Historical Hockey and Sports Memorabilia Auction April 2024
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/30/2024
Consisting of sixty-four (64) total cards and released right at the height of "Beatlemania" in North America fans were afforded the opportunity to see John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr in color on a grand scale for the first time as most of the published images of the time were black-and-white. Showing a full-color photo of one or more members of the "Fab Four" surrounded by a white border on the front, unlike other trading card issues, the Topps Beatles set featured no other markings or caption information on the front, while the reverse bore orange backgrounds with the card number in a black circle at the upper left and the set title centered beside it. Below the information were a white vertical box and a line drawing of the Fab Four, along with a trivia question. Card #s 1-4 broke from the format slightly, offering brief introductions of each Beatle plus vital statistics. Offered here, we present this near-complete set of Topps' 1964 Beatles Color release that includes sixty-one (61) that have been graded by PSA. An exceptional high-grade build, almost all of the included graded cards display makes of NM-MT 8 over their labels and if this set was to be added to the PSA Set Registry it would surely crack the Top 10 of the current finest sets that are currently listed. Missing just card #44 to be considered complete, it is also worth noting that card #39 is present and accounted for but has not been graded while card #4 has been graded by Global Authority to the tune of an EX-MT 6 designation. Also including an original wax wrapper that once housed cards from the release that remains in good condition with the typical and expected wear observed, also present are a quartet of extras (card's #18, #37, #46 and #57) and a pair of 1996 Sportstime 23k gold plated cards of the Abbey Road album cover that have been stamped with limited-edition serial numbers on the reverses. Led in terms of grade by a trio of PSA MINT 9's, including cards 18-Ringo, George, John and Paul - George Speaking ("OC" qualifier), 21-George, John, Ringo and Paul - Paul Speaking ("OC" qualifier) and 37-Paul, George, John - Ringo Speaking ("OC" qualifier), the group of NM-MT 8's include #'s 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63 and 64, though it needs to be mentioned that the 8's of cards #25 and #46 display "OC" (off-center) and "MC" (miscut) qualifiers respectively. Finally, the assembly is rounded out by a trio of NM 7's that includes #'s 2-Meet Paul McCartney, 13-John and Paul - Paul Speaking and finally, 20-Ringo - John Speaking.
With all the holders in generally good condition except for some light scratches and scuffs that are worth pointing out for accuracy, It must be noted that the grading standards followed by Global Authority may not correspond to those currently employed by PSA, BGS or SGC. The outcome of an attempted cross-over of this piece through any of those services, then, would be uncertain and cannot be guaranteed.
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