PSA Magazine: 2022 December #012

Bidding Closes

Editor-in-Chief NAT TURNER

Managing Editor

JACK ARCHER

Senior Writer/Copy Editor TERRY MELIA

Senior Writer TODD TOBIAS

Contributing Writer RYAN PORTER

Contributing Writer DUSTIN PORRAS

Contributing Writer JON GOLD

Contributing Writer BEN MAGALANER

Art Director GEOFF PARRISH Designer BRAD CLAYPOOL

Photo Editor LUIS DE ALBA Director of Advertising REBECCA TRAN

magazine@PSAcard.com / @PSAcard

Copyright 2022 by Collectors Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any kind without the written permission of the publisher is prohibited. PSA Magazine is published monthly and nothing contained herein is a solicitation to buy or sell the listed cards by the publisher, editor, or staff.

Advertisements, articles and the price guide section of this magazine may occasionally contain inadvertent typographical errors, and market values that fluctuate. The publisher is not responsible for actions taken by any person as a result of such errors.

MBAPPE COVER PHOTO: SIPA USA VIA AP, JOHN SPENCER/SIPA PULISIC COVER PHOTO: JOHN DORTON/ISI PHOTOS THE PRINCE OF PARIS: DEVIN L'AMOREAUX

Editor's Note

TCG categories. We accepted our first submissions to grade Funko Pop! vinyl figures at the recent New York Comic Con, and most importantly, we’ve worked through the backlog, opened up lower pricing tiers and we’re turning around orders faster than anytime in the last few years.

The entire card world has been busy in recent months. New releases are hitting store shelves almost daily, while auction sales continue to reach new heights for PSA-authenticated and -graded cards, packs, tickets and autographs. Social media platforms are loaded with hobbyists posting the cards they’ve added to their collections or hope to sell in order to secure funds needed to purchase their own grail items.

In fact, I can’t think of a time when the hobby has been more enjoyable for a greater number of collectors or been more of a community than it is today. The diversity of trading cards and collectibles is at an alltime high. Collectors of all ages, races, genders and socioeconomic levels are actively engaging with each other, growing their collections and having fun together. I see hobby groups banding together to participate in random acts of kindness (#RAK), gathering funds to purchase otherwise unaffordable items for community members, and donating cards to get a youngster started in collecting.

Fall might be the best time of the year on the sports calendar. We just wrapped up baseball’s regular season that saw Aaron Judge break a historic American League home run record, Albert Pujols join the exclusive 700 Home Run Club, and Shohei Ohtani dazzle on the mound and at the plate. We’ve hit the midway point in the NFL season and the NBA and NHL are just getting started. College football is in full swing and NCAA hoops fans are buckling up for a winter full of fun.

Things are busy at PSA as well. We’ve added several hundred new staff positions in the last year and we’re transforming the New Jersey office into a fully operational grading center. Our expanded office space in southern California is open and fully functional, and the marketing team has revamped PSA Magazine, hit their stride with the The PSA Pod and is consistently posting new content on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook. The PSA Set Registry is growing rapidly with new sets being added across all sports, non-sports and

The trading card world is incredibly special. I feel fortunate to be part of it and have the opportunity to help guide and grow the hobby’s leading authentication and grading company in new and exciting ways that will benefit collectors for generations to come. I hope that you are enjoying our hobby as well, and equally looking forward to the next sports season, trading card release, hobby show or opportunity to get involved as much as I am.

Best, Nat Turner CEO, Collectors

The year 2018 was a coming-of-age epic if there ever was one. Should the packs ever not break favorably or today’s prospects stubbornly skirt expectations, curl up with 2018 like a good hobby thriller and keep those eyes on the ball.

Under center, it delivered Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson. On the basepaths, it summoned the talents of Ronald Acuna Jr., Juan Soto and Shohei Ohtani. From downtown, the talk was all Trae Young and Luka Doncic. These characters teamed up for an all-out offensive that reshaped the sports cards landscape. But for soccer fans and collectors, the best storyline was hard to follow — a literal blur — if only because its pace was that much quicker.

It’s 19-year-old Kylian Mbappé, playing for France at the 2018 World Cup. The glory was supposed to belong to Leo Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo that summer in Russia, perhaps, but the future cannot be stopped, caught, trapped or corralled. In desperate times, it can be fouled. For the best of times, it can be collected.

Facing Peru, Mbappé became the youngest French goalscorer in World Cup history. His two goals against Messi’s Argentina squad made him the youngest footballer since Pelé to strike more than once in a knockout game. Two wins onward, battling against Croatia, Mbappé again joined Pelé, this time as the only other teenager to score in a World Cup Final.

Picking up the story four years later, the game’s smoothest young star has banked lucrative contracts, ringing endorsements, and brand partnerships with the likes of Hublot, EA Sports, and Nike — a LeBron James collaboration included. He has fluidly turned the page on teenage achievements in pursuit of an elusive World Cup repeat while playing the long game of becoming France's all-time leading goalscorer.

And because the years have a way of sprinting by in a Kylian-esque flash, play a bit of catch-up with the Frenchman’s most notable cards and freeze-frame the fun way.

2016 PANINI FOOT CORENTIN JEAN #504 KYLIAN MBAPPÉ #505

Though some hobbyists might pause at a sticker being the undisputed true rookie, footy fanatics know they will always be king. And in Mbappé’s case, it’s not only his sole issue from 2016 but one of very few products featuring his AS Monaco kit. Of the 1,207 submitted to the industry leader, only 201 have earned the coveted PSA 10 grade.

The career paths of these two players certainly went sideways, as Corentin currently plays in the MLS for Inter Miami.

2017 TOPPS CHROME

UEFA #41

RED REFRACTOR /10

Donning his original number in what is widely considered his best rookie card, this Topps Chrome set has only gained in popularity over the years, perhaps aided by low population numbers compared to other Topps Chrome releases — only 1,600 cases were produced. It was also the first Chromium, shiny Champions League card to feature players in club kits. Score the Red Refractor parallel, numbered to 10, for an all-time grail and subtle color match.

2017 SELECT #224 TIE-DYE /25

Consider the colors an amalgam of all the soccer clubs he’s buried on the pitch. Another earlier release, Select's Tie-Dye parallel has earned its keep among collectors and is uniquely featured in this release with a Mosaic-like effect for added flair.

2018 PRIZM WORLD CUP #80

BLUE PRIZM /199

His first Prizm appearance was released prior to the World Cup in the year of our hobby, 2018. The #12 on the jersey is a timestamp giveaway, as it was later announced he'd wear #10 for the tournament. Many hobbyists prefer this over his 2017 Topps Chrome, and the blue-on-blue color match wins points for eye appeal.

2018 PANINI KABOOM! #KM

A breakaway burst, and then –kaboom! This stunner of a card was only attainable in multisport packs exclusive to the Panini Rewards program.

Part of an annual multi-sport promo set distributed through local hobby shops around Father’s Day, this is the only Kylian Mbappé card featuring the coveted “RC” badge. Beyond the base version /399, it has several parallels including Future Frames /50, Escher Squares /25, Crystal Shards /10, Checkerboard /5, and Hyperplaid /1. Sleeper hit.

2020 OBSIDIAN #4 BLACK COLOR BLAST

Chase down his first real chase insert from a traditional product. Though the hobby tends to prefer the white background of the original Prizm Color Blast, this card is black magic. The POP numbers are relatively low, too, with just 48 examples graded PSA 10.

2020 OBSIDIAN #79

ELECTRIC ETCH CONTRA /9

Black fades to white with a rare Electric Etch Contra sighting – a true case hit at one per. Every base card gets the treatment, so trapping a star like Mbappé might be easier on the field. Don’t try to tell us the red border of the PSA label doesn’t pop.

2021 STADIUM CLUB

CHROME UCL #KM 1992 BEAM TEAM — GOLD REFRACTOR /50

A legendary case hit throwback to one of the best card designs of all time, made even better in Gold Refractor mode.

2021 TOPPS CHROME #AUKM AUTOGRAPH SPECKLE REFRACTOR

This wasn’t just his first on-card auto, it was his first auto period — and the hype is real. After its release, it was announced that Mbappé was inking an exclusive signing/memorabilia deal with Panini. Could it make his one-off Topps auto more collectible in the future? Time will tell. Though the card is a stunner in any form, the glint of the Speckle Refractor really speaks to us.

Pokémon

When FIFA announced in 1947 that the World Cup would be held in Rio de Janeiro in 1950, construction broke ground the following summer for a new stadium. Less than two years later, it would be the site of one of history’s most harrowing sporting tales.

After a hiatus of international competition due to World War II, the highly anticipated event culminated on a hot July day in 1950 when the heavily favored hosts were favorites to take home the world championship.

The Maracanã Stadium, featuring an impressive 78,838-person capacity, was packed with more than 173,000 frenzied fans, making it the most attended soccer match ever played.

With only 11 minutes left in the match, the unthinkable happened: Uruguayan striker Alcides Ghiggia scored, giving Uruguay a 2-1 lead. Unable to equalize, Brazil lost. The stadium was struck silent, an entire country overwhelmed with devastation and shock. Young children saw their fathers weep.

One of those children was nine-year-old Edson Arantes do Nascimento.

Eight years later, Edson, now better known as Pelé, led his Brazilian National Team to the World Cup title in 1958 with a victory over host Sweden. He became the youngest player to play in, score, and win a World Cup final, capping a 5-2 finish with a second goal in the last minute of the match. Afterward, Pelé fell to the pitch, overcome with emotion. Helped up by his teammates in celebration, he too, wept. This time in jubilation, erasing his father’s tears from eight years prior.

This moment is captured on the 1958 Bremer Fachring Kaffee Fussballbilder-Weltmeisterschaft #12 (Series 3) card, a hard-to-find issue out of West Germany with only 20 total examples graded by PSA.

“I have never seen a card that more aptly captures the emotion and relief of a winner,” notes Al Jurgela, a vintage soccer card collector who shares his collection as @elrey_collection on Instagram.

Nikita Gotov, best known as @nikita_cards on Instagram, agrees. “This image simply holds so much — it takes full advantage of this beautiful moment with its print quality and size. You’d be in a tight spot trying to find a card that possesses more emotion and contains a story quite as special as this.”

They say a photo is worth a thousand words. Ironically, some leave us speechless.

Demand for this card is met across all grades, with a PSA 2 copy selling for nearly $5,000 last month. In May, a PSA 7 fetched $33,600.

After one of the most serendipitous Septembers in baseball history, the myth of Albert Pujols was cemented.

His character arc will go down in lore, as the legend whose career got off to a record-breaking start only to lose steam immediately after he signed one of the richest contracts in baseball history. The faded hero who watched his historic pace fade to fiction, only to have a career rebirth at the age of 41. The icon who launched his legacy into baseball history books by becoming the latest and potentially last member of the vaunted 700 Home Run Club.

And with a late-season surge setting the stage for a fantastic finish, Pujols’ rookie cards surged right along with him.

You could say it started on Aug. 10, 2022, in the rarified air of the Mile High City. Against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field that day, Pujols hit home run No. 687 of his career, but just the eighth of his 22nd season. To that point, Pujols was batting just .228, with a slugging percentage below .400. He went the entire month of June without a home run. But for a 42-year-old slugger, he wasn't half bad.

Then, on August 14, back in the friendly confines of Busch Stadium — where he chose to spend one last season before retirement — Pujols hit two more home runs. Four days after that, another jack alongside five RBIs. And two days after that, two more homers. And two days after that, another. That made it seven home runs in 10 games across 12 days.

Suddenly, 700 home runs didn't seem so far-fetched. But after an impressive August, it would take a September to remember for Pujols to reach the mountain top.

On September 23, in Dodger Stadium of all places — the setting of his career resurrection last year when he hit 12 home runs in just 189 at-bats — Pujols joined the club, bashing two home runs, numbers 699 and 700.

He'd mash three more over the season's final week to finish at 703, fourth best in baseball history.

You could say it started on August 10, but really, it started back on April 2, 2001, in the same place, coincidentally, Coors Field. On that day, in an 8-0 loss to the Rockies, Pujols collected his first career hit of an eventual 3,384.

Four days later came his first career home run. And another one three days later, and another one three days after that, and another one two days after that.

By the end of April of his rookie season, Pujols was hitting .370 with eight home runs and 27 RBIs.

For baseball card collectors who remember that April, it was the best of times. With Pujols taking over the National League and Ichiro Suzuki dominating the American League, collectors were blessed with one of the best summers in baseball card history.

More than two decades later, Pujols put the finishing touches on one of baseball’s great careers, ranking second all-time in total bases and RBIs, third in extrabase hits, fourth in home runs and fifth in doubles.

More than two decades later, his rookie cards are still some of the hottest in the game.

Between the nameless front, with a beautiful black-and-white picture of a baby-face Pujols, and the amazing back, which includes a call out to 1-888-GO-TOPPS, this is one great promo card.

2001 Bowman Heritage #2 National Convention PREVIEW

Arguably the best rookie card of the 2000s — or, at least, until his long-time Los Angeles Angels teammate Mike Trout’s 2009 Bowman Draft Chrome Autograph was released — Pujols’ Bowman Chrome rookie autograph was a smash hit upon release and has only grown in interest. A PSA 10/ AUTO 10 sold for $462,000 in February of this year. Just six PSA 10s exist. Good luck finding one.

With 94 cards graded PSA 10 out of a total population of 385, Pujols' Bowman's Best rookie remains obtainable and at least somewhat affordable; the last PSA 10 copy sold for $1,200 via eBay. Those looking to get into a numbered Pujols rookie at a reasonable price point could do worse than this one, numbered to 2,999.

2001 SP Authentic #AP Chirography

While his Future Watch rookie card, limited to 1,250, remains one of his great cards and is probably more coveted than his insert autograph, this Chirography on-card autograph is simply one of the most beautiful autographed cards of the modern era. Even better, the ink still holds up, unlike…

A not-so-insignificant number of these autographed cards feature fading ink, making well-preserved versions all the more valuable. But as one of Pujols’ first on-card autographed rookie cards, it deserves a place on the list.

A clean, thick white border. Beautiful typography. A freshfaced Pujols posing in front of a bright red background and timeless STL logo. Completed with the brand in holographic type in the top center, it doesn't get much better than this.

2001 Studio #191 /700

2001 Topps Chrome

Traded #T99 Retrofractor

Pujols snuck into the regular Topps Chrome set, but licensing issues cost Ichiro a chance at his own rookie card in the set. So, while both have Topps Chrome Traded versions — inserted two per pack in regular Topps Traded — this dual card goes down in history. The Retrofractor parallel, reportedly limited to 500 copies, has been graded 89 times by PSA, with only six 10s.

From a design standpoint, this card is pure eye appeal. Artist Bill Purdon captured Pujols in his ferocious stillness. His eyes pop. You can just imagine what he looked like in the box from a pitcher’s point of view. Maybe the best Topps Gallery design of them all, this has to be the best value of them all, too.

2001 Finest #AP Autographs

This is interesting. For some reason, Pujols was included in the autograph set, but doesn’t have a base Finest rookie card. However, for an on-card autograph that really pops in PSA 10 condition, this card is still relatively affordable. PSA 10 copies are rare but can be had for less than $3,000. Yes, we’re as surprised as you are.

2001 Topps Gallery #135

Not included in the base flagship set, Pujols was put into the Topps Traded set. Not rare by any stretch, it is nonetheless iconic as his flagship rookie. Nearly 2,500 have been graded, but only 249 have earned PSA 10 grades. Better yet, only 19 of his gold parallel cards have been deemed perfect, out of 260 graded examples.

2001 Topps Traded #T247 Gold /2001

Fast Five

WHAT IS YOUR TITLE AND WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU DO AT COLLECTORS?

I am the Director of Business Operations for Collectors. My day to day can look like diving deep into weeds of data, to calls with potential partners, to informing the stakeholders how we are doing as a business as it relates to our mission to help customers pursue their passion.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT WORKING AT COLLECTORS?

The opportunity to shape a collector's collecting journey. This means wearing a collector's hat during key process and product development discussions, and speaking up on how we can improve (or disorient) the journey of a collector. Being an advocate in an area that I am passionate about is truly a privilege and it brings me joy.

WHAT'S YOUR BACKGROUND AS A COLLECTOR?

My very first purchase was a 1996 Topps Kobe Bryant #138 rookie card in PSA 9. I started collecting because a friend of mine showed me how fun it is to collect cards of your favorite players. My joy of collecting sports trading cards elevated to a new level when the 2020 Topps Chrome Formula 1 set was released

in April 2021. My husband has been racing for 15-plus years so going to the tracks on weekends, watching Formula 1 and Formula E races has become part of our family's culture. When I became aware of the release, my husband and I immediately got hooked, opening countless boxes of the first year Topps F1 product and chasing Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel cards. The rest is history.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE ITEM IN YOUR ENTIRE PERSONAL COLLECTION?

It's hard to pick one and I'm sure I'm not alone in that assessment. But if I absolutely had to pick one, it would have to be the 1984 Coleccao de Cromos Ayrton Senna rookie sticker.

WHAT WOULD BE THE "GRAIL" COLLECTIBLE THAT YOU HOPE TO OWN ONE DAY?

A Lewis Hamilton autographed race-worn suit. Lewis doesn't sign too many suits, especially in recent years, and those that he did sign rarely surface in the marketplace. I frequently browse Formula 1 memorabilia stores based in Canada and Japan to see if they have a race-worn suit and I have yet to find one for sale. One day, one day!

©Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha ©Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, Toei Animation

By Dustin Porras

When discussing the most influential and impactful Japanese anime series of all time, it is impossible not to bring ONE PIECE into the conversation. First published in 1997, the ONE PIECE manga has expanded into a worldwide multimedia franchise, amassing more than 1,000 chapters, 1,000 television episodes, and is now the best selling manga series in history. The series revolves around plucky protagonist Monkey D. Luffy and his crew, the Straw Hat Pirates, as they traverse the seas searching for a fabled pirate treasure known as the ONE PIECE. For the uninitiated, it combines the red-hot action of Dragon Ball Z with the zaniness of a Tom & Jerry cartoon and epic worldbuilding of J.R.R. Tolkien. The franchise’s now 25-year history has included video games, theme parks, and even an upcoming live-action Netflix adaptation. But this December, ONE PIECE fans will rejoice as the franchise rolls out an exciting new endeavor: its very own trading card game (TCG).

To learn more, PSA spoke with the ONE PIECE CARD GAME team at Bandai Co., Ltd. When discussing the timing of this launch, they stated: “We thought now is the most exciting and best timing… ONE PIECE has gained a new audience overseas and brought back old fans with its addition to online streaming platforms like Netflix and Crunchyroll. The release of ONE PIECE FILM: RED created all-around hype for the

IP and was the optimal timing for the product launch.” ONE PIECE FILM: RED, now among the highestgrossing anime films of all time, certainly proved that ONE PIECE is still making inroads with fans new and old. So with the franchise’s hype at a fever pitch, what can we expect from this TCG launch? Here is PSA’s guide for collecting, playing, and grading the ONE PIECE CARD GAME.

A GRAND LINE OF PRODUCTS

The centerpiece of the Q4 launch will be the first booster set, ROMANCE DAWN. Named after the manga’s inaugural chapter, ROMANCE DAWN features a total of 121 unique card types, including even rarer alternate art variants. Bandai is also rolling out four starter decks, each themed after a different “Leader” in the game: Monkey D. Luffy, Eustass “Captain” Kid, Crocodile, and Kaido. These products dropped earlier this year in Japan, but the ONE PIECE CARD GAME team has stated that all cards found in Japanese (including promos) will generally have Englishlanguage counterparts.

What is immediately striking about all ONE PIECE cards is the artwork, which not only pulls from manga illustrations and anime stills, but also incorporates gorgeous never-before-seen illustrations,

commissioned from a world-class selection of artists. The ONE PIECE CARD GAME team shared a bit about their review process, which “ensured that only the highest-quality works make it onto the cards.” Fan favorites like Luffy, Nami, Zoro, Sanji, and others, grace several cards in the set, and even appear on rarer alternate art variants. These alternate arts showcase elaborate foil textures that give each card a super-premium finish and a boatload of eye appeal. Furthermore, limited-edition versions of the four starter deck “Leader” cards were made available at participating stores in late September as “Super Pre-Release” exclusives, each displaying anime-based artwork. While Bandai has committed to creating counterparts across all Japanese and English issues, these Super Pre-Release cards are currently the first and only items exclusive to an English audience, with no Japanese edition.

In the spirit of TCGs, there is a lot to love for not just collectors, but players too. The card game centers its gameplay around a “Leader” card, and depleting your opponent’s Life via battling and card effects. A ONE PIECE CARD GAME Teaching App — available on iOS and Android — provides in-depth tutorials for beginners hoping to get started. With competitive events having already taken place in countless hobby stores worldwide, the competitive community of ONE

PIECE is growing rapidly, and there are always new opportunities to join in.

HIDDEN TREASURES

The ONE PIECE CARD GAME’s high-value offerings make it a TCG collector’s paradise. When PSA asked Bandai which cards from the upcoming launch might be the most exciting for collectors, they replied: “One of the Secret Rare cards from ROMANCE DAWN has a special third version with a manga background which is harder to pull than the others and is the rarest card in the set.”

A version of such a card featuring Shanks is on display to the right, rendered with a stunning backdrop of manga panels that nods to the character’s first appearance in the series. PSA-graded Japanese edition copies of this card have already sold for a premium over its counterparts, with the English version expected to yield similar results.

“We’re also excited about tournament prizing,” the Bandai team stated, “which includes ST01-001 Monkey D. Luffy with alternate artwork, design, and individual serial number. Winners of Super Pre-Release Tournaments from September 30 to October 6 also received a highly limited version of the P-001 Monkey

D. Luffy participation prize card.” Cards like these — reserved for winners of competitive events — represent the pinnacle of ONE PIECE grails, and sit comfortably at the top of many collectors’ wish lists.

MORE ON THE HORIZON

On the heels of the North American TCG launch, there are plenty of other surprises right around the corner. A starter deck featuring characters from ONE PIECE FILM: RED is set to release later this year, and the next wave of major products — the PARAMOUNT WAR booster set and Absolute Justice Starter Deck — has already been announced for early 2023. In anticipation, the PSA Set Registry is preparing several ONE PIECE sets, in which collectors can compete on the free platform. For those who have begun collecting Japanese-released cards, there is already a set checklist dedicated to Romance Dawn that they can begin completing today.

Naturally, the ONE PIECE CARD GAME could not exist without the franchise’s revered creator, Eiichiro Oda, who provided supportive comments about the new TCG: “They’re really going all out… I can’t wait!” Bandai is a world-renowned publisher with myriad other TCG titles under its belt, spanning decades. When asked if there was a common theme or similarity that ties the ONE PIECE CARD GAME to Bandai’s other TCGs, they replied that all of their TCGs “feature characters from IPs beloved by fans around the world, have easyto-learn but hard-to-master gameplay that evolves over time, and card artwork, foiling, textures, and designs of a quality unmatched by other card games that only Bandai can provide. Another similarity is our commitment to implementing customer feedback into our products and providing spaces to play with and enjoy our card games.”

THE ART OF ODDITY

BY TERRY MELIA

He possessed neither matinee idol good looks nor the gift of gab, but Joe DiMaggio could hit a baseball like nobody’s business.

The San Francisco native, born Nov. 25, 1914, was the eighth of nine children born to Giuseppe and Rosalia DiMaggio. He tried baseball for the first time at the age of 10 and seven years later found himself playing alongside his older brother Vince for the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League. After three successful seasons in the PCL, “Joltin’ Joe” made his pinstriped MLB debut for the New York Yankees in 1936, batting just ahead of Lou Gehrig in the lineup.

His impact was immediate as he set a franchise record for rookies by hitting 29 home runs that first year. His mark would stand for 81 years until another rookie named Aaron Judge launched 52 HRs in 2017. In 1937, DiMaggio led all of MLB in home runs (46) and runs scored (151), and finished second in AL MVP voting. His presence was felt across the major leagues and the Goudey Gum Company out of Boston took notice.

In 1938, after releasing several baseball card sets over the previous five years including their wellreceived 1933 and ‘34 efforts, Goudey produced a short but memorable 48-card set. Called “Heads Up,” it featured two different subsets that highlighted the same 24 players, each captured on two different cards. It was an unusual presentation for a couple of reasons. First, the card numbering picked up right from where the company’s first set (1933) left off: #241 to #264, subset 1; and #265 to #288, subset 2. Secondly, it featured enlarged artist-colored head shots of the stars of the day connected to cartoonish bodies underneath. It’s a design that might feel out of place in the ultramodern market, even alongside Kaboom! and Prizm Manga inserts. But in 1938, it felt completely alien. As art has shown us, however, coloring outside the lines of normalcy tends to age beautifully.

The first subset sported a blank background on each of the card fronts, while the second added

smaller graphics and blubs to the card fronts, almost resembling newspaper-like cartoons. In fact, the presentation of factoids about the various players would be a theme Topps employed years later on its card backs. DiMaggio was featured on cards #250 and #274, and although this technically wasn't the first time he appeared on trading cards, these are largely considered his rookie issues.

Card #274 (with blurbs) is considered slightly more difficult to find than the #250 DiMaggio although both are tough to locate in high-grade condition. In fact, card #250 is actually tougher to find in high-grade despite being easier to locate overall. This issue in general is plagued by poor centering, print defects and toning, which are the biggest condition obstacles in the set.

As for secondary-market figures, both of these cards score a premium. Card #274 is the most coveted as it currently commands as much as $901,000 in PSA 9 condition according to Card Ladder. Only three cards have ever graded that high with no PSA 10s in existence. The last recorded public sale of a PSA 9 came in at $288,000 in February of 2017. A PSA 8 #274 sold in September via Heritage Auctions for $87,000. Card #250, meanwhile, has nine PSA 8s and two PSA 9s, while the population report has yet to show a PSA 10. A PSA 8 #250 last sold in December of 2021 for $78,000.

In the year the set was released, Joe D. had a typical DiMaggio-like season by hitting .324 with 32 home runs and 140 RBI. His value on the field continued to grow as did his legendary status in the eyes of the Yankee faithful.

Through 13 seasons in The Bronx, DiMaggio, playing center field, led the Yankees to 10 Fall Classics where they won nine championships. Only Yogi Berra (10) won more titles as a Yankee. A three-time AL MVP (1939, ‘41 and ‘47), DiMaggio also missed three seasons (1943 to ‘45) due to military service during World War II. His most heralded record — one that many baseball historians and fans believe will never be broken — remains his 56-game hitting streak from the 1941 season. It’s been 81 years since and only Pete Rose (44 games in 1978) has ever come close.

Christian Pulisic’s path to soccer stardom did not happen overnight, even though it may seem like it.

Just seven years after his debut with Borussia Dortmund, he’s got a Champions League title under his belt, status as one of the premier goal-scorers in soccer, and one of the most fanatic fan bases in all of football.

What’s next for the footy phenom? A chance to lead Team USA to levels never before reached, on soccer’s grandest stage.

Can Captain America and a talented group of fellow youngsters help lift the country to the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 2002? Or, perhaps, even further?

The whole country will be following come late November. Forget the country — the whole world will be watching with bated breath to see how Pulisic performs.

Now is his time.

We’re not so far removed from the days when Pulisic was just a glint in the USMNT’s eyes.

He was cultivated at the national level from a young age, starring for the United States on the U15 National Team, as well as the U17 squad. In 34 games with the U17 Americans, Pulisic had 20 goals, displaying a deft touch and a goalscorer’s attitude.

By 2016, at the age of 17, it was clear that he was ready for the big time, and on March 29, Pulisic became the youngest American to play in a World Cup qualifier in Team USA’s 4-0 win over Guatemala.

Since then, Pulisic has been a fixture for the Americans, notching numerous firsts:

On September 2, 2016, in a 6-0 win over Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, he became both the youngest American to score in a World Cup qualifier and the youngest player to score a brace.

starring for “Die Schwarzgelben” from 2016 to 2019, he signed with Chelsea of the Premier League for nearly $60 million, the most expensive American player sale in history.

He’s been worth it.

He ended his first season with 11 goals and 10 assists; ended his second season with a Champions League championship; and helped lift Chelsea to a win in the 2021 FIFA Club World Cup finals.

Now given his opportunity to shine on the world stage after Team USA embarrassingly failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, Pulisic’s status in the eyes of collectors is on the rise, especially as a legendary group of soccer superstars exits the national stage.

Hobbyists are bracing for a future that does not include international icons like Cristiano Ronaldo, 37, and Lionel Messi, 35. While both have plenty left in the tank, a new crop of heroes is positioning themselves to take their place.

Two years later, at just 20 years and 63 days old, he became the youngest player to captain the United States National Team in a friendly loss to Italy.

A year after that, he became the youngest American to score 10 international goals. He still wasn’t legally allowed to drink.

And that’s just on the international level. His club career has been arguably more successful.

In the summer of 2015, at the age of 16, he joined Borussia Dortmund and scored 10 goals with eight assists in 15 youth games before being promoted to the first team before the end of the year. After

In a class alongside England’s Jude Bellingham (19), Spain’s Pedri (20), Brazil’s Vinicius Jr. (22), England’s Phil Foden (22) and France’s Kylian Mbappé (23), Pulisic is the elder statesman, having turned 24 in September.

It will take a heroic performance in the World Cup — and perhaps the first sustained run for Team USA in two decades — to vault Pulisic to the top of the list of footy's future phenoms. If he does lead his country deep into the tournament, his cards are set to skyrocket.

But even if he doesn’t — Americans are trained for disappointment when it comes to the USMNT — Pulisic cards are set to stand the test of time.

Considered Pulisic’s first official card, Panini inserted soccer’s version of Rated Rookies at a clip of two per box, and with 30 in the subset, that’s no easy find. Parallel versions are even rarer, and some have hit four figures for PSA 10 versions.

A short lived throwback to an obscure Pinnacle set, this patriotic Pulisic prize flies under the radar — and shouldn't.

2016 Panini Select #287 Copper Prizm /49

It’s hard to select a favorite from this set, but you can’t really go wrong with Pulisic’s Field Level rookie card, especially in the striking Copper Prizm parallel numbered to 49 copies. Pulisic also has coveted cards in the regular autograph set, Emerging Stars autograph set and the Jersey Autograph set.

2017 Panini Nobility #100 Red /199

A minimalistic and elegant set, the 2017 Panini Nobility brand features a memorable design and the red parallel serves as a top-rate color match. Just seven have been graded by PSA, with five PSA 10s. His base version has a low population, as well, with just 33 graded PSA 10.

A Christian Pulisic personal collection is cool. A Christian Pulisic and Captain America personal collection is even cooler.

Three acts that fight for truth and justice:

Though Pulisic’s first real autographed patch cards appear in 2016 Panini Select, the options from 2017 Immaculate dazzle at a higher level. The Patch Autographs in the Team USA kit are the most coveted for obvious reasons but there are plenty of ways to go right, and none to go wrong when it comes to his Immaculate debut. The Boot Signature set, which features an on-card autograph as well as multicolor swatches of Pulisic’s cleats, is especially collectible, while the acetate on-card autos are even nicer.

A year after Pulisic's first Topps card from the 2016 Topps Match Attax set, Pulisic's first truly desirable card from sports cards’ most iconic brand comes with 2017 Topps Chrome UCL. A Red Refractor parallel in PSA 10 sold for $7,500 in January 2021. That feels awfully low.

Pulisic’s first Zebra parallel comes from his second-year set, but that does little to take away from the collectability. While the Field Level is preferred in his rookie set, the die-cut Mezzanine #124 Zebra parallel has better eye appeal than the full-sized Terrace base set and Field Level versions.

2017 Panini Select #7 Kaboom!

One of three Kaboom! inserts to feature Pulisic, the 2018 version, released in multi-sport Kaboom! packs exclusive to the Panini Rewards program, has the best illustration, while the 2019 version, released in Panini Prizm, is the first vertical option. But the OG, released in 2017 Panini Select, is the OG, and you can’t say no to the OG.

The second of two cards in Pulisic’s first Optic release, this one features him in a Team USA kit, while card #66 highlights Pulisic in a Borussia Dortmund kit. Parallel versions are still relatively affordable, particularly Holo versions which carry a remarkably low population with just 52 in PSA 9 condition and 24 in PSA 10.

2018 Panini Donruss #170 Optic — Holo

2020 Panini Prizm Premier League Color Blast

#9

If Pulisic has the explosion that many predict he will, some of his cards are going to look like absolute steals in hindsight. The fact that Pulisic's first Color Blast, inserted in packs of 2020 Panini Prizm Premier League, commands less than $1,500 as a PSA 10 is surprising.

Player collecting has become significantly more challenging over the last decade with the remarkable increase in the number of parallels and insert sets issued each year. Unproven players have hundreds of rookie cards released before even stepping onto the field of play, and those hundreds become thousands for high draft choices. The story is no different for veteran stars whose annual card totals multiply at staggering rates.

Joe Prizio is a longtime card collector who some might say had the misfortune of choosing Tom Brady as his favorite player. As the individual that is considered by many to be the greatest player of all time, Brady has been featured on thousands upon thousands of trading cards since making his hobby debut in 2000, and these days very few of them come cheaply. And yet Prizio has amassed the greatest Brady collection on the PSA Set Registry. To employ a baseball term, he currently holds the Tom Brady Triple Crown as the leader in the Rookie, Basic & Collector Issues, and Master Set categories.

Still, the hobby’s expansiveness is a challenge to even the most advanced of collectors. Prizio’s quest is further complicated by his own parameters of attempting to secure the highest-graded examples of each card on his want list. Prizio’s category-leading Tom Brady Master Set currently stands at just 43.9% complete.

There is an old saying about a journey of 1,000 miles beginning with a single step. That is exactly how Prizio is tackling the Brady collection. He focuses on small subsets or individual genres of cards at a time, completes these sub-collections and then moves forward. It may be slow, and is definitely methodical, but without question it is also very productive.

Prizio took a recent break from work, family obligations, and wheeling and dealing to speak about his hobby life from beginning to Brady and beyond.

PSA: Your collecting story began many years before Tom Brady came to the Patriots. How did you first get into the hobby?

Joe Prizio: My collecting life began by buying packs of cards at the store with my parents and grandfather. I was always into baseball; it was a 24/7 thing for me when I was younger. I think the first set that I was completely immersed in was 1988 Topps. Then in about 1992 or 1993 I began collecting some basketball, but baseball was still number one. There is a local show in Woburn, Massachusetts that may be the longest-running card show in the United States. My friends and I would always go to the show. It was a couple of miles away and we would ride our bikes there every Sunday. We did that through middle school. Things tapered off once we got into high school, but I was off-andon with cards through high school. I stopped completely when I went to college, but I finished school in 2004 and then got right back into card collecting.

It was in the fall of 2010 when I started buying cards heavily. I was collecting a lot of Michael Jordan cards then, as well as Tom Brady and Hall of Fame rookie cards. But Brady was my favorite athlete of all time, so I eventually decided to acquire as many of his cards as possible. I began by collecting rookies. My number one goal was to collect each of his rookie cards in PSA 10, or the highest grade possible as there are a lot of cards that you aren’t going to find in gem mint condition. I ended up accomplishing that goal, and then I moved into refractors and base … basically anything I could find of Tom Brady.

PSA: It sounds like you began collecting Tom Brady cards before they skyrocketed in price.

JP: Yes! He was much more affordable back then. At the time PSA 10 Playoff Contenders were selling for $3,500 and a PSA 10 Bowman Chrome base was around $150. Then the Championship Tickets, that was always my chase card. I was always looking for one in PSA 9. There is only one in the PSA Population Report. I spoke with a dealer who says he has seen a picture of the card and spoken with the owner, but it has never surfaced. Since then I have been fortunate enough to acquire a PSA 8 copy for my collection within the last year and it is one of my favorite cards.

My Brady collection has been my passion for the last 10 years or so. I’m trying to get as many Brady’s in PSA 10 as possible, or in the highest grade possible. I grew up watching the Patriots; football was always huge in my house. My grandfather was the president of our local Pop

Gold Refractors are among the crown jewels of the modern and ultra-modern eras, and what could be better than collecting gems of the man with more Super Bowl jewelry than any other player in NFL history?

The Tom Brady Gold Refractors Set was recently added to the PSA Set Registry, which features all of his Topps Chrome, Bowman Chrome and Finest Gold Refractors. It’s a big time set for big time collectors.

Warner league and he coached for what seemed like 100 years. He coached and my mother was the head of cheerleading in our town. Football was always a big deal in our family and we were always watching the Patriots. I was too young to remember when they first went to the Super Bowl, but I really caught on when Bill Parcells came to town and Drew Bledsoe was drafted. I became a die-hard fan from Bledsoe’s first season [1993] and have remained that way up to today.

I have recently been looking for rare, early Tom Brady stuff. He only has 13 rookie autograph cards, and I believe there are less than 10 from 2002. Two of the big cards I have picked up recently are the 2004 Ultimate Collection Jersey Patch Auto #/25, which is his very first jersey auto card. That was a big card for me and I was able to find it in PSA 9. The other is the 2002 Topps Super Bowl Relic. It contains a piece of a Super

Bowl football and is numbered to 150. I acquired the only PSA 10 of that card.

After 2004, Brady didn’t have any on-card autographs until the 2012 National Treasures release. In that same set he had a Virtuoso #25. Then 2014 was the first set of Flawless football, and those cards have really gone up. People have started to understand the importance of his first Flawless Patch Autograph. I acquired a couple of those cards in the last year. I also completed the entire run of Topps Chrome, Bowman Chrome and Finest Gold Refractors.

One of the best hobby decisions I ever made was to join Instagram. I’m not a big social media guy, but I was talking to a buddy right before COVID-19 and he convinced me to join. I’ve met a ton of collectors through the platform and made a lot of friends. It completely changed my experience at The National by being able to meet these people in person and talk cards, trade and acquire things I never would have otherwise.

PSA: You’ve collected several curated sets and your Registry preferences seem to focus on key players. You ranked very high in all of the sets that you collected, but eventually retired them to focus on your Brady collection. Talk about the transition from owning a wider spectrum of incredible cards and then shifting to essentially a single player collection.

JP: Life happens. I moved out of some of my high-end stuff to focus more on my family, move into a new house, have

kids. I enjoyed those cards a lot, but was happy to move them to the Hunt-Casterline Collection, which is second to none. That’s what this hobby is really all about, meeting new people and helping others build their sets just as people have helped me build mine.

Transitioning to Brady was a very easy decision for me because he is the Greatest of All Time. He’s a generational player and at the time I started, the value of his cards did not reflect who he was or what he has become. He’s right there with Michael Jordan, Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth and Wayne Gretzky. He’s transcended the sport.

I’m from New England, a big Patriots fan and Tom Brady was my favorite athlete. I had a passion to collect him, so it all just made sense to me. And I coupled it with the fact that I didn’t do it as an effort to make a lot of money; I was just passionate about simply building the collection. My first goal was to complete his rookie lineup, and then it was on-card autographs and gold refractors. As I completed one thing I found another niche of his cards to try and collect.

PSA: That is a good segue into my next question which is to ask about your process. It sounds like you select subsets within the Tom Brady offerings and tackle them individually.

JP: Yes. Like I said, first it was the rookies and then the on-card autographs. Next I moved onto on-card patch autographs. From there I tackled the Topps Chrome, Bowman Chrome and Finest Gold Refractors and XFractors. Currently I am working on the Basic & Collectors Issues set on the Registry, which is primarily all of his base cards. Since 2018 my collection has slowed somewhat because it hasn’t been cheap! But I was able to make some trades and work out deals on other cards. I’ve been very fortunate in my collecting.

PSA: Do you have a single favorite Tom Brady card?

JP: I would say that my favorite is the PSA 8 2000 Playoff Contenders Championship Ticket. It is one of the nicest examples that I have ever seen. The collector who originally owned it had other things that he wanted to do with his life and collection, so he sent it to auction and I was able to win it. There are only nine Championship Tickets in PSA 8 holders. That is definitely my favorite card.

PSA: Have any of Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers cards found their way into your collection?

JP: When I first envisioned collecting Tom Brady in anything other than a Patriots jersey, I didn’t think I would enjoy doing it. But after seeing a few cards and watching him win in a Bucs uniform, as much as I am a Patriots fan, I’m also a Tom Brady fan. So I jumped right in and began collecting his Bucs stuff and I am glad I did. But while he has a lot of nice cards, the one thing that has not yet

been released is a Bucs patch autograph. If one is ever issued and comes up for sale, there will be a war for it among Brady collectors. There are also so few on-card autographs in a Bucs uniform. They’re very hard to find.

PSA: You are currently No. 1 in the Tom Brady Master Set with roughly 43% completion of a set that requires 1,950 cards. That sounds like a lot of cards, but in comparison Trevor Lawrence has 6,151 rookie cards alone. What do you think of that and how do you view the future of player collecting?

JP: It would take a very special person with a very special bank account to even consider collecting these modern players the way I collected Brady. I can only assume that Lawrence’s number of 1/1 rookie cards is astronomical as well. Whether it be for Trevor Lawrence or Justin Herbert or anyone, it is impossible for a player collector to try and get every one of a young star’s rookie cards. I think Tom Brady has around 120 different rookie cards, which is a lot when you consider that he was a sixth round draft pick. He only had 13 different rookie autograph cards. The amount of time it would take to find those cards, let alone the money it would take to purchase them … I don’t think that kind of collecting is possible anymore. People I know are concentrating on specific cards now, certain runs from a favorite series or brand, because complete collecting is no longer possible. People now limit themselves to on-card autographs or on-card patch autographs from certain sets like National Treasures or Flawless. Collectors now have to be much more refined.

PSA: Where do you see your collection headed? Do you see yourself continuing to collect nothing but Brady, or could you possibly branch out into something — or someone — new?

JP: I will definitely continue to collect Brady. I collected Michael Jordan for a long time, but I found myself only purchasing cards from his playing years. Unless it is a very special card, like a Buccaneers patch autograph, I will continue to stay focused on Tom Brady cards issued during his playing years. What else am I going to do? This is what I love!

My one side project that I love is collecting rookie cards of 1980s and 1990s baseball players. I especially like them in the Tiffany and Glossy versions. They bring me back to my childhood. I also see a lot of Pokémon in my future as I have two young daughters. They are into Brady a little bit with pink and purple refractors, but they love Pokémon. I enjoy getting them into it.

One of my daughters and I actually met Tom Brady once. We talked with him for a couple of minutes earlier this year at a fundraising event in Florida. It was the first time we had met him and he was over-the-top nice and accommodating to everyone. It is something that we will remember forever.

the midas touch

Going once, going twice, going three times with

By Ben Magalaner

Unquestionably the most important card in the hobby, this sublime depiction of the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Famer turns heads like no other collectible. Its prestige is otherworldly, and Wagner's serene portrait would not look out of place mounted in the Louvre. Everyone wants a piece of this card, yet its exclusivity and scarcity are unparalleled, only obtainable by those with the deepest pockets. The mystique of this card — tracing its long history from the beginning of the 20th century to the present day — inspires feelings that remind each of us why we love cards.

The 1984 Panini F1 Grand Prix Scratch N' Play Ayrton Senna rookie card is one of the most difficult Formula 1 collectibles to find in a high grade. This PSA 7 offering — the highestgraded example among the nearly 50 in PSA's census reporting — set an impressive record in Goldin's recent sale. At $46,800, this one shattered the previous record, per Card Ladder, of $30,600 for this card. The Brazilian legend, who tragically passed away in 1994, remains one of the most beloved F1 racers, inspiring generations of drivers and fans who admired his aggressive and unbelievably precise style of racing.

Mickey Mantle's outstanding career is summarized fully on this scarce 1969 Topps collectible featuring a rare "White Letter" depiction of the Commerce Comet's iconic appellation. With an astronomical final price of $74,400, this card dwarfs Card Ladder's previous record for this card at the premium PSA 8 grade ($27,631). Mantle's most popular cards — think the 1951 Bowman or 1952 Topps — show a player standing on the brink of superstardom, but this elite representation of the 20-time MLB All-Star depicts a Hall of Famer with absolutely nothing left to prove. Freshfaced phenom or grizzled veteran, no one did it quite like The Mick.

PSA Grading Standards

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

NUMERICAL GRADES FOR TRADING CARDS

GEM-MT 10: GEM MINT

A PSA Gem Mint 10 card is a virtually perfect card. Attributes include four perfectly sharp corners, sharp focus and full original gloss. A PSA Gem Mint 10 card must be free of staining of any kind, but an allowance may be made for a slight printing imperfection, if it doesn’t impair the overall appeal of the card. The image must be centered on the card within a tolerance not to exceed approximately 55/45 to 60/40 percent on the front, and 75/25 percent on the reverse.

MINT 9: MINT

A PSA Mint 9 is a superb condition card that exhibits only one of the following minor flaws: a very slight wax stain on reverse, a minor printing imperfection or slightly off-white borders. Centering must be approximately 60/40 to 65/35 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the reverse.

NM-MT 8: NEAR MINT-MINT

A PSA NM-MT 8 is a super high-end card that appears Mint 9 at first glance, but upon closer inspection, the card can exhibit the following: a very slight wax stain on reverse, slightest fraying at one or two corners, a minor printing imperfection, and/or slightly off-white borders. Centering must be approximately 65/35 to 70/30 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the reverse.

NM 7: NEAR MINT

A PSA NM 7 is a card with just a slight surface wear visible upon close inspection. There may be slight fraying on some corners. Picture focus may be slightly out-of-register. A minor printing blemish is acceptable. Slight wax staining is acceptable on the back of the card only. Most of the original gloss is retained. Centering must be approximately 70/30 to 75/25 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the back.

EX-MT 6: EXCELLENT-MINT

A PSA EX-MT 6 card may have visible surface wear or a printing defect which does not detract from its overall appeal. A very light scratch may be detected only upon close inspection. Corners may have slightly graduated fraying. Picture focus may be slightly out-of-register. Card may show some loss of original gloss, may have minor wax stain on reverse, may exhibit very slight notching on edges and may also show some offwhiteness on borders. Centering must be 80/20 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the reverse.

EX 5: EXCELLENT

On PSA EX-5 cards, very minor rounding of the corners is becoming evident. Surface wear or printing defects are more visible. There may be minor chipping on edges. Loss of original gloss will be more apparent. Focus of picture may be slightly out-of-register. Several light scratches may be visible

upon close inspection, but do not detract from the appeal of the card. Card may show some off-whiteness of borders. Centering must be 85/15 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the back.

VG-EX 4: VERY GOOD-EXCELLENT

A PSA VG-EX 4 card’s corners may be slightly rounded. Surface wear is noticeable but modest. The card may have light scuffing or light scratches. Some original gloss will be retained. Borders may be slightly off-white. A light crease may be visible. Centering must be 85/15 or better on the front and 90/10 or better on the back.

VG 3: VERY GOOD

A PSA VG 3 card reveals some rounding of the corners, though not extreme. Some surface wear will be apparent, along with possible light scuffing or light scratches. Focus may be somewhat off-register and edges may exhibit noticeable wear. Much, but not all, of the card’s original gloss will be lost. Borders may be somewhat yellowed and/or discolored. A crease may be visible. Printing defects are possible. Slight stain may show on obverse and wax staining on reverse may be more prominent. Centering must be 90/10 or better on the front and back.

GOOD 2: GOOD

A PSA Good 2 card’s corners show accelerated rounding and surface wear is starting to become obvious. A good card may have scratching, scuffing, light staining, or chipping of enamel on obverse. There may be several creases. Original gloss may be completely absent. Card may show considerable discoloration. Centering must be 90/10 or better on the front and back.

FR 1.5: FAIR

A PSA Fair 1.5 card’s corners will show extreme wear, possibly affecting framing of the picture. The surface of the card will show advanced stages of wear, including scuffing, scratching, pitting, chipping and staining. The picture will possibly be quite out-of-register and the borders may have become brown and dirty. The card may have one or more heavy creases. In order to achieve a Fair grade, a card must be fully intact. Even though the card may be heavily worn, it cannot achieve this grade if it is missing solid pieces of the card as a result of a major tear, etc. This would include damage such as the removal of the back layer of the card or an entire corner. The centering must be approximately 90/10 or better on the front and back.

PR 1: POOR

A PSA Poor 1 will exhibit many of the same qualities of a PSA Fair 1.5 but the defects may have advanced to such a serious stage that the eye appeal of the card has nearly vanished in its entirety. A Poor card may be missing one or two small pieces, exhibit major creasing that nearly breaks through all the layers of cardboard or it may contain extreme discoloration or dirtiness throughout that may make it difficult to identify the issue or content of the card on either the front or back. A card of this nature may also show noticeable warping or another type of destructive defect.

HALF POINT GRADES

Cards that exhibit high-end qualities within each particular grade, between PSA Good 2 and PSA Mint 9, may achieve a half-point increase. While PSA graders will evaluate all of the attributes possessed by a card in order to determine if the card may be eligible, there will be a clear focus on centering.

Generally speaking, a card must exhibit centering that is 5-10% better, at minimum, than the lowest % allowed within a particular grade. It is important to note that there may be cases where the overall strength of the card, such as the quality of the corners and print, will give the card the edge it needs despite the fact that it may exhibit only marginal centering for

the grade. This is especially true for cards that find themselves within the bottom half of the PSA 1-10 scale.

Finally, keep in mind that qualifiers will not apply to grades that achieve the half-point increase since, by definition, these cards have to exhibit high-end qualities within the grade in order to warrant consideration. For example, there will not be cards graded PSA NM-MT-Plus 8.5 OC or PSA EX-MT-Plus 6.5 PD since the half-point is reserved for high-end cards within each grade.

At this time, only cards qualify for half-point grades. Coins, pins, tickets and packs will not receive half-point grades.

QUALIFIERS

PSA will grade nearly every card submitted. Cards having significant flaws will receive “qualified” grades as follows:

OC (OFF CENTER):

When the centering of the card falls below the minimum standard for that grade will be designated “OC.” PSA determines centering by comparing the measurements of the borders from left to right and top to bottom. The centering is designated as the percent of difference at the most off-center part of the card. A 5% leeway is given to the front centering minimum standards for cards which grade NM 7 or better. For example, a card that meets all of the other requirements for PSA MINT 9 and measures 60/40 off-center on the front automatically meets the PSA front centering standards for MINT 9. If a card meets all of the other requirements for PSA MINT 9 and measures 65/35 off-center on the front, it may be deemed to meet the PSA front centering standards for MINT 9 if the eye appeal of the card is good.

ST (STAINING):

Cards with staining below the minimum standards for the grade will be designated “ST.”

PD (PRINT DEFECT):

Cards with significant printing defects will be designated “PD.”

OF (OUT OF FOCUS):

Cards with focus below the minimum standards for the grade will be designated “OF.”

MK (MARKS):

Cards with writing, ink marks, pencil marks, etc. or evidence of the impression left from the act of writing will be designated “MK.”

MC (MISCUT):

Cards that exhibit an atypical cut for the issue or ones that contain partial portions of more than one card will be designated “MC.”

UNGRADEABLE CARDS:

PSA will not grade cards that bear evidence of trimming, re-coloring, restoration, or any other forms of tampering, or are of questionable authenticity. In addition, PSA does not grade autographed cards dated earlier than 1998 or any cards manufactured by Star except Star Baseball and 1996 Star Topps (reprint) Basketball Cards; only factory imprint signatures can be graded.

THE GRADING OF HAND CUT CARDS

PSA will grade virtually any card that has been hand-cut off of a panel, box, etc. (Post Cereal, Hostess, Bazooka, Strip cards, etc.) keeping the following information in mind. This service does not include traditional sheet-cut cards. PSA will not grade cards cut from sheets that can be obtained in a normal fashion. For example, PSA will not grade a 1979 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky card cut from a sheet because that card was issued in non-sheet form. On the other hand, PSA will grade a 1959 Bazooka or 1961 Post Cereal Mickey Mantle because those cards could only be obtained in one fashion - removed by hand from a box or panel.

In order for PSA to actually assign a grade to any of the cards that possess visible/defined borders on all four sides, evidence of that border must be present. If the cut exceeds the visible

border for the card in question, PSA will encapsulate the card as “Authentic” only. If the card is severely undersized and suffers in overall eye appeal, the graders may deem the card not suitable for authentication or reject the card as minimumsized altogether.

Keep in mind that, for cards that do not possess visible/ defined borders, the cards must still fall within a certain size requirement for that particular issue in order to qualify for an actual grade. In other words, the borders must be virtually full in order for a grade to be rendered. Otherwise, as stated above, a label of “Authentic” will be assigned or, in some cases, the cards may fall short of the size requirement altogether. This is not an exact science. PSA will do its best to provide consistent guidelines for these types of cards.

In addition, PSA will allow cards that have had a coupon or tab removed from the original card to be submitted under this service. For example, if a 1952 Red Man Tobacco card is cut at or outside of the established tab line, the card would be eligible to receive a numerical grade. On the other hand, if the 1952 Red Man Tobacco card is cut inside of the line (the line where the tab meets the interior of the card), then the PSA graders will be precluded from entering a numerical grade. Cards that are cut within the limits established for a particular issue will be encapsulated and designated as “authentic” by PSA. All of the cards eligible for this service will be designated as “Hand-Cut” on the PSA label to distinguish them from the intact, “with tab” or “with coupon” examples.

PSA suggests that, in order to achieve the highest grades, the cuts of the cards should be relatively close to the visible borders without exceeding the limit. Cards that exhibit a clean, accurate and properly shaped cut have the best chance at achieving the highest grades. Eye appeal is very important. When it comes to excess paper or cardboard around the edges of the visible borders, the graders will place significant importance on overall eye appeal. Keep in mind that all cards of this type will be designated as “Hand-Cut” on the PSA label for accuracy. In addition, if the customer chooses, PSA will grade and encapsulate entire panels if those panels will fit in any of our current PSA holders. With the exception of the aforementioned items, normal grading criteria will apply.

THE IMPORTANCE OF EYE APPEAL AND SUBJECTIVITY IN GRADING

Over the years, more and more collectors have come to understand the basic guidelines behind PSA grading. After grading for well over a decade, PSA grading standards have truly become the official standard for the most valuable cards in the hobby. That being said, there are a host of grading questions that arise and the one basic question that comes up the most has to do with eye appeal and centering.

While it’s true that a large part of grading is objective (locating print defects, staining, surface wrinkles, measuring centering, etc.), the other component of grading is somewhat subjective. The best way to define the subjective element is to do so by posing a question: What will the market accept for this particular issue?

Again, the vast majority of grading is applied with a basic, objective standard but no one can ignore the small (yet sometimes significant) subjective element. This issue will usually arise when centering and/or eye appeal are in question. For example, while most cards fall clearly within the centering guidelines for a particular grade, some cards fall either just within or just outside the printed centering standards. The key point to remember is that the graders reserve the right, based on the strength or weakness of the eye appeal, to make a judgment call on the grade of a particular card.

What does this mean exactly?

Well, take this example. Let’s say you have a 1955 Topps Sandy Koufax rookie card that is right on the edge of the acceptable guidelines for centering in a particular grade. The 1955 Koufax

card has a yellow background that tends to blend with the border of the card. In other words, the contrast isn’t great, so poor centering may not be much of an eyesore – the borders are not clearly defined. In this case, if the card exhibits extremely strong characteristics in other areas (color, corners, etc.), an exception may be made to allow an otherwise slightly off-center card to fall within an unqualified grade (no OC qualifier). This is a rare occurrence but it does happen.

On the other hand, there are cards that technically fall within the printed PSA Grading Standards that may be prevented from reaching a particular unqualified grade because the eye appeal becomes an issue. For example, a 1957 Topps Sandy Koufax card has great contrast between the white borders and the picture because the background is very dark. It is possible that a 1957 Topps Sandy Koufax, one that technically measures for a particular grade – let’s say 70/30, may be prevented from reaching that unqualified grade because the market would view that card as off-center – based on eye appeal issues. Again, this is a rare occurrence but it does happen from time to time when a judgment call has to be made on a card that pushes the limits for centering.

In conclusion, the issues discussed do not apply to the vast majority of cards that filter through the PSA grading process each day but this is an issue that needed some clarification in the marketplace. The bottom line is that there are times when a PSA grader must make a call on a card that falls on the line between two grades and that final determination is made based on experience, eye appeal and market acceptability.

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71158 105865 129420 165205 195950 305555 628350 1998000 Commons 1144 25 50 75 100 200 275 600 1200 2850 Commons 145176 16 32 60 100 200 300 600 1250 2900

Otto Knabe 20 40 100 150 350 1250 3500 12500

Home Run Baker 35 70 175 285 500 750 1500 8500 20000

Joe Tinker 35 70 150 285 500 750 1400 8000

Eddie Plank 500 1000 3700 4400 4550 5000 6000 7250 45500

Eddie Collins 30 75 120 220 415 600 1150 3500 50400

Connie Mack 275 500 650 800 1100 1400 2500 3500 28000

Sam Crawford 400 500 625 900 1250 1500 1900 3900 11000

Roger Bresnahan 30 65 100 200 400 550 950 2200 13500

Johnny Evers 300 350 400 475 550 625 1150 2800 9750

Chief Bender 35 70 150 275 500 750 1500 5500 13500

Joe Wood 28 55 115 215 415 600 1150 4200 36000

Charles Comiskey 35 70 125 250 450 775 1850 4500 12500

61520 94475

220540 323835 640085 1738300 8399900

140 4552 25 35 50 90 125 175 350 1650 6000 Commons 4144 53240 20 30 40 75 100 140 300 975 4000 1 Benny Bengough 80 145 375 1215 2850 4000 10500 50000 100000 2 Dazzy Vance 95 195 235 670 1550 1925 2725 17500 3 Hugh Critz 15 35 45 65 130 250 650 12500 4 Henry “Heinie” Schuble 15 30 45 65 120 175 450 7500 5 Babe Herman 40 70 100 165 250 375 700 7500 6 Jimmy Dykes 15 30 45 65 110 165 375 4500 33600 7 Ted Lyons 35 65 95 150 235 350 650 2000 75300 10 Glenn Myatt 15 30 45 65 115 200 750 7500 17500 19 Bill Dickey 55 100 165 235 375 525 850 3650 15000 20 Bill Terry 45 75 110 175 285 425 750 2800 12500 22 Pie Traynor 45 80 110 175 290 450 900 6500 17500 23 KiKi Cuyler 75 100 175 275 400 450 1500 4500 20000 25 Paul Waner 45 75 110 175 280 425 1500 10500 29 Jimmy Foxx 150 300 500 750 1200 1850 4250 25000 31 Tony Lazzeri 45 75 110 175 290 475 1200 9750 33 Ralph Kress 15 35 45 65 100 250 900 6500 34 Bob O’Farrell 15 35 45 65 110 165 400 4500 35 Al Simmons 100 125 250 290 550 605 1000 3300 14000 36 Tommy Thevenow 15 30 45 65 100 165 400 4500 42 Eddie Collins 30 55 85 130 225 315 550 2200 44 Jim Bottomley 60 85 135 170 250 425 825 1650 47 Heinie Manush 60 85 140 215 290 975 1550 10000 49 Frank Frisch 45 75 110 175 285 425 950 10500 52 Andy Cohen 15 35 45 70 135 200 650 5500

110 Goose Goslin 28 50 80 120 220 275 550 1850 10000 117 Rabbit Maranville 28 50 80 120 200 250 475 2000 119 Rogers Hornsby 65 130 350 550 1000 1500 2650 9000 32500 125 Bill Terry 28 55 90 150 220 350 700 2300 12500 127 Mel Ott 60 120 185 275 500 715 1350 4750 45000 128 Chuck Klein 35 65 80 125 220 350 600 2200 10000 133 Fred Lindstrom 28 50 80 120 200 265 450 1950 7500 134 Sam Rice 28 50 80 120 200 265 450 1950 7500 138 Herb Pennock 28 50 80 120 220 290 575 2000 7500 144 Babe Ruth 5600 9350 15750 20000 39500 44400 107000 185000 2743000 147 Leo Durocher 30 55 85 130 220 315 450 2200 7500 149 Babe Ruth 6450 9600 17800 26100 38400 45400 141200 410000 154 Jimmy Foxx 100 200 300 500 850 1350 3000 15000 158 Moe Berg 28 55 90 135 250 450 1000 2750 8500 160 Lou Gehrig 2500 3200 5100 8300 14400 26800 34750 110000 576000 164 Lloyd Waner 28 50 80 120 200 265 475 1650 6500 165 Joe Sewell 28 50 80 120 220 290 550 2000 168 Goose Goslin 28 50 80 120 220 275 500 2300 8500 181 Babe Ruth 6100 10400 13300 19850 27000 35900 72000 135000 2028400 187 Heinie Manush 28 50 80 120 200 265 450 1500 6500 188 Rogers Hornsby 60 120 200 300 550 750 1500 3500 12500 189 Joe Cronin 28 50 80 135 225 275 450 2500 45600 194 Earl Averill 28 50 80 120 200 265 450 1400 7500 197 Rick Ferrell 28 50 80 120 200 265 450 1950 6500 202 Gabby Hartnett 30 55 85 130 250 365 550 2200 8500 207 Mel Ott 65 125 250 375 550 750 1500 15000 40000

1952 Topps PSA 6 PSA 7 PSA 8 PSA 9 Complete Set (407) 280045 413770 2414040 7250450 Commons 180 75 150 400 1800 Commons 81250 85 190 450 2000 Commons 251310 100 225 500 2200 Commons 311407 195 300 550 2300 1 Andy Pafko 2400 10000 57500 19000 2 James E. Runnels 400 1100 4750 18000 3 Hank Thompson 125 300 2500 7500 7 Wayne Terwilliger 110 250 1500 10000 9 Bobby Hogue 110 375 2300 10000 10 Al Rosen 135 250 1250 6500 11 Phil Rizzuto 350 700 4500 10000 12 Monty Basgall 80 185 1450 3000 15 Johnny Pesky 90 200 550 3000 17 Jim Hegan 85 225 700 3500 19 Johnny Bucha 120 250 1350 3500 20 Billy Loes 185 750 3250 8500 22 Dom DiMaggio 210 465 2000 5500 26 Monte Irvin 120 250 775 4500 29 Ted Kluszewski 135 350 2000 5500 30 Mel Parnell 100 275 1000 3250 31 Gus Zernial 85 200 600 2200 32 Eddie Robinson 110 500 2200 5500 33 Warren Spahn 190 425 2000 8000 35 Hank Sauer 100 200 1000 3250 36 Gil Hodges 275 425 2880 9000 37 Duke Snider 225 450 2000 20000 41 Bob Wellman 90 200 950 3500 42 Lou Kretlow 90 225 1350 4250 43 Ray Scarborough 90 200 1200 3750 45 Eddie Joost 90 210 750 2800 46 Gordon Goldsberry 90 220 1900 5000 47 Willie Jones 90 200 600 4500 48 Joe Page (correct bio) 110 300 1150 4250 48 Joe Page (error) 1150 3000 8000 20000 49 Johnny Sain (correct bio) 125 400 3000 6500 49 Johnny Sain (error) 1000 2650 9500 20000 50 Marv Rickert 90 225 1350 5000 51 Jim Russell 125 300 1500 12500 52 Don Mueller 95 160 1150 3000 59 Robin Roberts 135 250 1000 5250 65 Enos Slaughter 135 250 950 4250 66 Preacher Roe 90 200 700 10000 67 Allie Reynolds 90 200 550 3650 70 Al Zarilla 90 265 2000 5500 71 Tom Upton 80 200 1250 3500

72 Karl Olson 80 275 1500 4000 75 Wes Westrum 90 200 1100 3000 79 Gerald Staley 130 450 1750 7500 80 Herman Wehmeier 200 750 5500 12500 81 Vern Law 65 135 350 2000 88 Bob Feller 350 500 1150 6500 91 Red Schoendienst 95 200 500 4000 92 Dale Mitchell 85 190 450 1750 99 Gene Woodling 85 190 450 2000 108 Jim Konstanty 85 190 450 2000 110 Dutch Leonard 85 190 450 2000 122 Jackie Jensen 90 200 475 2700 128 Don Bollweg 85 190 550 2300 129 Johnny Mize 125 250 750 4200 136 Johnny Schmitz 85 190 475 3500 137 Roy McMillan 85 190 225 1500 140 John Antonelli 85 200 550 2200 141 Clint Hartung 85 190 450 2300 161 Bud Byerly 85 325 1500 4500 162 Del Crandall 100 225 1000 165 Eddie Kazak 85 190 475 4000 168 Charlie Silvera 85 190 450 2000 169 Howie Judson 85 190 450 1950 170 Gus Bell 85 190 675 2500 171 Ed Erautt 85 225 2750 10000 172 Eddie Miksis 85 200 1650 4500 173 Roy Smalley 95 240 1400 174 Clarence Marshall 85 190 550 3250 175 Billy Martin 400 650 2750 10000 180 Charley Maxwell 85 250 3000 7500 189 Pete Reiser 85 190 600 7500 190 Don Johnson 85 190 450 2000 191 Yogi Berra 1300 2100 10000 47500 192 Myron Ginsberg 85 190 450 2500 193 Harry Simpson 85 190 550 1500 195 Minnie Minoso 100 200 750 3500 200 Ralph Houk 85 190 600 4000 202 Joe Collins 85 190 450 3500 215 Hank Bauer 85 190 450 2000 216 Richie Ashburn 220 450 800 17500 219 Bobby Shantz 85 190 450 2000 227 Joe Garagiola 85 190 450 2000 232 Billy Cox 85 190 450 4000 233 Bob Friend 85 190 450 2200 237 Jerry Coleman 85 190 450 2000 241 Tommy Byrne 85 190 450 2200

9 Bobby Dillon 5 10 15 35 220 11 Roosevelt Brown 10 15 25 55 450 15 Jack Butler 10 25 40 125 750

John Henry Johnson 10 15 25 80 550 18 Bob St. Clair 10 10 20 45 250 20 Lou Creekmur 10 10 20 45 300 22 Norm Van Brocklin 15 30 50 125 750 26 Ollie Matson 10 15 25 60 900 28 Lou Groza 10 15 25 60 350 30 Y.A. Tittle 25 50 70 160 1800 31 George Blanda 15 20 35 110 1150 32 Bobby Layne 10 20 40 110 550 35 Emlen Tunnell 10 15 25 60 650 46 Elroy Hirsch 10 15 30 125 1200 49 Chuck Bednarik 10 15 30 70 600 58 Willard Sherman Error 260 325 410 4400 5000 65 Art Donovan 10 15 25 55 550 68 Yale Lary 10 15 25 55 650 71 Andy Robustelli 10 15 25 55 750 85 Dick Lane 30 50 125 750 11500 88 Frank Gifford 25 40 70 160 1450 92 Ernie Stautner DP 10 15 30 150 1500 94 Raymond Berry 150 225 750 4000 10000 95 Hugh McElhenny 10 20 50 150 950 96 Stan Jones 10 20 45 150 1000 97 Dorne Dibble 10 15 25 100 1100 103 Jim Mutscheller 5 10 20 150 10200 104 Earl Morrall 25 40 100 300 2000 106 Jack Christiansen 10 15 30 100 415 117 Don Bingham 10 15 50 350 5180

Bart Starr 1350 1825 3658+ 15340+ 433290+

Alex Webster 10 20 30 150 1250

Tom McDonald 25 40 90 325 2750

Lenny Moore 20 28 60 135 1000

Joe Perry DP 10 15 30 85 600

Howard Ferguson 10 15 50 315 2000

Johnny Unitas 800 1175 2500- 22420+ 259820+

Zeke Bratkowski 10 20 65 550 4250

Len Ford 10 25 55 290 1500

Paul Hornung 365 550 1200 4080 25600

Tank Younger 10 15 45 225 1500

Bill Svoboda 5 10 30 350 1650

Fred Morrison 25 50 130 950 4500 1962 Topps PSA 5 PSA 6 PSA 7 PSA 8 PSA 9 Complete Set (176) 2993 4744 12369 46705 235935 Commons: 1 - 176 5 10 20 45 400

Due to its large format, measuring approximately 2 ½" by 4 11/16", 1965 Topps Joe Namath #122 is subject to general wear from handling abuse and, as a result of its narrow borders, is also difficult to find well-centered. Keep in mind that some of these examples are found with a distinct print mark on his left hand. Hobbyists refer to this as the "Butterfly" variation, although it appears to have no affect on the market value of the card.