookie PSA 9 MINT – Only One PSA Example Graded Higher!
KALINE ROOKIE!!! Similar to his world-class playing prowess are the astounding features of this magnificent PSA 9 MINT 1954 Topps Al Kaline Rookie, bested by only a single PSA example! Furthermore, of the approximate 4,100 PSA encapsulated copies, a fractional 0.5% (20) have managed to achieve the hallowed 9 assessment. Al Kaline continues to be one of the most underrated players in baseball history. In only his second full MLB season, Kaline became baseball's youngest batting champion ever via his stellar .340 average, besting Ty Cobb by a single day. A superb defensive outfielder with a powerful throwing arm, Kaline is a distinguished member of the 3,000-hit club, and is enshrined in Cooperstown forever. Justifying the MINT grade are two flawless Kaline poses, with the imposing portrait image literally jumping off the card. The likewise classic black and white kneeling batting pose is immaculate, with both photos encompassed by a strikingly rich orange and red hued background. Impeccable resolution, the elusive near-perfect centering between dazzling white borders, pack-fresh surfaces, and blistering sharp right-angled corners elevate this grand offering to a stratospheric level. While Kaline's diamond exploits may be somewhat underrated, this miraculous 69-year-old marvel irrefutably resides as one of the finest of its kind. To reiterate, only a single PSA specimen has been graded higher, substantiating why it truly stands as one of the most significant post-WWII rookie cards on the planet!

MIN BID $7,500
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