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 #415, Bob Gibson, graded NM-MT 8. Gibson set his career high with 18 wins during the 1963 season. It was the third consecutive season he set a new career high, a trend that would miraculously continue for three additional seasons after this. He had 204 strikeouts, the second of nine career seasons with 200+ in his Hall of Fame career.

His 1963 Topps card shows the 27-year-old with an intimidating half smile, looking off in the distance. Four sharp corners and strong borders. Great colors, especially with the red bottom border complementing the logo on Gibson's St. Louis Cardinals hat. A minor print registration issue with that red border and some light color loss at its bottom edge are common for the set, but help explain the card's technical grade. Centering is east on the canvas, and there is a small mark in the right border, half way up the card.

Nevertheless, only 23 of the more than 1,500 examples graded by PSA have ever received a higher grade than the NM-MT 8 offered here.