(LOT 404)
1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle SGC 6.5 EX-MT+ - Arguably the Finest 6.5 EX-MT+'52 Topps Mantle Extant!
"No man in the history of baseball had as much power as Mickey Mantle. No man. You're not talking about ordinary power. Dave Kingman has power. Willie Mays had power. Then when you're talking about Mickey Mantle - it's an altogether different level. Separates the men from the boys." – Legendary New York Yankees Manager Billy Martin

Presented here is an absolutely remarkable 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle subject, an SGC 6.5 EX-MT+ museum worthy masterpiece clearly exhibiting eye appeal consistent with most Near-Mint or better examples. Its regal stature is synonymous with Billy Martin's eloquent words, for this card's spine-tingling aesthetics make an imposing statement similar to the unparalleled "crack of the bat" leading to a Mickey Mantle tape-measure blast. Indeed, no truer words were ever spoken with regard to Martin's opening quote, for Mantle constantly displayed supernatural-like power that enabled him to wallop a baseball above and beyond the physical limits of the standard athlete. Time after time, "The Mick's" mammoth round trippers would not only outdistance stadium's fences, but also their outer perimeters, with this immortal Cooperstown inductee twice blasting home runs off the façade of Yankee Stadium. It was in 1953 at Washington's Griffith Stadium that Mantle crushed a Chuck Stobbs fastball off of the scoreboard and into a neighboring backyard. Measured at a miraculous 565-feet from home plate, it still stands as the longest "official" home run ever recorded in an MLB game. It was this "Godly-like" power that certainly resides as one of the foremost reasons the 1952 Topps Mantle subject achieved its current mystique. The sheer combination of his majestic long balls and the 1952 Topps #311 "high-number" stature places this momentous Mantle issue right alongside the T206 Wagner "Holy Grail" as the two most recognizable baseball cards on the planet. This cardboard marvel's sudden rise to stardom in the late 80s and early 90s ably assisted the overall market stature, with its incredible pricing points redefining one's perspective for utilizing cardboard heirlooms as viable investment options.

Typical with any market commodity, the pricing levels of valuable baseball cards likewise run in cycles, and the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 subject is currently "smoking hot" with regard to its infinite-like value. The recent $5.2 million private sale of a PSA Mint 9 example translates to a staggering 79% or $2.3 million increase in the past several years over its previous $2.9 million public auction sale. Indeed, that momentous $5.2 million transaction has immediately ignited a seemingly irreversible meteoric pricing uptick for the 1952 Topps Mantle in any grade. This notion was firmly substantiated by the July 2021 mind-boggling $2.1 million record sale for the Dr. Newman PSA NM/MT 8 copy, with this sale outdistancing the previous $1.6 million high by 31%. No wonder the '52 Topps Mantle has been dubbed the post-WWII "Holy Grail" and synonymous with an uncontrollable brush fire, there appears to be no end in sight for its soaring prices. Its visual pleasing attributes are synonymous with Mantle's magnificent legacy, starting with the classic bat over shoulder pose portraying a richly hued aqua-marine blue background that atypical does not reveal a trace of "snow" or white spottiness within the confines of the classic black frame. You can literally feel Mickey's curious nature as he gazes into the future with a youthful innocence that would eventually lead to his immortal Yankee standing, not even remotely realizing the legendary career he was about to embark on. The stoic portrait image can literally freeze time, revealing crystal-clear clarity and robust facial hues. The brilliant obverse side surface is relatively clean, sporting super clean borders, the typical diminutive factory issued white print-matrix dot in the upper left quadrant and right-angled corners that appear to be consistent with most "NM" specimens. Similar to most 1952 Topps Mantle subjects, the central image does not reflect perfect centering, in this case only modestly favoring the upper left edges (approximately 45/55 "left to right" and 40/60 "top to bottom"). Yet, most sophisticated collectors would surely agree that this example's centering is far superior better than a majority of the extremely skewed images that plague "The Mick's" 1952 Topps subject. Most significantly, the iconic image's breathtaking aesthetics totally "steal the show", more than offsetting its modest off-positioning. No glaring surface flaws are evident, and a clean verso resides as the final exclamation point for a seemingly "pack-fresh" offering.

Historically speaking, had it not been for "truckloads" of 1952 Topps high-number vending cases being dumped into the Atlantic's murky waters off of the coasts of New Jersey, the incredible mystique of the '52 Topps Mantle might have never been born. Yet, the reality of this card standing tall as our hobby's pinnacle post-WWII cardboard memento literally shines forth as a beacon of light, with its uncontested popularity the main driver of its redefined value. The aforementioned record-breaking sales surely speak for themselves, and most enthusiasts highly expect this unprecedented pricing surge to continue marching forward with any high-grade 1952 Topps Mantle residing as one of the hobby's soundest investment opportunities. In fact, over the past year, several "Near Mint 7" examples have achieved pricing points between $200K-$550K, with that record $550K sale realized in the Spring of 2021. It is critical to note that our comparison to "7-NM" examples is based on the following two aspects: (1) there are virtually no comparable sales for 6.5 sales, and most significantly, (2) the eye appeal of this extraordinary offering far surpasses its rather harsh assessment, and appears more consistent with a solid "7+" example. For 18-years, Mantle stole the hearts of millions of avid fans, and it is with little surprise that this "clutch" performer continues to hold the all-time record for the most World Series home runs with an astounding 18 round trippers. Indeed, performing at a superior level on our National Pastime's grandest stage was a simple task for this Oklahoma raised "coal miner" who could hit a baseball further than anyone who ever stepped into a batter's box. No wonder all of "The Mick's" high-end cardboard issues continue to light up the hobby, with his hallowed 1952 Topps #311 subject paving the way for this world-class 1952 Topps set break. As is the case with any investment opportunity, no scenario is "etched in stone", yet fortunately for its fortuitous owners, the 1952 Topps Mantle's unparalleled popularity and most recent extraordinary pricing points certainly support the prospect for its unlimited growth potential!

MIN BID $40,000