1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle GAI NM-MT 8

Sold For:

$30,000

Year:

1952

Auction:

2014 Fall

Lot #:

526

Category:

Postwar Baseball - 1950s Cards

Graded NM-MT 8 by GAI. Extremely high-grade example of 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle. One of card collecting's greatest classics, Mantle's Topps rookie card is the key to the 1952 Topps set, one of the most famous of all cards, and the single most popular and valuable postwar baseball card. This card is exceptionally attractive, crisp, and clean! While we do not believe this card would receive the same grade of NM-MT 8 from either PSA or SGC if submitted to them for evaluation, we do believe it is consistent in appearance with many of the EX-MT to NM examples in the marketplace. The corners are extremely strong and square, each with only the slightest touch of wear visible under close inspection. The blue background is virtually flawless. No creases or wrinkles and centered slightly to the left. To our eye, the card appears not just full size, but slightly oversized and nearly exceeds the size constraints of the GAI holder insert! The 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle has long been universally recognized as one of the most iconic "blue chips" of all vintage baseball cards, and even just a glance at its marketplace history clearly shows that over the years it has consistently risen in value in all grades. Recent REA auction results include a PSA NM-MT+ 8.5 example which sold for a record $272,550 in REA's May 2013 auction and an SGC EX/NM 80 which sold for a record $41,475 in REA's April 2014 auction. (A PSA NM-MT 8 sold at another public auction in July 2014 for $179,250.) This is an outstanding example of one of collecting's most famous cards, and would be a worthy cornerstone of a high-grade 1952 Topps set, a high-grade 1950s Mantle card collection, or any world-class collection of classic baseball cards. SOLD FOR $30,000