This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/19/2012
One of the undisputed "key" rookie cards from the 1970’s, this is one of a mere five examples extant at this level. Given that a total of nearly 4,000 examples have been submitted to PSA, this population represents about one tenth of 1% of all Topps Mike Schmidt rookie cards that they’ve assessed at the PSA GEM MT 10 tier. This scarcer "High Number" memento, with merely one-third of its pictorial content devoted to the Phillies' Hall of Famer, is a modern classic depicting the athlete who's universally regarded as one of the best third basemen of all time. The most notable attributes demonstrated by the offered specimen starts with its unusual trait of near perfect centering. Flawless photographic clarity, bright white borders and pristine corners further command PSA’s highest honor.
For Philadelphia Phillies fans, Mike Schmidt stands for everything great about the Phillies and the game of baseball itself. He spent his entire 18-year career in Philadelphia, carving out a legacy at third base that few players in Major League history can rival. His first full season with the Phillies, 1973, proved unremarkable, but in 1974 Mike Schmidt broke out to lead the league in home runs. This foreshadowed a tremendous run of success with both bat and glove. In a Hall of Fame career that would span the rest of the decade and most of the next, Mike Schmidt belted 548 career home runs, securing a legacy as one of the game’s all-time greatest sluggers.