1945-46 Caramelo Deportivo of Orestes (Minnie) Miñoso (HOF), graded SGC 2.5. Out of 60 graded examples of this card at SGC, only 5 are higher than this stunning example of Miñoso’s pro rookie card. If you are unfamiliar with this card set, 2.5 is very high grade--with very few 3's and even fewer 4's existing for any card in the set. Minnie's true pro rookie features a stunning portrait of the young outfielder a full 6 years before his first Topps card.

The cards in the two Caramelo Deportivo sets produced in Cuba for the 1945-46 and 1946-47 baseball seasons measure approximately 1 7/8" by 2 5/8". They are paper thin and were designed to be pasted into albums. They were distributed in packages of caramels and are often found with corresponding staining, similar to 1914 Cracker Jack cards in the United States. Most cards in circulation have been removed from their albums, and back damage is common. Fronts feature a black-and-white photo surrounded by a thin black border and creamy white margins, with the card number in a small circle at the bottom. Backs list the player's name, brief bio, and a promotional advertisement for the issuer, "Felices.”