(LOT 3)
"Rare for the Grade" 1953 Topps #82 Mickey Mantle PSA 8.5 NM-MT+ – "POP 4"
RARE '53 MANTLE!!! Mickey Mantle's 1952 Topps image will forever be etched in hobby folklore, with the unparalleled mystique of his inaugural Topps card permanently etched in the minds and hearts of the most passionate collectors. Unfortunately, a considerable number of advanced collectors simply cannot afford the current stratospheric price tags of a high grade 1952 Topps Mantle rookie card, with an SGC 9.5 Gem Mint example fetching a record-high $12.6 million price for ANY sports card this past August! While not the hallowed Topps rookie card, The Mick's second-year 1953 Topps subject has gained considerable prestige over the years via its incredible stoic lithographic Mantle portrait image as well as being his inaugural 1952 Topps card's successor. While a significant number of PSA 8s have flooded the market and continue exceeding six-figure price tags, rarely do higher graded examples surface for the taking. Courtesy of Memory Lane, we are about to break that drought, for presented here just happens to be an extraordinary PSA 8.5 NM-MT+ 1953 Topps 2nd-year Mantle in a PSA 8.5 NM-MT+ holder. PSA's esteemed census report reveals that at the time this was written, only three other examples exist at this hallowed plateau, with a meager 12 specimens graded higher (ten PSA 9s; two PSA 10s)!

This equates to a microscopic 0.2% of the 4,900+ PSA encapsulated copies surpassing this 8.5 assessment, easily substantiating why this extremely rare for the grade offering merits the highest hobby accolades. No baseball player could possibly equal Mickey Mantle's post-WWII popularity. Without question, his immense mystique remains unparalleled in the card market, yet considering that his lifetime batting statistics were not overwhelming, you sometimes ponder as to the root of Mantle's unequivocal fame. Characteristics such as his inconceivable power, long tape measure home runs and overall charisma have, undoubtedly, elevated his godly stature. He was Davy Crockett, Goliath, John Wayne and Joe DiMaggio all rolled up into one super icon, the ultimate embodiment of a National hero. His mammoth home runs tested the confines of any ballpark, and he still holds the record for MLB's longest all-time homer when his 565-foot blast off of Senators southpaw hurler Chuck Stobbs sailed out of Griffith's Stadium into a neighboring backyard. Add the fact that the Commerce Comet twice hit the Yankee Stadium façade as well as blasting a minimum of ten over 500-foot documented round-trippers, you can surely comprehend why he was worshiped by millions of young American boys who were mesmerized by his godly feats.

This outstanding second-year PSA 8.5 Topps specimen portrays a nearly flawless lithographic pose of The Mick, bursting with vitality and a pristine array of colored hues that portray pack-fresh quality. The sanctified image atypically reveals near-perfect centering, and it is no secret amongst the most sophisticated collectors of the myriad of skewed images emanating from most '53 Topps mantle subjects. Furthermore, the lower left quadrant's bold red text box appears to have eluded any surface wear, with the additional stigma of general surface wear within the edging of this box consistently plaguing advanced enthusiasts. Other highlights include immaculate surfaces, bright white borders, superb resolution, sharp, right-angled corners, and a super clean verso. Regarding historical pricing, here is where it gets extremely interesting.

Over a year ago, another one of the four PSA 8.5 examples sold for $240K in a public auction (September 2021); however, that is well before the $12.6 million sale of the exalted SGC 9.5 Gem Mint '52 Topps Mantle in August 2022. History has surely proven that as the 1952 Topps Mantle card skyrockets in value, the remaining Mantle issues follow suit, especially the second-year '53 Topps card that has unlimited investment potential. While we cannot estimate a true value for this museum worthy offering, what we can state with 100% certainty is that it resides as one of the most significant investment cards extant, with unimaginable growth potential. All early 1950s Mantle cards appear to know no bounds with regard to their definitive value, and considering this is the first PSA 8.5 being offered after the $12.6 million sale of the '52 Topps Mick that literally rocked the hobby, we will defer to our sophisticated customer base to ultimately determine its true worth!

MIN BID $75,000
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