Sorry for the small scan; it’s tiny in the 1995 National Sports Collectors Convention Auction catalog, and it’s the best I could do. I haven’t been able to find a resale example, but it’s an incredible piece of hobby history.
Dated March 1, 1963, the one-page contract grants Topps Chewing Gum the right to include Cincinnati Reds rookie hopeful Pete Rose on card #537 in the 1963 Topps Baseball set. The fully executed document is autographed by Rose and accompanied by the original $75 paycheck from Topps, dated May 16, 1963, endorsed on the back with a vintage Pete Rose signature.
In my research, I’ve found just one other Pete Rose Topps contract: a 1971 example sold by Lelands in December 2002 for $616. Unfortunately, this image is quite small, as well.
Lelands noted, “Actual Topps contract is signed by both Pete and Topps legend Sy Berger. Pete has also dated it ‘3-20-71.’ It is for $75 and believe it or not we have the original check here as well. Dated May 18, 1971, it is countersigned by ‘Pete Rose’ and cashed. NRMT.”
Happy collecting!
P.S. Here’s Rose’s 1963 rookie card, more on the single PSA 10 and SGC 10 copies later.
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