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 #345, Brooks Robinson, graded MINT 9. Robinson was already a bona fide star by 1963, having been named to 7 All Star Games and winning 4 Gold Glove Awards by season's end. However, the next 3 seasons of his career were a stretch of dominance rarely seen, as he was named an All Star, won the Gold Glove, and finished top-3 in MVP voting each year, winning the award in 1964. His Orioles won the World Series in 1966, before making it each year from 1969 through 1971. Brooks won WS MVP of the 1970 Series which the Orioles also won.

His 1963 Topps card shows the 26-year-old eager to get on the field in his classic Orioles cap with an orange bill. Four fantastic corners and edges help secure the perimeter, while some slight diamond cutting and a minor registration issue with the red circle inset keep the card from grading at a 10.

Only 2 examples graded by PSA have ever received a higher grade than the MINT 9 offered here.