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 #325, Jack Sanford, graded NM-MT
8. Sanford was the 1957 Rookie of the Year, finishing 10th in MVP voting and making the All Star team that year. He next great season was 1962, when he finished 2nd in Cy Young Award voting, and 7th in the MVP race. The Giants expected big things from Sanford in 1963, and while he led the Major Leagues with 42 starts, he only went 16-13 as the Giants finished 3rd in the National League.
Sanford's 1963 Topps entry features an orange circle inset which perfectly complements the orange in his Giants uniform, while the bottom blue border adds another pop of color. Unfortunately, that blue border has experienced some color loss along the bottom and right edges, and at each of the two bottom corners, common with this set. The other corners and edges are nice, but centering just east on the canvas keeps this one from grading higher than it has.
Even still, only 1 example graded by PSA has ever received a higher grade than the NM-MT 8 offered here.