1962 Topps Willie McCovey PSA 10, A Rare And Coveted Gem
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When it comes to the perfect combination of star power and grading difficulty, the 1962 Topps #544 Willie McCovey stands out as one of the rarest and most coveted gems from a vintage baseball card perspective. Since there’s only one (1) PSA 10 in existence, this card has become the stuff of collectibles legends especially since cards from the 1962 set are incredibly hard to grade.
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What happens when one of baseball’s most feared power hitters of the 1960s is a darling among vintage collectors? A chase for one of the most sought-after early 1960s cards ensues and collectors start chasing both the original short-printed versions of the card, as well as the high quality and higher graded versions of that exact card.
Sitting at the intersection of nostalgia and perfectionism, the lone 1962 Topps #544 Willie McCovey is certainly a “White Whale” among vintage purists and modern investors who view pristine condition as a pinnacle of achievement especially in a pool of traditionally blemished cards.
From a pricing perspective you can find PSA 3s starting at about $30-$40, PSA 7s at about $200-$240 and PSA 8s selling for roughly $500-$750, but for those of you in the market for a PSA 9 you can expect to spend anywhere from $1,500-$3,500. When it comes to the lone PSA 10 version of this card, the sky is certainly the limit and based upon other sales this would be comparable at $8,000 to $15,000 in value.
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At the end of the day, this card is a symbol of everything that the hobby is about: the chase, the history, the community, the rarity and our love for the hobby. For some it’s the thrill of the hunt and for others it’s the dream of finding a long lost shoebox of cards in an attic that in fact contained the raw version of the next 1962 Topps #544 Willie McCovey PSA 10.
Passionate sports card collector and writer based in Queens, NY. Lifelong fan of the New York Mets, Jets, and Rangers. Covering sports cards and collectibles with deep industry knowledge and enthusiasm, while bringing a fresh perspective to the ever-evolving hobby world on http://SI.com/collectibles.
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