The Post War Cards Newsletter #29
The Post War Cards Newsletter #29
👋 Welcome to the latest issue of The Post War Cards Newsletter, the newsletter that celebrates #TheHobby.
🗓️ Every week, I share unique content about vintage sports cards, hobby & sports history, and industry activity with collectors.
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⚾️ Eleven 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle Cards In One Auction Catalog
In the world of sports card collecting, few items are more iconic than the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle baseball card. The card is so highly sought after that it has become a symbol of the entire hobby, and its value has skyrocketed over the years. However, back in March of 2000, a catalog from MastroWest Fine Sports Auctions was released, featuring not one, not two, but eleven 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle cards. Despite the impressive number of Mantles in the catalog, they were not given the same attention that they would receive today. In fact, the catalog also featured a few ungraded Mantles, a rarity in modern-day auctions.
Unfortunately, I have no idea what these cards sold for then, but we can guestimate their current market value, so let’s look at each of the 11 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle cards.
Lot 107) 1952 Topps PSA Near Mint to Mint 8
Can you imagine a PSA 8 ‘52 Topps Mantle not being one of the first five lots in any major auction today? Well, this one was Lot 107, though Mastro did give it a full-page spread. Today, it’s a Pop 35 card in Nm-Mt condition with just a handful higher; PSA’s price guide value for it is $1.56M.
Lot 112) 1952 Topps -#311 Mickey Mantle
This PSA 6 is a little off-center but has pretty nice corners, and Mastro gave it a 1/3 page spread. It’s a pop 121 card in Ex-Mt condition; today’s PSA price guide value is $166.5K
Lot 113) Ten High Profile 1952 Topps Cards; Lot 114) A Dozen Classic PSA-Graded Mickey Mantle Cards; Lot 115) 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle
You’re unlikely to see any 1952 Topps Micke Mantle card auctioned as part of a lot these days, but Mastro bundled a PSA 3 and PSA 1 copy in a pair of multi-card lots in this auction. You also had a third ‘52 Topps Mantle on the same page, a PSA 3. Today, PSA’s price guide value for the 3’s is $57.7K and $25K for the Pr-Fr 1.
Lot 121) 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle; Lot 122) 1952 Topps - #311 Mickey Mantle
A pair of 1952 Topps Mantle cards were presented next to each other as lots 121 and 122. 121 was a PSA 1, valued at $25K today, and the nicely centered PSA 2 is valued at $33.3K. Funny how Mastro talked about how cost-effective a 2 was compared to shelling out $10K for a high-grade copy!
Lot 477) 1952 Topps Complete Set; Lot 1147) 1952 Topps Baseball Near Set
I don’t think anyone would try to sell a legitimate 1952 Topps Mantle ungraded today; Mastro had four. They sold one as part of a complete set described as Ex-Mt, and another one in a near set was advertised as Vg-Ex; for estimates, let’s say $25-50K each.
Lot 1151) 1952 Topps - #311 Mickey Mantle (Professionally Restored)
I have no idea what an acknowledged professionally restored (the black border line was re-traced) Mantle would sell for today. But if it presents as well as this one, I would presume it would sell for more than a beat-up PSA 1/2 would go for. So let’s say $25-50K.
Lot 1152) 1952 Topps - #311 Mickey Mantle
The last Mantle in this auction had a rubber band scrape and some edge flaking. Today, I’d bet it’s a slab somewhere and would carry an ~$20K price tag.
The 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card was a big deal in 2000, but as Mastro Auctions alluded, you could pick up high-grade copies for just north of $10k. Today you can’t get one that’s been dragged through the mud and beat up in bicycle spokes for that!
✍️ Great Hobby Writing
SABR's Baseball Cards Research Committee: Remembering George Scott’s Bizarre Card From 50 Years Ago
Sports Collectors Daily: The Wayback Collector: The Surprise Card Featured in the 1909 T204 Ramly Set
The Collective Mind: Extending Immortality
Night Owl Cards: C.A.: 1961 Topps Wes Covington
Cardboard History: In Memory of Willis Reed
The Shlabotnik Report: The Fourteen “Player Exclusives” Of 1989 Fleer
Nachos Grande: Barry Larkin Collection 943: 1993 Post Canadian - #15
Nine Pockets: Forsch Brothers
The Topps Archives: NEX U.S.
The Collector: The Finest Years
Finding Nostalgia: Wilson NFL Vintage Football Date Codes
🟦 A 1948 Blue Tint R346 Uncut Sheet
Many collectors had theorized that the 1948 Blue Tint R346 baseball cards were printed in strips; well, I guess not!
Collect Auctions sold this incredible 1948 Blue Tint R346 Complete Set on an Uncut Sheet on March 31st, 2023; with the buyer’s premium, the final price was $2664. I’ve updated the Oddball Archive with all the details.
They also sold a few rare empty cases (1968 and 1970 Topps Baseball Vending, for example); I highlighted them in a Twitter Thread:
