(LOT 274)
1968 Topps #177 Nolan Ryan Rookie Card PSA 9 MINT - Only One Graded Higher!
The iconic 1968 Topps Nolan Ryan Rookie card, that similar to many other high-profile Hall of Fame 1950s & '60s inaugural cards, is currently "hotter than a pistol". The most sophisticated collectors are actively pursuing the hallowed "9 MINT" grade since only a single PSA 10 Gem Mint example currently exists on the prestigious PSA "Pop" chart. Presented here just happens to be one of those highly coveted PSA Mint 9 Nolan Ryan rookie cards that has only been bested by that sole "10" specimen. Incredibly, of the 13,600+ PSA encapsulated examples, only a microscopic 0.48% have managed to achieve the sanctified "9 Mint" assessment.

Synonymous with this card's unbridled stature is Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan's place in baseball history with the fire-balling right-hander the undisputed record holder for lifetime strikeouts (5,386) and no-hitters (7). His reputation as one of the game's immortals was solidified when he was voted as the starting pitcher on baseball's team of the century. Likewise, this aesthetically brilliant Ryan offering, save one specimen, stands as the "best of the rest" and should be included near the top of a "cards of the century" list.

Sharing the card with southpaw teammate Jerry Koosman, virtually every primary quality is pristine including image contrast, sparkling hues, superior print registration, razor sharp edging, pinpoint corners, and a gleaming obverse-side surface. Most significant is the atypical near-perfect centering that reveals only a microscopic favoritism towards the right edge, with skewed images characteristically plaguing this condition sensitive subject. The final exclamation point is a verso that, similar to its obverse side brethren, reveals its original pack-fresh qualities.

Along with the iconic Mantle, Mays, Aaron, Clemente, and Koufax inaugural baseball cards (just to mention a few), this museum worthy marvel currently resides as one of the most coveted rookie keepsakes issued after WWII. Substantiating that irrefutable notion are several 1968 Topps PSA 9 Mint Ryan subjects selling for a staggering $126K and $137K in the Fall of 2021, as well as an additional $120K sale realized in February 2022. That said, the breathtaking aesthetics and PSA 9 grade of this timeless 54-year-old offering certainly places it right alongside those aforementioned six-figure+ subjects, justifying why you should jump aboard the "Ryan Express" in a relentless effort to ride this Cooperstown worthy marvel directly to the winners' circle!

MIN BID $25,000