(LOT 80)
1958 Topps #150 Mickey Mantle PSA 8.5 NM-MT+
You will get no arguments from elite enthusiasts regarding Mickey Mantle's supreme status as the king of the post WWII card market. His 1951 Bowman rookie and 1952 inaugural Topps cards have elevated him to an unparalleled prestige, with hobbyists scrambling to obtain his hallowed 1950s cardboard artifacts. One of those highly coveted collectibles is Mantle's 1958 Topps gem presented here in an absolutely breathtaking PSA 8.5 NM-MT+ holder. One of only nine examples at this hallowed tier, a fractional 0.4% have managed to exceed this extremely scarce assessment, with not a single "10" listed on the illustrious PSA "Pop" Chart! The unprecedented mystique of Mantle's "king of the hill" card market status has never achieved full resolution. True, his 1952 Topps rookie card ignited the fury, but the exact reason on how this cardboard icon rose to stardom somewhat remains a conundrum. What we do know with 100% certainty is that the pricing points for all of "The Mick's" '50s and '60s high-grade subjects continue to soar at a seemingly uncontrollable level, with the most advanced collectors rapidly jumping on the Mantle bandwagon.
This is substantiated by the record-setting sale of a PSA 8.5 NM-MT+ 1958 Topps Mantle for $25K in 2021, with Memory Lane fetching an additional $77K record for a PSA 9. "The Mick's" cardboard keepsakes are considered sheer royalty, and only a handful could possibly boast the combined rarity and high-grade characteristics of this seldom seen 1958 Topps 8.5 jewel. The flawless autumn orange background strongly emanates Mantle's classic portrait pose that portrays rich facial hues. No major surface flaws are evident, the razor-sharp perimeter includes four pinpoint corners, and the classic image exhibits the near-impossible to find near-perfect centering within four blinding white borders. Safe to say, this remarkable heirloom matches up to nearly all of the 9 Mint" examples we have seen, especially considering its miraculous centering, justifying its merited place in one of the most advanced Mickey Mantle or PSA Registered 1958 Topps gatherings!
MIN BID $5,000
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