Andy Pafko only played two season in Dodgers Blue, but it happened to coincide with Topps first major Baseball card release. After putting out a small game-based card set the year prior, Topps decide to go all-in with its Baseball card set in 1952. That set would soon become the most iconic Baseball set ever made, and standing right in front as card #1 was Dodgers outfielder Andy Pafko.
The card featured in this post is a modern reprint of that card. It is a 2001 Team Topps Legends card of Andy Pafko, and it has a certified autographed of his on it.
The vintage version of the card is extremely difficult to find in good shape. As was custom at the time, kids would collect cards and rubberband them together. This would cause the top and bottom cards to be damaged, as a result. Since Pafko was card #1, his card was more likely than any other to be on the top of that stack. As the hobby matured, collectors made this realization as Pafko card after Pafko card would be found severly damaged. Today, an excellent (EX) or better conditioned card sells for a premium- a huge premium.
A lot of collectors mistakenly believe that this card's high book value is because it is short-printed. That is not the case. It's just that a vast majority of Andy Pakfo 1952 Topps Baseball cards are in horrible condition.
Check out Andy Pafko's career stats below, via Baseball Reference.
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