What are your top 5 Mickey Mantle cards?

[Doug]

I got the idea for this after reading this blog about the top 10 Mantle cards:

http://www.dacardworld.com/blog/top-tens/top-10-mickey-mantle-baseball-cards-of-all-time/

I figured I'd cut it to a top 5 to make it tougher. Top 10 lists are welcome too. :) I have a bit of a Topps bias so here's my list:

1. 1952 Topps
2. 1953 Topps
3. 1956 Topps
4. 1957 Topps
5. 1964 Topps

Honorable mentions: 1958 Topps, 1963 Topps, 1969 Topps

How about everyone else?

[HRBAKER]

Here's mine in terms of curb appeal and not value bc that would be fairly easy to determine:

1. '59 Bazooka
2. '52 Topps
3. '64 Stand-Up
4. '51 Bowman
5. '57 Topps

Jeff

edit to add: I only own three of the five :(

[Rob D.]

1. 1953 Bowman

2. 1959 Home Run Derby

3. 1952 Topps

4. 1954 Dan-Dee

5. 1956 Topps

[Robextend]

1 - 1952 Topps
2 - 1951 Bowman
3 - 1957 Topps
4 - 1956 Topps
5 - 1964 Topps

[sflayank]

1963 mask
1967 stand up
1961 dice game
1966 punchout
1967 and 68 discs

[Rickyy]

1952 Topps Mantle
1953-4 Briggs Meat Mickey Mantle Panel
1956 Topps Mantle
1959 Bazooka Mickey Mantle
1961 Topps Dice Game Mantle

[Zach Wheat]

I would have to say:

52 Topps Mantle
56 Topps Mantle (action shot with several fans added twice to background)
54 Red Heart
51 Bowman and..
70's Clinic Schedule PC

Ok, so some say the PC's are not really cards....but it looks neat.

[CW]

1953 Topps (a work of art on cardboard)

1952 Bowman (visual appeal is better than its Topps counterpart)

1954 Dan Dee (for some reason, I just like this card a lot. It has the
best pic of a smiling Mick in the hobby. Plus, just knowing the card came out
of a bag of potato chips makes it instantly cool)

1959 Topps (classic portrait against a bold red background. It's hard to
put it in words, but this card just has that classic, vintage look. On this card,
his last of the 50's, Mickey is starting to less like the kid from Commerce, and
more like a veteran Yankee legend)

1952 Topps (I suppose no list would be complete without this card, and I'd
some day love to add a nice VG-EX copy to my collection. Some day....)

[dabigyankeeman]

In my collection, the 5 i like the best are (in order by how much I like the design and picture):

1956 Topps
1953 Bowman
1954 Bowman
1951 Bowman
1952 Topps



Also love (since you said we could make it 10):

1954 Red Heart
1952 Bowman
1957 Topps
1963 Topps
1954 DanDee

[k-dog]

I don't own any Mantles and of course I would LOVE to own the 52 just for the history of the card...but as far as the "look" of the cards, here are my favorite in order from 5-1! I'm probably a lot different than most other collectors!

5) 1957 Topps
4) 1954 Bowman
3) 1961 Topps World Series-Mantle slams 2 homers
2) 1953 Topps
1) 1965 Topps World Series-Mantle's Clutch HR

[mickey7mantle7]

http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo190/mickey7mantle7/Mantle%20PC%20NFT/Xray3-1-1.jpg

[ChiefBenderForever]

1. 1958 Topps
2. 1956 Topps
3. 1952 Topps
4. Tie with 1953 Topps and 1954 Bowman
5. 1969 Topps

[mintacular]

How can you not consider this one '60 BB?? I would definately agree the Dan Dee and of course '52 Topps should up there; any meats/bazooka should be out of the picture as they are only there cause of scarcity...'51 bowman is too small. 68 topps actually is prett sweet. Bottom line, they are all good!

[HRBAKER]

No Pat, the '59 Bazooka is not on my list bc of scarcity, it's not that scarce. I happen to think it's the Micks best looking card.

[lutherlafy]

Here's two of my favorite Mantle cards that I own.

[lutherlafy]

I also like Mantle's 1962 Topps stamp.....

[JasonL]

if I had to own a few, it would be:
1) 1951 Bowman
2) 1953 Bowman
3) 1957 Topps

[brian1961]

This is an interesting question. Mickey has so many wonderful cards. The word "top" may be interpreted any number of ways. I cannot list a top five without categorizing a bit.

Top 5 Mainstream Mantles:

1. 1952 Topps
2. 1953 Topps
3. 1953 Bowman
4. 1956 Topps
5. 1951 Bowman


Top 5 Exotic and Esoteric (all very scarce except the Dormand PC, as well as dynamite eye appeal):

1. 1953 Stahl-Meyer Franks
2. 1960 Post Cereal
3. 1959 Bazooka
4. 1960 Home Run Derby
5. TIE 1953-55 Dormand postcard (the common batting pose)
1962 JELL-O

Special mention should be made of the 1961 Topps Dice Game Mick. Since it was never actually issued, that makes it more of a "pipe dream". Woody Gelman sent most specimens out as samples to dealer/collector friends for their input, stapled to a note. Several were never sent out, salvaged by who knows who, and eventually were submitted to PSA by their owners. I recall a particularly sweet Don Drysdale. A Mantle without staple holes, but hand-cut from a sheet, took about 30K to win in a Mastro auction from about 2004. Larry Fritsch owned an uncut sheet of the complete set of 20. I would hazzard a guess that Larry was able to obtain it through Topps employee and fellow collector, Bill Haber.

Remember, the idea of a game board, with player cards, spinner, dice, etc. might have seemed like a decent idea, but Strat-O-Matic was about to debut their hugely successful game the following year. Perhaps Topps simply decided to nix the idea, not wanting to go head-to-head with that company's thoroughly developed game, even though Strat's game cards show no player picture. It is hard to say whether Topps' planned completed player cards would have been made into their normal flexichrome color cards. The final analysis was that Gelman's feedback was a collective "Nah!", and the Dice Game idea was scrapped.

It is hard to know where to exactly classify the 1961 Topps Dice Game cards. After all, there are a few graded examples. I think of the coin world, where a hard-cover book portraying the top 25 or 75 coins included a prototype 20-dollar gold piece from 1907. I believe it had Liberty with a Native American chieftain feathered headdress. The front of the design was then used on the 10-dollar gold piece. Anyway, the prototype double-eagle was saved and sold in the 70s for an immense price. However, it was a 1 of 1. Who knows how many Dice Game Mickey Mantles there are. So many collectors are afraid to say much of anything about what they own. Still, it has been a long time since those cards were originally dispersed. It would seem that the owners would have put them on the market by now. Once a collector reaches his 70s, if he gets that far, he tends to want to finally sell his holdings.

To make a long story short, the Dice Game were not test-marketed, but they did reach the prototype stage. Still valuable, just unreasonable to put on a list of wanted Mantles.


My background of hunting down and owning all of these except three (the Dice Game is one of those I never got), at one time or another, no doubt guides my choices. Good topic. --Brian Powell

[Doug]

Here's a video of an interview with two of Mickey's sons talking about their dad's Topps cards. I figured I'd share it in case anyone hasn't seen it before:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUriWlOARlc

[ALR-bishop]

I agree on the scarcity but there are 2 posters on this board that have one.

My in possession favorites are
67 Stand Up
67 Disc
67 Punch Out
52--both variations
68 Plaq

[dabigyankeeman]

Here's a video of an interview with two of Mickey's sons talking about their dad's Topps cards. I figured I'd share it in case anyone hasn't seen it before:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUriWlOARlc

That was really interesting, thanks for posting that link.

[Doug]

That was really interesting, thanks for posting that link.

No problem. I'm always happy to share that kind of stuff when I come across it. :)

[brian1961]

Pardon the late response. I have been busy at work. If you only know of two collectors on this board who own the 1961 Topps Dice Game Mickey Mantle, that only serves to underscore what I am saying---it is a beautiful prototype card that was never fully completed (made into a flexichrome colorized card by Topps), was never issued or sold to the public, even at the favored few Brooklyn candy shops that Topps would use to test-market their products (i.e. 1969 Topps 3-D). As such then, it is unfair and improper to place it on a list of Mickey Mantle cards that would comprise a master set.

Honestly, as I type these words, I can see the validity of including the Dice Game in a "Master Set" listing, on the premise of "then where would you place such a rare Mantle card?" A master listing refers to all Mantle cards, period.

It's a tough call. Prototype cards are more like icing on the cake. Even if you lived in Brooklyn during 1961, and shopped at those candy stores or a toy outlet, the Dice Game would not have been available for sale. That's why I cannot put such cards on the same level as the exotic and esoteric regional--food issues. Those were legitimate cards offered with the sale, or used to promote, a particular product. Sometimes they turned out to be easy, such as the 1954 Red Heart, because there was a well-advertised offer on how to purchase each of the three small sets. Furthermore, the leftovers were retained by the company, whereby interested collectors could purchase them even into the early 1970s. At other occurrences, such as the Stahl-Meyer Franks, trying to get an unblemished clean fresh new card was a very challenging proposition even at the time they were available to the public.

Would I be typing these same words if I owned a Dice Game card? Yes, but I would not say what I am about to. Permit me to get unpopular for a moment. In the final analysis, I do not think that prototype cards are anywhere as important as most collectors believe, nor as valuable. We have a huge cadre of Mantle collectors glamorizing the Dice Game, when in reality what actually exists is an uncut sheet, a very few properly cut and graded specimens (not of Mick, except for one or two of the following), several with Gelman staple holes on them, and a few hand-cut cards. That is why I depict them as a "Pipe Dream". Again, they are still valuable, just not as valuable nor important as some were led to believe.

To me, it is much more impressive to find an uncommon card that was legitimately issued, in very uncommonly high grade condition. That is why Bruce Dorskind makes such a big deal over his "America's Toughest Want List". Bruce and other collectors really dig those cards that are anywhere from reasonably to profoundly difficult to find, and then to find them in top grade respective to the issue. Stay with me, please. During Post Cereal's final year of their major cereal card promotion, 1963, they severely reduced production to 300,000,000 total cards. Of the 200 players, 25 were short-printed in varying degrees. Now, take the time to look at the graded card populations of them. How minuscule they are, compared with the sheer original figure produced, as well as compared to the Topps. For some of them, there is not even one graded Mint example.


There are ample '63 Post or JELL-O examples that were cut within the black border, making them Authentic at best. Still, in the graded card world of today, where the bigger money is placed or invested, if it is not graded, it is not as highly valued. Hey, at least you can handle them, enjoy them up close and personal. There's a lot of enjoyment in that. They just will not achieve a high monetary value. True, a few collectors collect the complete panels, but one, that is no guarantee the cards would grade out at Mint even if they were cut perfectly, and two, the hobbyists who love uncut panels generally want them to remain that way.

From the list of cards and items you personally own, you obviously have a very high regard for the Topps test issues and prototypes. They are most assuredly a definite niche category, and a highly respected one at that. Hey, they are indeed hopelessly rare. I do not know if you are given to such things, but if you enjoy writing, research those babies and put together an article about them for SCD. That would make for a very interesting and exciting contribution to our hobby. If you wish anonymity, since ..., give yourself a pen name like Johannes Mochannes Macheski. Potential crooks would go nuts trying to hunt you down. Loads of laughs.

Salute. ----Brian Powell

[ALR-bishop]

Brian---you won't get any arguments from me. All I meant to point out was that I know a couple of people on the board who have the Dice card. One also has the 63 Mantle Mask, another tough item, even though I assume anybody collecting Topps cards that year could have gotten one.

I do not collect Mantle per se, or test issues per se. I originally did all Topps sets, packs, insert sets and issued test sets. Now I fool with unissued Topps test sets and variations. Some are indeed rare. The Dice are one. The 66 Punch Outs another. The 71 Rookie Artist's Proofs another. The 70 Cloth another. These last 3, in my experience, may be tougher, or at least as tough as the 61 Dice. So too might the 3 unissued 1951 Current All Stars that just sold in Legendary. The 68 Discs and 56 Hocus Focus are tough too. Then there are those 3 1960 proof cards......

By the way, thanks for your insights on these great hobby items

[sflayank]

al
the 3 1960 issues were at the national
i assume you didnt get the konstant stanky roberts?
as for response to the other issue
Brian?
what would you consider the 67 stand up? it was issued in packs and yet less than 10 of each exist...if you were in the brooklyn candy store you could have bought them...probably the best looking issue ever made? are they valuable you bet ya?

[brian1961]

Brian---you won't get any arguments from me. All I meant to point out was that I know a couple of people on the board who have the Dice card. One also has the 63 Mantle Mask, another tough item, even though I assume anybody collecting Topps cards that year could have gotten one.

I do not collect Mantle per se, or test issues per se. I originally did all Topps sets, packs, insert sets and issued test sets. Now I fool with unissued Topps test sets and variations. Some are indeed rare. The Dice are one. The 66 Punch Outs another. The 71 Rookie Artist's Proofs another. The 70 Cloth another. These last 3, in my experience, may be tougher, or at least as tough as the 61 Dice. So too might the 3 unissued 1951 Current All Stars that just sold in Legendary. The 68 Discs and 56 Hocus Focus are tough too. Then there are those 3 1960 proof cards......

By the way, thanks for your insights on these great hobby items

Dear Al, I apologize if I sounded too argumentative, though as most collectors, we feel strongly about certain things. Honestly Al, it is frustrating that with all of the huge growth in the value of the various assortment of Topps products, the company has not taken the trouble to document their respective histories, while providing some insight, print numbers, where they were distributed/sold and so on. I do believe such a book would sell nicely, even today. It would not make the New York Times bestseller list, but the hobby would welcome it with open arms.

Alas, I don't think it will happen. Bill Haber was only 53 when he passed away in the early 1990s. Besides the huge loss to his family, I think he would have been a prime candidate to write such a book. At this point, I sadly feel Sy Berger is probably too aged to recall such minute details, although sometimes these are the very things older people can recall vivid details of, though perhaps not the exact numbers.

I love the Topps Current All-Stars of Konstanty, Roberts, and Stanky. I do not own them, but feel they most assuredly cannot be whisked under the carpet. They truly are part of the set, looking precisely as the others. I wish I knew the truth behind why Topps did not include them. A very few got out. They are worth a fortune, or at least five figures each.

Now as for the 1966 or 1967 Topps Giant All-Stars, if they were sold at the Brooklyn candy shops, they are a legitimate test issue. Maybe they are not as graphically compelling, as cards go, but they have a nice dramatic aura to them with their black surrounding area. This gives each card a shadow box affect, which enhances their visual appeal. I have never owned one, but I sure acknowledge their rarity, and anyone who owns a specimen of any player can feel justifiably proud of this collecting achievement.

Furthermore, with a giant head against a black background, they would make a terrific visual display in a portfolio of Topps test issues, or a collection of a particular player.

My fifteen cents--as usual. --Brian Powell

[ALR-bishop]

I too am disappointed Topps did not create a position for an historian that would have had access to and be commissioned to document and write about all Topps issues over the years, including the test stuff. I agree that it is not likely to happen now. Whatever Woody G knows or remembers, he does not seem to want to talk about it in detail anyway.

I have 20 of the 24 Stand Ups from 1967. There are at least two full sets represented on the Board. They are tough, but the Dice, 70 Cloth, 55 Stamps and 71 Artist's Proofs are, I think, tougher.

I think the 3 rare Current All Stars were pulled due to the ongoing early contract disputes with Bowman. I doubt they ever were actually distributed....so since I have the other 8, I prefer to consider that set complete :)....out of desperation....sort of like I hope my 68 Plaq and 67 Punch Out sets are complete because the SCD checklists are wrong

You obviously have a lot of knowledge about old Topps stuff ( I am still collecting Topps to this day and think there are some interesting issues in the 70s and 80s too ), so it is great to make your acquaintance . Another poster here, Dave Hornish ( dsh) is a great resource about such stuff. He would be a great man for the Topps historical job. Have you seen his blog ?

[hcv123]

1) 1967 Stand up
2) 1959 Bazooka
3) 1953 Bowman color
4) 1953 Stahl Meyer
5) 1953 Topps

[brian1961]

I too am disappointed Topps did not create a position for an historian that would have had access to and be commissioned to document and write about all Topps issues over the years, including the test stuff. I agree that it is not likely to happen now. Whatever Woody G knows or remembers, he does not seem to want to talk about it in detail anyway.

I have 20 of the 24 Stand Ups from 1967. There are at least two full sets represented on the Board. They are tough, but the Dice, 70 Cloth, 55 Stamps and 71 Artist's Proofs are, I think, tougher.

I think the 3 rare Current All Stars were pulled due to the ongoing early contract disputes with Bowman. I doubt they ever were actually distributed....so since I have the other 8, I prefer to consider that set complete :)....out of desperation....sort of like I hope my 68 Plaq and 67 Punch Out sets are complete because the SCD checklists are wrong

You obviously have a lot of knowledge about old Topps stuff ( I am still collecting Topps to this day and think there are some interesting issues in the 70s and 80s too ), so it is great to make your acquaintance . Another poster here, Dave Hornish ( dsh) is a great resource about such stuff. He would be a great man for the Topps historical job. Have you seen his blog ?

Congrats on all your amazing rare Topps stuff. No Al, I have not seen Dave's blog. It's probably pretty good.

As for the 3 ultra rare Current All-Stars, you hit the nail on the head---they were never issued. Problem is, they definitely belong. Be that as it may, you should count your set complete. Acquiring any of the three is just icing on the cake.

I did a check on the three players once, but forget what I came up with. Compare who was in the Bowman set, Al, as well as who was in the Topps Red and Blue backs. I thought I remember a surprise finding. I think Bowman had two pay levels, just as Topps did--exclusive and non-exclusive. Now that all three of those guys are dead, we may never know. I recall thinking about that when Robin Roberts died.

Woody Gelman did send out some of those 3 Current All-Stars to very selected friends or traders. As I recall, some were die-cut, and some did not have the cut. Sounds similar to the variations in the Giant Stand-up. Either one is valuable. I like them without the die-cut; this way, they will not come apart. However, the cut produced what the designer intended for in the first place. We collectors would rather just have the card, period, fully intact.

Thanks for the encouragement. It helps our hobby to share info.

Take care and keep cool down there in San Antone. Respectfully, Brian Powell

[bcbgcbrcb]

My single favorite is his 1951 Wheaties Test Issue

[judgebuck]

I'm a little late getting in on this post, but hey, us Mantle collectors never tire of this stuff.

My five (six) favorites are:

1959 Bazooka
1960 Post
1952 Topps
1953 Stahl Meyer
1953 Bowman
1956 Topps

I don't have the Stahl Meyer or the 1952 Topps.

[mickey7mantle7]

Had the chance to recently to pick up a couple of my all time favs of the Mick this past year. I can now say that I own these..lol

http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo190/mickey7mantle7/Mantle%20PC%20NFT/1954DanDeePotatoChipsMickeyMantle-1.png

http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo190/mickey7mantle7/Mantle%20PC%20NFT/1954RedHeartMickeyMantleandDanDeeback-1.png

http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo190/mickey7mantle7/Mantle%20PC%20NFT/1954RedHeartMickeyMantleandDanDeeback-2.png

http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo190/mickey7mantle7/Mantle%20PC%20NFT/RedHeartback-1.png



I have also had the opportunity to own many many Mantles in my time, but have since let most go due to financial reasons. I do however plan on aquiring what was. My main focus in the future is going to be concentrated on the harder/non-main stream stuff before they really get out of hand in pricing.

Besides these two above, I would like to own:

52 of course (when I hit the lotto)

Main focus (just to name a few):
1954 Stahl Meyer-------- (Harder to get in any condition than the 53 IMO. Besides that, the yellow bordering does it for me)
1952 Berk Boss ----------(IMO is one of the most under rated "higher-end" Mantle cards) People just don't mention these too often.
1954 NY Journal ---------(very pricey in H or L condition, somewhat rare, very unique, love the black and white)
All Bazooka cards --------(something about the whole "mini" thing that really appeals to me)



Enjoy!

[judgebuck]

David Hall,

Couple of questions:

1) Are you the same David Hall that was the CFO of the American Card Exchange with Tony Galovich in the late 1980s?

2) Why do you want the 1954 Stahl Meyer Mantle rather than the 1953?

3) What do you think of the 1959 Bazooka and the 1960 Post?

[mickey7mantle7]

David Hall,

Couple of questions:

1) Are you the same David Hall that was the CFO of the American Card Exchange with Tony Galovich in the late 1980s?

2) Why do you want the 1954 Stahl Meyer Mantle rather than the 1953?

3) What do you think of the 1959 Bazooka and the 1960 Post?

No, not that guy...never heard of him..lol Seriously though, not me. I'm a Sergeant in the Army, been in over 11 yrs now, married with three kids, and am 32 years old. Sorry. Don't know if your inquiries were meant to be good or bad..lol

The 54 Stahl Meyer? The yellow bordering I guess. Don't get me wrong. The 53 Stahl Meyer will be in my collection too one day. The yellow border just brings a rather unique look to the card. Reminds me of the 69 trans-o-gram card with the yellow border.

Love the Bazooka cards! Never owned a 59 though. I had a 64 in a "7" quality... feel free to check my ebay name. I sold several Mantles this past year.

The Post cards are nice too! If I remember correctly, I believe I sold my 60 or 61 Post in a PSA 5 or 6. Also had a nice 1968 American Oil Panel Mickey Mantle in a PSA 5.

Have any pics of some of your Mantle cards?

[scmavl]

I don't own near as many Mantles as the rest of you do, but from my collection, here are my favorites:

54 Bowman
69 Topps SIGNED
56 Topps
63 Topps
61 Topps

[bobbyw8469]

I love the 1959 Topps....something about that red background, and the Mick and his subtle smile just brings me back to a simpler time.
The 1956 Topps is a classic....his MVP year. The commerce comet looks like he is having a ball!
The 1953 Topps is a classic with the artist rendition. Not an actual picture, the artist still nailed the Mick. Everyone loves this card, and I do too.

[fkw]

Someone needs to find a 1959 Esslinger Beer Home Run Derby Mickey Mantle

....it would top all of these, if located :)

[mickey7mantle7]

Someone needs to find a 1959 Esslinger Beer Home Run Derby Mickey Mantle

....it would top all of these, if located :)

I agree. That is a rarity indeed:)

[Exhibitman]

Setting aside values entirely, the five cards I like the best are:

1952 Bowman: The graphics are just really appealing to me.

1961 Topps: Captures the grandeur of the Mick--he looks Herculean

1956 Topps: one of the nicest Topps cards as artwork goes

1957 Topps: Just a very appealing straightforward photograph, which I prefer to the 1953 Bowman's perspective.

1969 Topps: I love the design of the set and the cards has his full stats on the back.

[Exhibitman]

In the final analysis, I do not think that prototype cards are anywhere as important as most collectors believe, nor as valuable.



Brian, I'm going to have to go ahead and disagree with you there. Prototypes are as 'valuable' as the buying public wants them to be. If at least two knuckleheads are dying to own the only prototype and they have the bank, that card is going to be very valuable. The same is true as to importance. How much importance collectors put into any item is a function of many factors, only one of which is rarity. Look at the T206 Wagner. Lots of cards are harder to find but none of them have the cachet of Wags.

Whether a prototype should be included as part of a set is another story--I'd say "no" since it wasn't issued. If the cards were tested, however, then they were legitimately issued and should be part of a master set even though only a few people could possibly complete the set.

[magic1313]

I only own one Mantle card but it is a nice one. I shared it in another post as well. It is a 1959 Me For Yoo Hoo Mantle card.

I have pics posted on my website

www.mmmm13.com/mantle

[Kawika]

My top five Mantles:
1) '57 Topps - sentimental favorite
2) '53 Topps - gorgeous art
3) Dormand pc - Hobbesian a la The Natural
4) '51 Bowman - Obakian
5) '52 Topps - Wagnerian (don't have one yet)

http://photos.imageevent.com/kawika_o_ka_pakipika/sportscardsetc/baseball/holygrailcards/large/qu57%20Topps%20Mantle.jpg http://photos.imageevent.com/kawika_o_ka_pakipika/sportscardsetc/baseball/holygrailcards/large/qu53%20Topps%20Mantle.jpg

http://photos.imageevent.com/kawika_o_ka_pakipika/sportscardsetc/baseball/holygrailcards/large/Dormand%20Mantle%20pc_1.jpg http://photos.imageevent.com/kawika_o_ka_pakipika/sportscardsetc/baseball/holygrailcards/websize/1951%20Bowman%20Mantle%20_Rookie%20card_.jpg

[mickey7mantle7]

Kawika...nice cards!

[brian1961]

brian, i'm going to have to go ahead and disagree with you there. Prototypes are as 'valuable' as the buying public wants them to be. If at least two knuckleheads are dying to own the only prototype and they have the bank, that card is going to be very valuable.

Indubitably so


the same is true as to importance. How much importance collectors put into any item is a function of many factors

Absolutely--if the card was written about and photographed extensively in the hobby, that has fueled importance with high octane desire and discussion. If a particular dealer or auction house owns the card and is readying it for the gavel, some have done a remarkably good job of promoting it. Yet, ask them about something in which they do not have a financial stake---will they be so bubbly?

, only one of which is rarity. Look at the t206 wagner. Lots of cards are harder to find but none of them have the cachet of wags.

Whether a prototype should be included as part of a set is another story--I'd say "no" since it wasn't issued. If the cards were tested, however, then they were legitimately issued and should be part of a master set even though only a few people could possibly complete the set.

Wholeheartedly agree. If those cards were legitimately tested with just a single box or two (hard to fathom Topps printing one lousy box of something. That would make for a very expensive test where the results would not be conclusive in the least, particularly if "The Daily Ferret" came in and bought the entire box or the batch of 3-4 boxes all for himself!)

All in all, what I was trying to say was that it appears to me that the Dice Game was never issued to the public, even in a test case. Ever since SCD used the prototype Mantle as their photo and listed an entry with a checklist in their first price guide in 1987, collectors have placed that Mantle as numero uno on their want list or dream list of Mantles. Lemke even gives it a value of 45k in near mint condition in the current Standard Cat. It has been 23 years since that first SCD guide---still no near mint Dice Game Mantle to at least fuel the desire.

I sure wanted a Dice Game Mick when M first saw the SCD Guide. Nevertheless, the more i researched it, it became apparent it was a pipe dream. Going back to your initial bone to pick, then when one of the prototypes did come on the market, it went for about 31k. Ungradable, as it was hand-cut. Still, agreed, it is a hobby treasure. As for its importance, I've already had my say. I know--money talks---but then I rather liked your use of the term, "knuckleheads". Cheers, collector bro. -Brian Powell

[dessertstormveteran]

1952 Mantle

1956 Mantle

1951 Mantle

1953 Mantle

1960 Mantle

[ValKehl]

1) 1953-54 Briggs Meats
2) 1957 Topps
3) 1958 Topps
4) 1955 Bowman
5) 1959 Topps

I am not a Mantle collector, nor much of a post-War collector anymore. The last 4 cards are from my childhood collection (which Mom, thankfully, never tossed!). The Briggs card is available for trade for scarce Walter Johnson and/or Sam Rice cards.
Val

[ls7plus]

Best looking Mantle card I own: '53-'55 Dormand, bat on shoulder, NMt. And personally, I don't believe a better lookingMantle exists!

Toughest Mantle card I presently own: '55 Exhibit Postcard Back (and I hope it stays as tough as it is at present in the pop reports, but time will tell. Bought it for little more than a song in a Huggins & Scott auction awhile back).

Larry

[Gr8Beldini]

1956 Topps (Great set; Great Pic; Triple Crown year; Cool reverse).
1955 Bowman (I don't know why there isn't much love for this beautiful card).
1969 Topps (Personal favorite).
1953 Topps (I own 57 & 57 sets. 53 is the dream - might have to sell some stuff off).
1952 Bowman (Very underrated card IMHO).

[TONY-III]

Here's a video of an interview with two of Mickey's sons talking about their dad's Topps cards. I figured I'd share it in case anyone hasn't seen it before:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUriWlOARlc

Thanks for sharing the video. Hard to believe that the Mantles don't have a 52 Mantle, and like many of us, wish they did and have passed up opportunities to buy and now have regrets - I can sure relate!

[Stevenice1]

I know this is an old thread but I had a fun time writing this blog about my favorite Mickey Mantle card's recently (I don't necessarily own them in any grade). I hope you enjoy.

https://cardboardpicasso.com/blog/top-10-mickey-mantle-baseball-cards/

[Peter_Spaeth]

Great list but this has to be in any list.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Love the ID btw, and I've seen your listings many times and your cards are consistently of the highest quality.

[irv]

I know this is an old thread but I had a fun time writing this blog about my favorite Mickey Mantle card's recently (I don't necessarily own them in any grade). I hope you enjoy.

https://cardboardpicasso.com/blog/top-10-mickey-mantle-baseball-cards/

Thanks for the write up and the post.

Some great information within that I was unaware of.

[hcv123]

1-1953 Stahl Meyer
2- 1959 Bazooka
3 - 1952 Topps
4 - 1967 Giant Stand up
5 - 1959 Venuelan

[TUM301]

1-54 Red Heart
2-53 Stahl Meyer
3-52 Topps
4-60 Topps
5-51 Wheaties
And last BUT not least, 1954 All Star Photo pack. Just something about those over sized black and white issues that scream pure baseball for me !

[rats60]

1951 Bowman
1952 Topps
1953 Bowman
1965 Topps
1969 Topps Super

[mintonlyplz]

1. '56 Mantle
2. '57 Mantle
3. '63 Mantle
4. '60 Mantle
5. '58 Mantle

[pokerplyr80]

My favorite of those I own, in order, are

52 topps
51 bowman
53 topps
54 Dan Dee
57 topps.

If I had a stahl meyer it would probably come in at #3.

[Peter_Spaeth]

My favorite of those I own, in order, are

52 topps
51 bowman
53 topps
54 Dan Dee
57 topps.

If I had a stahl meyer it would probably come in at #3.

I would swap out the Bazooka for the 57 Topps, and I also like the 58 Topps better than the 57, but that list is quite close to mine.

[pokerplyr80]

I dont have a bazooka yet either. Just missed out on a signed one a while back. I really wish I had pulled the trigger on that one.

[Peter_Spaeth]

I imagine signed are tough, but there are some very nice AUTHs out there that are cut pretty well for not much $$$$.

[Hxcmilkshake]

I love a sharp, centered 59

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

[pokerplyr80]

I love a sharp, centered 59

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

Any sharp, centered Mantle is a great card to own imo.