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 #340, Yogi Berra, graded NM-MT 8.
While Yogi did insert himself into 4 games during the 1965 season as player/manager for the Mets, 1963 was his last real season as a player, and his last one in Yankee pinstripes. This is the final card of his illustrious Yankee career which saw him win 3 MVP Awards, 10 World Series titles, and get named to 18 All Star Games.
This entry in the 1963 Topps set lists Berra as Catcher-Coach. Four sharp corners and nice edges are a good start, but slight diamond cutting is present, with centering just slightly east on the canvas. Great registration is hard to find in this set, but this card has it. Some light color loss exhibited on the lower edge of the red bottom border is a common issue with these cards.
Only 8 of the nearly 1,300 examples graded by PSA have ever received a higher grade than the NM-MT 8 offered here.