Maris, Mantle, Killebrew and Gentile are on our Throw Back Thursday Vintage TBT Card for February 19, 2015

Floating heads. When you hear that, what’s the first thing that comes to mind, besides certain movies. If you thought of '60s Baseball cards you are ready for our Throw Back Thursday Vintage TBT Card.

This is card #53 of the 1962 Topps Baseball Cards release, recapping the American League leading Home Run hitter of 1961. The design is very much of the time and and being pre-photoshop, someone had to cut all those heads out and paste them together to make one cohesive card..

Of course this card is significant as it displays the 61 home runs Roger Maris hit in 1961 to break Babe Ruth’s record for most Home Runs in a season, with or without an asterisk. 

That’s also a pretty impressive line up of supporting players with Maris. And I’m not just talking about Mantle and Killebrew. Gentile was right up there for a reason. 

This is lifted from Wikipedia, but its my favorite story about Jim Gentile, a 6-time All Star. 

“Gentile's 141 RBIs in 1961 was second only to Roger Maris' 142 RBIs, however, analysis by the Society for American Baseball Research determined Maris was incorrectly credited with an RBI in a game on July 5, 1961. Maris reached base on an error by numerous accounts. Therefore, Gentile and Maris both had 141 RBIs in 1961. Gentile's contract with the Orioles in 1961 called for a $5,000 bonus if he led the league in RBIs. The Orioles made good on that deal 50 years later and presented Gentile with a check for $5,000 at a game in 2010."

Somehow the Orioles forgot about an increase to compensate for inflation.

The pricing on this card can vary widely depending on condition. 

If you are trying to purchase it raw (not graded or slabbed) getting it in a condition with issues should run you between $4 and $8, in decent visual condition card in the neighborhood of $10 to $20, and in condition to get you a mid to upper grade about $30 and higher.

Graded versions should start around $15 to $25 for lesser grades, about $35 to $50 for really nice grades and moving into just north of $85 for a NM to Mint and sky rocking to anywhere above $200 for the highest grades.

Enjoy this taste of Vintage and makes sure you check in Thursday for more TBT cards.