Presented is a near set containing 404 entries from the 407-card set of 1952 Topps baseball cards; 110 cards have been graded by SGC and three cards have been graded by PSA. Truly seldom, before or since, has a manufacturer envisioned a set of collectibles with such inspiration, then executed its production with fitting, equivalent clarity. In 1952, the Topps Company, plotting a frontal assault on Bowman, the card-establishment monolith, conceived a set of baseball cards that would capture the market, once and for all. The cards would be bigger, brighter and far more glorious in every way, unlike anything young pack buyers had ever seen. They would feature statistics on their backs, bold "autographs" on their fronts, dancing, starry borders and eye-catching team logos. Every piece in this classic production breathes with character and seems to pulse with the life of the sport. Visually, the series is an optically choreographed gallery of color and nostalgia. And now, just as in 1952, the Topps release shares the stage with others, but takes a back seat to none of them. Clearly, a fastidious eye and discerning methods of selection were employed in this splendid near set's assembly. Graded cards include:

Graded SGC NM-MT+ 8.5: 2 cards w/#'s # 318, 373;
SGC NM-MT 8: 11 cards w/#'s 304, 328, 334, 339, 350, 352, 353, 358, 359, 368, 372 McDougald;
SGC NM+ 7.5: 9 cards w/#'s 6 Hatton/Red Back, 31 Zernial/Red Back, 55 Boone/Black Back, 66 Roe/Black Back, 214, 325, 357 Burgess, 365, 381;
SGC NM 7: 21 cards w/#'s 113, 301, 321 Black, 322, 323, 324, 342 Labine, 346, 349, 355, 360, 369 Groat, 371, 376, 385, 387, 390, 393, 396 Williams, 397, 405;
SGC EX-MT+ 6.5: 10 cards w/#'s 161, 313 Thomson, 316, 344 Blackwell, 345, 375, 398, 399, 400 Dickey, 406 Nuxhall;
PSA EX-MT 6: 1 card, #314 Campanella;
SGC EX-MT 6: 20 cards w/#'s 24 Easter/Black Back, 48 Page/Red Back, 276, 319, 330, 331, 333 Reese, 335, 336, 354, 356, 361, 378, 379, 384 Crosetti, 388, 391, 392 Wilhelm, 394 Herman, 395;
SGC EX+ 5.5: 5 cards w/#'s 340, 348, 364, 374, 403;
PSA EX 5: 1 card, #261 Mays;
SGC EX 5: 16 cards w/#'s 19 Bucha/Black Back, 26 Irvin/Black Back, 59 Roberts/Red Back, 111, 175 Martin, 329, 332, 341, 343, 347 Adcock, 362, 380, 382 Jones, 383, 401, 402;
SGC VG-EX+ 4.5: 6 cards w/#'s 191 Berra, 317, 320, 337, 366, 377 Dressen;
SGC VG-EX 4: 5 cards w/#'s 11 Rizzuto/Black Back, 326, 351 Dark, 389, 404;
SGC VG 3: 1 card, #386;
PSA GD 2: 1 card, #1 Pafko;
SGC FR 1.5: 1 card, #363;
SGC Authentic: 3 cards w/#'s 312 Robinson, 315 Durocher, 407 Mathews.

Ungraded card highlights include: #'s 2 Runnels, 20 Loes SP, 22 DiMaggio, 29 Kluszewski, 33 Spahn, 36 Hodges, 37 Snider, 49 Sain, 57 Lopat, 65 Slaughter, 66 Roe, 67 Reynolds, 88 Feller, 91 Schoendienst, 122 Jensen, 129 Mize, 195 Minoso, 215 Bauer, 216 Ashburn, 227 Garagiola, 243 Doby, 246 Kell, 250 Erskine, 268 Lemon, 277 Wynn. (Duplicate examples of #'s 24, 31, 113, 161 and 371 are also included.) The near set is missing #'s 311 Mantle, 338 Yvars and 367 B. Thorpe for completion. Overall EX to NM or finer (some lesser).

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