Auction Item Details
Lot 51
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Lot Number: 51
Description: 1954 Willie Mays National League Most Valuable Player Award (World Championship Season). Black painted wooden plaque measuring 16” across with its original octagonal sterling silver placard mounted on front. A 10K gold bust of Kennesaw M. Landis with cartouche is positioned above “Most Valuable Player National League” and “New York Giants” titling in relief. Gold nameplate with engraved “Willie Mays” nameplate is positioned above an additional date of “1954” incorporated into a 10K gold crossed bat and ball design. The larger silver placard is stamped “Sterling Dieges & Clust” at lower right. Black painted wooden plaque displays evident wear including some linear indentations, one horizontal fissure from typical wood shrinkage, and a few areas where the original black paint had flaked. The black paint currently on the wooden plaque was reapplied at some point many years ago which now masks some of the aforementioned condition points. Original Dieges & Clust manufacturer’s metal label is affixed to the back. Willie Mays captured the 1954 NL MVP honors in resounding fashion earning 16 votes against 7 for Ted Kluszewski who finished in second place. While Mays’ statistics for the 1954 season were certainly worthy of MVP honors perhaps the most significant point of reference may well be that he posted those numbers while returning to MLB play after serving in the U.S. Military in 1953. Along with its sister from 1965, the offered MVP award occupied a place of prominence within the Mays household for decades noted as a particular point of pride for Willie Mays himself. No better player could possibly represent the term of “Most Valuable” more than Willie Mays with this award easily ranking among the very finest of its type ever to have been offered to the public. Includes modern image of Mays receiving the award and a certificate of provenance from the Willie Mays Collection: EXEstimated Price Range: ($250,000-$500,000)
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