Period-Signed 1948 Bowman George Mikan Rookie #69 PSA Good 2 Auto 9 - Only Two Superior - From The Golden Age Collection....

Description

Period-Signed 1948 Bowman George Mikan Rookie #69 PSA Good 2 Auto 9 - Only Two Superior - From The Golden Age Collection. George Mikan, the dominant force of professional basketball's formative years, reshaped the game with his size, skill, and scoring ability. Standing 6'10", Mikan brought an unprecedented interior presence, combining soft touch around the rim with rugged physicality. In 1948, playing for the Minneapolis Lakers in the NBL, he led the team to a championship in his first full pro season. That year, Mikan's impact was immediate and overwhelming-he averaged over 21 points per game and was named league MVP. His play prompted significant rule changes, including the goaltending rule and later the widening of the lane. You'd have to look to Babe Ruth to find an athlete with analogous influence over his respective sport.

One can only imagine what a Ruth signed rookie card would be worth today, but this auction will reveal the value of the first great basketball rookie card in autographed format. Only nine exist in the PSA population and this specimen is bested by just two others, but almost certainly predated by none of them. Let's remember that Mikan lived until 2005, long enough to participate in the mainstreaming of autographing cards. It's a virtual certainty that none of the others were signed within thirty or forty years of this one. Graded PSA Good 2 Auto 9.

More Information: The Golden Age Collection
Heritage Auctions is honored to introduce to the sports collectibles marketplace one of the finest collections of vintage signed sports cards ever assembled. This remarkable collection was meticulously cultivated by a single passionate visionary over many decades, with nearly every piece bearing a signature that matches the vintage of its medium. At the core of the collection is a breathtaking run of signed cards spanning several years from the late 1940s through the mid-1950s, widely regarded as the golden age of post-war sports cards. It includes complete or near-complete signed sets from many of the most coveted baseball issues of the period, including 1948-55 Bowman and 1952–1955 Topps runs. Also included are 1948 Bowman Basketball and seldom seen autographed football sets, such as 1948-55 Bowman, 1948 Leaf, and 1950s Topps sets. Each set is a masterclass in curation. In addition to iconic stars and Hall of Famers, there are countless cards bearing period signatures that are incredibly tough to find, either due to the short lives of the players or the relative obscurity of their careers. For set collectors and autograph purists alike, this grouping represents an unfathomable opportunity.

The collection's strength lies in its harmony of condition, completeness, and character, which is an homage to the pure intentions of its creator. With impeccable provenance and a once-in-a-generation level of aesthetic quality, this collection is a celebration of the intersection of sport, history and the spirit of collecting, offering pieces that transcend the hobby and enter the realm of legacy.


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