(LOT 48)
1954 Topps #128 Hank Aaron Rookie PSA 8 NM-MT
HAMMERIN' HANK ROOKIE!!! The abundance of lofty prices being realized for the inaugural cards of Mantle, Mays, Jackie Robinson, Aaron, Clemente, and Koufax appear to have no limits, with the $12.6 million record sale of an SGC 9.5 Gem Mint '52 Topps Mantle in August 2022 propelling all 1950s rookie cards to a stratospheric plateau. With regard to Hank Aaron, for the longest time, his 1954 Topps rookie card was one of the most undervalued post-WWII cards. This disservice was finally dismissed via the current lucrative price tags now being realized for his ultra-desirable 1954 Topps rookie keepsake, including a $63K sale in August 2022. Presented here just happens to be one of the finer preserved 1954 Hank Aaron Topps rookie cards on the planet, a sensational PSA 8 NM-MT specimen bursting with pack-fresh quality.

Due to the known use of steroids in recent decades, many historians still consider Aaron's 755 lifetime home runs the all-time mark, dismissing Barry Bond's 762 figure based on his alleged performance-enhancing substance abuse. A member of the elusive 3,000-hit club, Aaron is also the undisputed owner of the most lifetime RBIs (2,297) and total bases (6,856) in MLB history, with his laundry list of accolades placing him as one of our National Pastime's three greatest right-handed hitters along with Hornsby and Foxx. Indeed, the Aaron rookie was significantly undervalued for quite some time, only now beginning to earn its rightful place among the hobby's most valuable inaugural cards.

Issued in 1954, that same year the Milwaukee Braves would call up their rookie phenom outfielder Henry Aaron, and he would certainly display flashes of brilliance by walloping 13 round-trippers in his inaugural campaign. A bona fide glimpse of things to come, the 1955 season would see sophomore sensation Henry Aaron reveal a breakout performance, with Hammerin' Hank belting 27 round-trippers, knocking in 107 runs and posting a stellar .314 batting average. The immortal Aaron was about to embark on an unparalleled career that would ultimately lead to him passing Babe Ruth's magical 714-homer mark when he belted an Al Downing fastball into the Atlanta bullpen on April 8, 1974.

This iconic rookie card offering is a grand testament to his MLB origins, and it truly does not disappoint with its breathtaking aesthetics. Imposing highlights include a crystal-clear Aaron portrait image accompanied by a likewise formidable black and white fielding pose, with both of these legendary images set against a super-rich autumn-orange background. Fine centering only exhibits a modest partiality towards the right edge between four snow-white borders, and the sharp corners, pack-fresh surfaces, and clean verso are the final exclamation points substantiating the world-class assessment. Recently celebrating its 70th birthday, this museum-worthy masterpiece turns back the clock to an era when Aaron provided the Milwaukee Braves with a sign of things to come in that historic 1954 rookie season, ultimately developing into one of baseball's top ten greatest players to ever grace a batter's box!

MIN BID $7,500
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