“These in the hands of our children can only infect them,” read a letter to the editor in the Verona-Cedar Grove Times in March 1962. “Surely, we can’t condone such exposure to violence and sadism. Is there no way to protect our children from horror-mongers?”
That sentiment of outrage and concern for the nation’s youth was in reaction to the release of the Topps trading card product “Mars Attacks,” which told the story of a Martian invasion of Earth. Despite the pushback from some adults, children loved the cards, and the set became a popular and historic release.
Memory Lane sold a PSA 9 copy of the first card in the set, “The Invasion Begins,” for $54,067.20 on Saturday night. The sale marks a record price for any card from the set, surpassing the $19,981.35 paid in 2023 for a PSA 8 copy.
It’s the sole PSA 9 example out of 488 graded by PSA.
Last year, Heritage sold a PSA 8 unopened wax pack from the set, one of just two graded by PSA, for $66,599.
The Invasion Begins card is known as the most difficult to find in good condition, with its position in the series making it the most susceptible to wear.
Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct.