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Description

1951 Bowman Willie Mays Rookie #305 PSA EX-MT 6 (MC). If judging baseball players by the "five tools" system, New York/San Francisco Giants legend Willie Mays would be the greatest to have ever played the game. Known as the "Say Hey Kid," Mays was a 24 time All-Star who, with the exception of pitching, really could pretty much do it all. Owning a lifetime batting average of .301 with 660 home runs and 339 steals to his name, Mays easily ranks among the all-time greats. But with 12 Gold Gloves to his credit, he easily stands out with the "five tools" mindset. Only Babe Ruth surpassed Mays when the Sporting News published a list of "Baseball's 100 Greatest Players of the 20th Century." Not many Major Leaguers were able to approach Babe's numbers in any of the categories, but Mays certainly made it interesting. A two-time NL MVP (1954 and '65), Willie was elected to Cooperstown in 1979 as a first-ballot inductee with an overwhelming 94.7% of the vote.

Presented is his highly cherished 1951 Bowman rookie card that shows Willie getting ready to crush an incoming pitch. This example exhibits bold, eye-catching color and stands as one of the visual highlights of the set. Alongside the Mickey Mantle rookie (#253), card #305 serves as a cornerstone that anchors the overall appeal and value of this celebrated release. Its presence elevates any 1951 Bowman collection to a new level of prestige, even with the noted miscut qualifier. Graded PSA EX-MT 6 (MC).


Guide Value or Estimate: $6,000 - up.

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Auction Info

Proxy Bidding Ends 
December
19th Friday 10:00 pm CT
Auction Dates
December
19th-21st Friday-Sunday
Proxy Bidding Time Remaining 
0 Days 22h 59m 51s
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 11
Lot Tracking Activity: 36
Page Views: 108

Buyer's Premium per Lot:
22% of the successful bid (minimum $29) per lot.

This lot is in: 1 - Signature Internet Extended Bid Session - Extended Bidding :
(Lots 80001-82194) - 10:00 PM Central Time, Friday, December 19, 2025.
[Normal bidding closes and extended bidding begins at 10:00 PM Central Time the evening of the session. Details below.]

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Additional Location Info:
Heritage Auctions
2801 W. Airport Freeway
Dallas, TX 75261

Current Bid:
$3,100
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