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 #540, Roberto Clemente, graded NM-MT 8. 1963 was The Great One's fourth consecutive All Star appearance, as he was truly becoming one of the game's great hitters. He finished the season with a .320 average and 192 hits, finishing 14th in MVP voting and capturing his 3rd of what would be 12 consecutive Gold Glove Awards to end his career.

His 1963 Topps card is a beautiful portrait with perfect lighting, something Clemente was always aware of. Stunningly bold colors and sharp edges. There is a slight registration issue with the bottom blue border and the red circle inset, common to the set. While the top two corners are sharp, the bottom two corners and left edge fall victim to the light color loss so prevalent with the blue bottom borders from this set. A fisheye just above Clemente's last name keep this card from grading even higher than it already has. Even still, this card has tremendous eye appeal.

Only 53 of the nearly 3,200 examples graded by PSA have ever received a higher grade than the NM-MT 8 offered here.