1968 Topps 3-D Uncut Sheet with Maloney and Fairly "No Dugout" Variations and Two Unissued Proof Cards

Sold For:

$27,000

Year:

1968

Auction:

2018 Fall

Lot #:

1400

Category:

Postwar Baseball - 1960s Cards

Presented is an extraordinary 1968 Topps 3-D uncut sheet with nine different cards, including rare proof cards (No Team/Player Designation) of Rick Monday and John O'Donogue, and also "No Dugout" variations of Ron Fairly and Jim Maloney. To the best of our knowledge, this is the ONLY example of this particular uncut sheet of 1968 Topps 3-D to ever be offered in a public auction. The additional scarce players featured on this sheet are Boog Powell, Mel Stottlemyre, Jim Lonborg, Rusty Staub, and Curt Flood. In the world of baseball-card collecting, many serious collectors revere the 1968 Topps 3-D set more than any other set of its era. Whether these cards were actually issued in stores remains a mystery, but legend has always had it that, as a test, a few boxes were distributed to select stores in the Brooklyn, N.Y., area. To the best of our knowledge, however, most 1968 Topps 3-D cards (including this sheet) can ultimately be traced back to someone who worked at Topps or Xograph (the company that produced these cards for Topps). Both for their extreme rarity, as well as for their very striking and unique design, advanced collectors have always held 1968 Topps 3-D cards in the highest esteem. The fragile nature of all 3-D cards (very susceptible to surface cracks) make high-grade examples all the rarer. This is a beautiful sheet! It is bright, crisp, and clean, with brilliant colors throughout. The sheet has a Near Mint or better appearance, except for two lines of surface scratching on the bottom border affecting the Maloney card. The balance of the cards on the sheet are free of any noticeable creasing or cracking that so often plagues cards from this series. The blank reverse is perfectly clean. This is an extremely significant uncut sheet of 1968 Topps 3-D baseball cards, which would serve as an outstanding addition to any world-class uncut sheet or Topps collection. Dimensions: 7.25 x 11 inches. Reserve $5,000. Estimate (open).