(LOT 342)
1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle PSA 2.5 GOOD+ w/Ultra-Scarce Near-Perfect Centering!
Presented here just happens to be one of the most stunning PSA 2.5 GOOD+ 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle cards extant, an extraordinary example that includes atypical near-perfect centering! Indeed folks, locating a '52 Topps Mantle with his timeless image so extremely well positioned between its four white borders is tougher than finding a "needle in a haystack." It's not even a stretch to say that the centering portrayed on this world-class marvel is superior to most PSA 8s and 9s. After measuring the cards exact dimensions, we can truly say the hallowed image reflects both vertical and horizontal positioning at a nearly 50/50 level. The manner in which the Mickey Mantle 1952 Topps subject achieved its current mystique may never achieve full resolution, but it is surely "here to stay", with only the T206 Honus Wagner surpassing the stature of "The Mick's" inaugural '52 Topps #311 high-number issue.

This cardboard marvel's sudden rise to stardom in the late '80s and early '90s ably assisted the overall spots card market stature, with its incredible pricing points redefining one's perspective for utilizing cardboard heirlooms as viable investment options. For quite some time and prior to 2013, price tags for the 1952 Topps Mantle subject had remained relatively flat. That concept has truly changed course, with the $5.2 million private sale for a PSA 9 Mint example paving the way, as well as a PSA 8 specimen achieving a record-setting $2.1 million in Memory Lane's July 2021 auction. Even VG specimens have achieved record-setting prices in 2021, with several eye pleasing examples fetching $85K and $90K, and an absolutely stunning PSA 3 realizing a "record for the grade" $162K figure in March 2021. Typical with any market commodity, the investment values of valuable baseball cards likewise run in cycles, and the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card, dubbed the post-WWII "Holy Grail", continues experiencing an amazing pricing surge for all grade levels that have rewritten its overall value.

Synonymous with a rampaging tsunami, since mid-year 2013, the Topps Mantle Rookie value has risen to an unprecedented level, with low to mid-grade specimens now realizing 300% - 400% pricing upticks. Mickey Mantle's goliath-like power obviously contributed to his immense hobby stature, with the "Mick" blasting an unfathomable ten plus documented 500 ft.-plus round-trippers throughout his spectacular 18-year career. His mammoth blast off of Senators hurler Chuck Stobbs in 1953 at Griffith Stadium ricocheted off of the scoreboard into a neighboring back-yard across the street, traveling a record-breaking 565 feet from home plate! The Oklahoma Kid twice crushed horsehide spheres off of Yankee Stadium's right-field facade, and no player will ever hit more tape-measure home runs than the supernatural-like Mickey Mantle. No wonder his regal 1952 Topps card is widely regarded as the "king" of the post-WWII baseball cards, and this breathtaking offering easily stands as one of the premier "Good/VG" examples imaginable. You can literally feel Mickey's curious nature as he gazes into an unknown future, unaware that he would soon be embarking on a majestic career that would lead to his immortal Yankee standing.

Fine image quality for the iconic Mantle pose, clean white borders and the robust aqua-marine background can make any collector's heart "skip a beat", with the aforementioned unimprovable centering completely "stealing the show." Obviously emanating solid VG-EX aesthetics, preventing a higher technical assessment is even corner wear and the flipside's vertical crease/bend that modestly reveals itself on the obverse side to the right of Mantle's immortal pose. True, while a faint streak of vertical snow is evident, the sparkling hues, crystal clear clarity and pinnacle-like centering take full precedence on this world-class masterpiece. More than 90% of the existing '52 Topps Mantle specimens reveal skewed central images, and even the most meticulous enthusiast would be more than satisfied with this offering's "dynamic duo" of impeccable image positioning and image brilliance. It's certainly worth reiterating that pricing points for all '52 Topps Mantles are soaring to stratospheric heights, a bona fide testament to the unparalleled prestige of this post-war "Holy Grail" that along with the exalted T206 Wagner arguably stands tall as one of the two most historic sports cards on the planet!

MIN BID $15,000