(LOT 62)
1963 Topps #200 Mickey Mantle PSA 9 MINT - Only 2 Examples Graded Higher!
In 1962, the legendary Mickey Mantle captured his third MVP award, leading the Yankees to a World Series victory over the San Francisco Giants. On the heels of Mantle's extremely successful 1962 campaign, the Topps Chewing Gum Company chose a stoic portrait pose of "The Mick" for his 1963 #200 subject that remains one of his most popular baseball cards. To date, of the nearly 6,000 PSA encapsulated 1963 Topps Mantles, this extraordinary PSA Mint 9 offering has only been bested by a paltry two examples! Exhibiting pristine technical attributes consistent with any Gem Mint 10 example, Mantle's sparkling portrait pose appears as if it was just printed on the glistening surface, portraying crystal clear clarity and superb contrast. Fine centering between three blinding white borders (with only a modest favoritism towards the left edge), and an atypical near-perfect green lower border complete one of the most riveting 1963 Topps Mantle subjects we have ever come across.
Razor-sharp corner tips, ultra-clean surfaces, and a seemingly immaculate verso are the final exclamation points elevating this timeless keepsake to world-class status. Unfortunately for Mantle, his 1963 season would be haunted by a series of injuries that resulted in only 172 "at bats", keeping his home run total below the "20-mark" for the first time in eleven seasons. While not one of Mantle's most formidable years, fortunately for collectors, his 1963 Topps issue emerged as one of his most highly coveted cardboard subjects, with a "Mint 9" example fetching $69K earlier this year. Considering the "heart-stopping" pricing points being realized by nearly all Mickey Mantle high-grade cardboard mementos, we highly advise you to capture this seldom surfacing "Mint 9" gem before its ultimate value soars to stratospheric heights!
MIN BID $12,500
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