We have made the decision to break up an EXTRAORDINARY 1963 Topps set - the #4 Master Set on the PSA Set Registry. The 1963 set is a particularly difficult set to complete in high grade due to Topps' poor quality control in the era which resulted in considerable print defects. The large and colorful border at the bottom simultaneously lends a distinctive design element and a condition challenge, as they are extremely susceptible to chipping and wear. 

The example offered here is card #550, Duke Snider, graded MINT 9. Snider came back to New York to play with the Mets in 1963 after having spent the previous 5 seasons in Los Angeles after the Dodgers moved from Brooklyn. There must have been something in the water that helped the 36-year-old return to form, as 1963 was Snider's first All Star appearance since 1956 and finished 10th in MVP voting. In the penultimate season of his Hall of Fame career, The Duke of Flatbush gave Mets fans something to cheer for in an otherwise disappointing season.

Snider's 1963 Topps card features a closeup portrait which makes it clear why another one of his nicknames was The Silver Fox. Perfect corners and sharp edges, with centering just ever so slightly west on the canvas. Nearly-but-not-quite perfect registration on the red bottom border and green circle inset keep this card from grading even higher than it already has.

You won't find a nicer example of this card. And that isn't hyperbole. Not a single example ever seen by PSA has received a higher grade than the card offered here.