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 #120, Roger Maris, graded
NM-MT 8. Maris looked to bounce back in 1963 after a 1962 season which saw his home run total decline by 28. The Yankees right fielder looks tired from the previous few years of media attention in the portrait that graces this card, but his iconic record-breaking swing is featured in the red insert. Great centering on this one, but a soft bottom edge and bottom two corners keep it from grading even higher than it already has.
Only 14 of the nearly 2,900 examples graded by PSA have ever received a higher grade than the NM-MT 8 offered here.