This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/23/2018
Here's a very attractive example of the most famous baseball card ever produced, the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle that's evaluated at the VG/EX 4 level due almost exclusively to the evident centering shift and its uniformly worn but still well-formed EX corners. Less than 10 years ago, the buzz throughout the hobby was whether a card of this caliber would surpass the five-digit price mark, and now that figure is way back in the rearview mirror with particularly appealing examples like the offered card making its way up into a range three to four times that. Though his debut in 1951 with Yankees was less than spectacular; a 13 homer, .267 performance over 341 at-bats, the bio on the reverse has him tabbed as "Joe DiMaggio's successor" based on his 11 homers, 50 RBI and .361 batting average in just 40 games and 166 at-bats with the AAA Kansas City Blues while only 19 years old. While Mantle's overall body of work, including a Triple Crown season in 1956, is well documented, one area of his game that is often overlooked is his mastery on the base paths. While not a frequent base stealer, Mantle knew how to pick his spots and swiped 108 bases while being caught only 15 times from 1955-62, an 88% success rate. Other than a light smattering of white print on the aqua backdrop to the right of Mantle's portrait, the overall presentation of the central image on this card is bold and sharp, certainly above expectation for the grade. The reverse gives no cause for concern, a slate gray canvas with solid red and black print that is devoid of unwanted stray marks of any kind. Whether it's a mid-level set your building or the end of a journey that finally lands your dream card, this PSA 4 graded beauty is a very respectable representative for any collection.