This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/14/2024
Considered the team's heart and soul, Thurman Munson was the ultimate leader of the New York Yankees in the 1970's. He was the first Yankee to be named captain since Lou Gehrig, and guided his squad to three straight AL pennants and two World Series titles in 1977 and '78. Dying young has only enhanced his legend over time.
Freshly graded by PSA, this 1971 Topps Munson #5 All-Star Rookie has been autographed by "Tugboat" in black ballpont on the reverse (as was Thurman's tendency when signing his trading cards). The signature earned a rather disappointing 8 grade from PSA/DNA, seemingly misjudged by the grader due to its placement over his picture and bio on the back. The card itself, however, got a very significant VG-EX 4 designation to make it stand alone as the single highest dual-grade example in the PSA pop report (only five others have ever been encapsulated). The notorious black borders of '71 Topps make edge chipping and corner wear nearly impossible to avoid. This is simply a stunning example in both quality and preservation, well-deserving of its mid-grade card status.