(LOT 246)
1951 Bowman #305 Signed Willie Mays Rookie PSA 4 VG-EX, Auto 10 GEM MINT - Only Two PSA Examples Graded Higher!
SIGNED MAYS ROOKIE!!!... The recent passing of the immortal Say Hey Kid has prompted a collecting frenzy for his most prized artifacts. Obviously, Willie Mays' most momentous card is his iconic 1951 Bowman #305 Rookie, standing right alongside Mickey Mantle's inaugural '51 Bowman as one of the hobby's most exalted heirlooms. Remarkable as it may seem, the 1951 campaign would see two of our National Pastime's greatest all-time players break into the big leagues in the same season, with both of these HOF immortals showcasing their outstanding skill sets for the Big Apple faithful. While a hoard of 1951 Bowman Mays Rookies continue to flood the market (there are over 2,100 PSA encapsulated copies at the time this was written), finding an autographed example is a significantly tougher task, with PSA only listing 31 scripted examples. With that in mind, Memory Lane is proud to present one of the finest known signed 1951 Willie Mays rookie cards, a PSA 4 VG-EX marvel boasting the "perfect" 10 GEM MINT autograph assessment!

Scripted in extremely bold black Sharpie across his classic Giants flannels, the signature literally jumps off the card, clearly visible across the room and affixed to a likewise eye-pleasing cardboard subject exhibiting a splendid Mays batting pose. One of only five PSA examples at this extremely rare PSA 4 rating, only two examples have managed to achieve a higher assessment. The 1951 campaign would see Mays struggle out of the gate, going hitless in his first 24 at-bats before he ended the drought with a home run off of none other than the legendary HOF southpaw Warren Spahn. Willie would end the season with a formidable .274 average and 20 dingers, ably assisting the Giants in capturing the NL pennant. Mays was truly embarking on an unparalleled career for the ages, with the revered center fielder accumulating a staggering 660 home runs, 1,903 runs batted in, and 3,283 hits to the tune of a .302 lifetime batting average.

His pinnacle stature stems from his miraculous ability to play every facet of the game as good or superior to any of his peers, and his absolutely spectacular over-the-shoulder catch in the 1954 World Series in the deepest confines of the Polo Grounds will echo for eternity. Any discussion of baseball's greatest player includes the Say Hey Kid, and it comes as little surprise that he was voted as the second finest all-time player on ESPN's top 100 MLB players of all time list, only bested by the incomparable Babe Ruth. Interestingly enough, at the time this was written, the average price for a PSA 8 unsigned 1951 Bowman Mays Rookie was $217K, for which there are 78 examples. While another PSA 4 VG-EX, Auto 10 GEM MINT Mays fetched $81K in 2023, a PSA 4 VG-EX, Auto 8 NM-MT example (with a red ink signature) nailed down $126K in March 2024.

While these formidable price tags have certainly raised eyebrows, they haven't even touched the tip of the iceberg with regard to the potential worth for a signed '51 Bowman Mays Rookie, especially considering the $217K average price for 78 known PSA 8 examples, which more than doubles the pricing points for a majority of the 31 signed PSA copies. Obviously, while some additional signed examples may surface from private collections, Willie Mays' recent passing eliminates the possibility of any of his rookie cards ever being signed again. We will now let the sophisticated collector ultimately decide the true worth of this Cooperstown-worthy Say Hey Kid memento proudly residing as one of the finest preserved specimens. While Willie is no longer with us, the captivating memories of his heart-stopping diamond achievements will live forever, with this world-class offering effectively turning back the clock to the year when the majestic Mays made his indelible mark on America's favorite pastime!

MIN BID $10,000
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