This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/11/2019
Marking the last time that Topps would produce a Mickey Mantle card during his career (and even that statement is in question as Mantle actually never took an at-bat in the 1969 season, thus leaving his body of work on the reverse of the card to be complete), collectors found it interesting that with all the quirky short-prints and variations that had existed since Topps' inaugural set, Mickey Mantle cards had largely escaped the "drama" until that final year. Of the group of cards that appeared with "yellow letter" and significantly more scarce "white letter" variations, there was "The Commence Comet" right in the middle of it. If grading population records are an indication, the white letter Mantle is about eight times more scarce than the mainstream yellow letter, and elite-grade examples like this SGC 8.5 NM/MT+ example are almost unheard of. Impressively well-centered with corners that sit at the precipice of MINT status, perhaps the extremely minuscule print mark in the lower left border was the deciding factor to prevent a MINT grade, though that seems a bit harsh. As with most white letter variations, the salmon pink backdrop is a little lighter in tint than usual but reveals no significant obstacles to a higher grade. This is one of the toughest Topps Mickey Mantle cards to add to any high-grade collection, and also one of his last. A truly phenomenal piece!