This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/1/2022
It might seem strange to think that a baseball card with a value well into five digits is one of the most undervalued specimens in the hobby, but that's the case with the 1953 Topps Mantle. Compared to a similarly graded 1952 Topps Mantle, the '53 Mantle comes in at a mere fraction of the cost and is a more aesthetically pleasing card. Granted, the 1952 Mantle is unquestionably the standard-bearer of post-war baseball cards, but with the price for even a minimum grade example out of reach for most collectors, the 1953 issue offers the next best thing and can still be had at mid-grade or higher. Entering his third season in the big leagues, Mickey Mantle was coming off an impressive campaign where he posted a .311 batting average but still not delivering the power numbers of his legendary predecessors; that wouldn't come until 1955 when his 37 round-trippers earned him the first of his four American League home run crowns. This particular card is an exceptionally strong offering, displaying corners, edges, and image quality that rival most NBM/MT specimens. The colors and sharpness of the artist's rendering of "The Commerce Comet" are as pleasing as any we've seen with just a slight tick upward in centering keeping this beauty from at least an extra half-point. A fantastic example for the grade.