[novakjr]

It is a very over-rated card...BUT at the same time it is a really, really nice card. I think Patrick hit it on the head, when he referred to the fact that most people forget about the NM drop off when it comes to first and last cards...But then again, people still pay a premium for those cards even when they're beat to hell. And as long as they keep paying, dealers will keep charging.. The Pafko however, has since been immortalized in Kevin Smith and Bruce Willis' collective brain-fart, "Cop Out". Hell, the card was pretty much the focal point of the plot. As a big Kevin Smith fan, it kinda adds to the appeal of the card though..

Off the top of my head, as far as high BV goes, the Pafko(I believe) is the 3rd or 4th most expensive standard issue Topps card ever produced. After the Mantle, Mathews and possibly the Mays. So, in any grade, it's a key card for anyone putting together a '51 or '52-current Topps run.. And that is probably the main reason that the NM drop off doesn't necessarily apply to the Pafko, or at least not to the extremes of other first/last.. It's basically a card, where the hype has created more hype..