(LOT 108)
1971 Topps #600 Willie Mays PSA 9 MINT - Highest PSA Example!
MINT MAYS!!! One of the toughest Willie Mays cards to locate in MINT condition is his 1971 Topps #600 subject, presented here in an amazing PSA 9 holder. PSA's meticulous card graders have handled over 3,200 Mays subjects with NONE graded higher, and only eleven other examples (0.4%) managed to achieve this miraculous assessment! Indeed, a seemingly infinite number of 1971 Topps subjects are plagued by their fragile black borders, highlighting even the slightest wear or damage, substantiating why not a single PSA 10 copy currently exists. This best of the rest offering resides as the ideal cardboard masterpiece to represent the Say Hey Kid who arguably stands as our National Pastime's greatest all-time five-tool player. Mays could hit, run, throw and field as well or better than any player who ever graced a baseball diamond, and this MINT memento keeps his immortal legacy alive in a resounding manner via its breathtaking aesthetics. Ironically, the '71 Topps Mays card is checklist #600, and it was only a few years earlier that the Willie's last home run of the 1969 campaign would be the 600th of his remarkable career, becoming only the second player to accomplish that extraordinary feat since the incomparable Babe Ruth.

The legendary portrait pose reflects stunning contrast, sparkling hues and crystal-clear clarity as Mays reveals a good-natured grin. The black borders are virtually impeccable, with only some negligible microscopic etching along the outermost right edge that is barely visible to the naked eye. Excellent centering only exhibits an ever-so-slight favoritism towards the right edge; both pack-fresh surfaces have eluded any notable flaws; and all four corners are blisteringly sharp. Of utmost significance, this is the EXACT SAME CARD that sold for a staggering $42K in May 2022, with its sensational eye-appeal and technical attributes prompting the lofty sale. By 1971, the immortal Mays was entering the twilight of his career, with this being the final formidable campaign of his illustrious 23-year MLB tenure. He would, however, belt 32 more round-trippers over his final three years, ending his unfathomable career with 660 dingers. A fitting testament to the Say Hey Kid's last hurrah, the combination of its astounding PSA 9 highest graded stature and superior eye appeal is tantamount to Mays' solidified standing as one of baseball's pinnacle Cooperstown inductees!

MIN BID $7,500

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