What Would You Rather Have Mantle or Mantles?
 

What would you rather have ?
A or B
A. 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle PSA/SGC 7
Or
B. 25 Strong Centered PSA 7-8 Regular issue Topps and Bowman Mickey Mantle Cards, Years 52-69 with an average value of $7,000 each ? Not talking MVP AS or league leader Mantles I’m talking regular issue Topps and Bowman

Not really pre war but not far from it.
I am undecided as for the choice.
.

Definitely the 52 Topps.

I second that.

B
The 53 Mantle is my favorite Mantle card, the 52 doesn't really do anything for me. I'd also like to trade all the other Mantles for a 51B. So I'd be happy with my Mantle collection to stand at 2.

If we're talking personal collection, the latter. I'm not really a fan of the 1952 card. But for investment purposes, I'd take the 52T over the field.

B.

I have such a small collection, the quantity add appeals to me.

and

With A, if you needed to liquidate, you'd have to do it all at once. With B, you could trade or sell off some according to need or opportunity.

That’s how I’m thinking in terms of liquidating. More People can come up with $7,000 for a card apposed to $175,00 for one card.

52 Topps

52 Topps and it isn’t close. It is the superstar of post war cards.

Honestly, I find the '52 and the '53 Mantles hideous. I cannot understand the dollars thrown at either one, frankly. Both are amateurish and cartoonish, IMO. There are WAY better looking cards in both sets. Up until recently I had three 1960 Topps Mantles in near-mint condition. I traded one, and gave one to my daughter. I kept what I consider to be the best of the three. Personally I feel this is The Mick's best looking card.

52 Topps

For profiteers: the former

For collectors: the later

A without question.

+1. Give me the 1951:Bowman, 1952:Bowman and 1953 Bowman and fill it out with later cards. I would rather have Mantle's rookie card than his ugliest card.


https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...eb19e37d_w.jpg

I've always liked the photography from that year (and 1957 too). I think Topps lost something when they switched away from Flexichrome.

The latter.

I've never been enamored with the 52T Mantle

Option B

I'm only short the '51 Bowman and the '52 Topps. Tough to picture parting with some really great cards for just one. And in the back of my mind I keep thinking maybe some day I'll get to add the missing pieces :)

For us hoarders, it's all about option B.

I'll take the 52 Topps Mantle, Ill then sell the PSA 7 and downgrade to a nice looking 3 and use the money to buy the other cards I want.

It's not his rookie card, it's not a very good likeness of him at all, and it isn't all that rare being double printed. And yet..

Do you really think you'd have any trouble at all selling a 52T Mantle if the need arose? You might not be able to sell it tomorrow but you certainly would never have trouble selling it.

I don't collect 1952 Topps, but I have dabbled in some of the other sets, so I would go for option 2.

Brian (obviously a collector at heart)

Oh yeah, the 52 isn't a particularly good looking card. The 1953 and 1954 Bowman are both much nicer. But the 52 is the 52...

That’s a great plan to me.

Money is money. I will graciously accept any 1952 Topps Mantle cards any of you well-heeled guys would like to give a poor, down on his luck collector. Mailing address upon request!

Johnny, a very interesting question. I would most assuredly want the 1952 Topps. To me, I believe Mickey's 1952 Topps is one of his most beautiful cards. When I first got the one I once owned, in early 1973, it was truly breathtaking. I owned that gem for 22 years.

Due to circumstances that were under my own control, I needed to raise money for a down payment on a house. I HAD to do something for my wife, our son, and myself. Bless her heart, my dear wife was not pressuring me one iota. Be that as it may, I wanted to do something. I made a hard decision to consign my cherished 1952 Topps Mantle. I would judge it as a PSA 6 at best. The year was 1995. When I consigned the card, I had no idea Mickey was sick with cancer.

However, I chose to keep my two favorite Mickey Mantle gems, because I believed in my heart I would never be able to replace them. It has been a tsch over 25 years now, and I was correct in my assessment; there have never been two Stahl-Meyer Franks Mickey Mantles to match the two I am extremely privileged to own. My second one has an example that tops it grade-wise, and one that would match it; nevertheless, the centering of the highest-graded 1954 is too noticeably off left-to-right. That beauty is centered within the parameters of PSA's guidelines not to have a qualifier.

Earlier this year, a 1955 was submitted to PSA, and they graded it PSA 9 MINT!!! Sadly, however, it was collared with a qualifier. I've not seen it, but it must be extremely stunning.

Most of my comments do not fit your OP, Johnny. I guess I just want to say that as much as I loved and miss my 1952 Topps Mickey, and would choose it over a collection of other gum Mantles, I rate, and have felt this way for a long time, the Stahl-Meyer Franks Mickey Mantles over the 1952 Topps. Collectors will almost always want the 1952 more, and I don't blame them. However, as a collector who has owned nice examples of both, I rate the Stahl-Meyer Franks as the summit---hands down. Why? I love the Stahl-Meyer's appearance---mesmerizing, the enthralling background story of the promotion from whence it came, and the fact so very, very, very few survived in high-grade condition.

I chose to keep my 1953 & 1954 Stahl-Meyer Franks Mickey Mantle king-sized gems. I have never regretted my decision. While I do not have the expertise to load up images of my pair of Stahl-Meyer Franks Mickey Mantles, should any of you own a copy of NEVER CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN, feast your eyes on pages 73, 261, and 279. Nothing more will need to be said.

Cheers. --- Brian Powell

PS---Johnny, I am by no means trying to derail your fine thread, merely expressing that in Mickey Mantle card collecting, it is by no means all about the 1952 Topps, or the rest of Mick's 21-gum salute from Topps and Bowman.

Since for many it's solely about money, I'll change my answer:

Whichever is worth the most money. No need to list cards or even say if cards are involved.

i once owned every year and oddball issues from the 50-60's.
I sold them off to buy my 52.
Then i enventually got the 51.
So, from a investment situation- i'd pick the 52 all the way.
As a collector, i always loved the 51, 53, 56. Beautiful cards no doubt.

Good question, and there are several ways to look at it.

1. As a collector, would you rather spread your budget around on a lot of cards, or do you like to concentrate on just a few gems?

2. As a Mantle collector, do you like the 52 Topps #311? Have you always wanted to own one?

3. From an investment standpoint, is there a difference where you put your "Mantle money"?

The first two questions depend on individual preferences. As to the last question, my take on it is that it doesn't matter too much. As I have looked at prices over the years, and tracked the values of my own Mantle collection, I think that Mantle cards all move together.

There are differences in each individual card of course, but I think a lot of that is due to small sample size and differences in eye appeal across a grade. For example, 10 years ago you could have bought a 52T #311 PSA 5 for $15,000. That card now is worth $100,000 or so. But you also could have bought two 56T #135 Gray Backs in PSA 9 for $15,000, and today those cards are worth well over $100,000 each!

You can look at other individual Mantle cards and see how they match up with the 52T. Some have done better, some worse.

I think overall PSA 9's have done better than lower grades, but other than that I don't see much in terms of differences in appreciation from one card to the other. Bowmans or Topps, 1950's or 1960's, base card or AS/MVP, $100 card or $100,000 card, none of it has mattered. All Mantles have moved up together.

Thanks Brian, I l appreciate your response !!

Mazeroski October 13, 1960 home run ball. :)

Thanks Al, I appreciate your response as well sir!

I guess my thought/situation is. I have always dreamed of owning a 52 Topps type 1 Mantle. I've always bee a Exmnt-Nrnt+ Vintage Card Collector. There is nothing at all wrong with lower grade cards, it's just not my thing.

So here is what I'm considering do I sell all the beautiful PSA/SGC 7.5's and 8's I have to fund the purchase of a killer EXMT-NRMNT Graded Example of the type 1 52 Mantle? That's the only way I would be able to afford to buy a 52 Topps Mantle in the grade/condition I collect.

I am the Less is more person. I am more inclined to downsize and get the 1 Great.
But Based on your love of Mantle and Your Current Collection. I would probably just sell some of the Mantles (can buy them hopefully in the future since individually they are all less then the 52 Mantle) and buy a 52 Mantle in a lover Grade perhaps a nice 5 to 6 and then have a great looking mantle to go with some of your other nice cards.

But either way cannot go wrong with either choice. Great Cards for the now and the future

Ahhh Jeff it's just so hard for me !!!! I might sell my Killer 55 SGC 7 Clemente as a start to put some money away...it's just difficult for me to sell the Mantles from over the years....IDK it's a good problem to have I guess, well no I know it is. I'm just thankful for the good smart people on this board that have a wealth of knowledge, experience, and love of the cards that I do.

Hi

I agree and never said it was easy. and only going on the question as you put it. Knowing your love of your collection I was trying to find a middle ground so you would not have to part with all the Mantles you Love for the 1 Ultimate prize you want so much.

As collectors we all have the love/attachment for our cards. For most of us it is not an investment but a passion of the collection. Many times I have wanted certain cards and either I would have had to trade or sell certain cards to get it. AND for me I have not made any of those trades or sales yet so sadly I missed out on some (to me ) amazing cards.

But There are a Few "Bucket List/Wish Cards" that if they became available then I would probably jump at them even if I had to trade/sell most of my collection.

So you need to decide in the simplest terms do you want that 52 Mantle more then all the other Mantles. If so pull the trigger before your Dream Mantle is gone or if the market keeps going sideways you may potentially be priced out of it and would have to sell more of your collection beyond the Mantles

Be really careful here. Many of us have sold cards to raise cash to buy another, and then been frustrated to no end as the market for the targeted card moved higher.

You might sell to raise cash and then it might take months or even longer to identify the right '52, and it's price might well be on the rise the whole time you're in cash looking.

Well put Vegas I agree with you, def been thinking about that issue.

Same here.
They would have to be exceptional copies for me to ever get rid of my 52 Mantle even in the shape it is in.

52 Mantle.

Going against my very nature, if the '52 was in front of me and a stack of 25 others, I'd have to reach for the '52. It's a card that I will probably never own, whereas all the others I could own, though not all at once.

I look at it from more of an entertainment value question.

Not a direct corollary, but you can either own the best movie (according to the American Film Institute) ever made (#1), or the next 25 greatest from their list (#2-26). What would you do? Better yet, since a lot of people have a different film topping their personal list of best flicks ever, you can choose any one listed to own by its lonesome, or opt for the remaining 25 movies. I'd find much more enjoyment having the large group of different movies to watch, even if I had to forgo ever playing that one great film.

1. Citizen Kane
2. The Godfather
3. Casablanca
4. Raging Bull
5. Singin' In The Rain
6. Gone With The Wind
7. Lawrence Of Arabia
8. Schindler's List
9. Vertigo
10. The Wizard Of Oz
11. City Lights
12. The Searchers
13. Star Wars
14. Psycho
15. 2001: A Space Odyssey
16. Sunset Boulevard
17. The Graduate
18. The General
19. On The Waterfront
20. It's A Wonderful Life
21. Chinatown
22. Some Like It Hot
23. The Grapes Of Wrath
24. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
25. To Kill A Mockingbird
26. Mr. Smith Goes To Washington


Value aside, I'd rather be able to adore 25 separate (and valuable in their own right) Mantle cards than be stuck married to that one piece of arrogant cardboard for eternity!!! (Uh oh...think I wandered off into some personal issues there for a moment. :cool:)

Darren, interesting analogy. But not sure it's a valid one. Each movie is basically "valued" the same, they're all award winning, ground breaking, epic stories. Hard to chose only one, and clearly (as you even said) we can each interchange and pick our own #1. It's very debatable which one is the "best". (BTW, I think Godfather II is up there, and it's not even on your list).

In the case of one (very valuable) 52 Mantle versus 25 of his "other" cards (valued much much less), it's a clear the 52 Mantle is (by far) the most expensive and iconic card compared to his other issues. It's a clear "this or these" choice.

52 Topps

Chad

Would you rather go out with Jennifer Aniston one time or her sister 25 times?

No fair, trick question. I looked it up...Jennifer only has two half brothers, and no sisters.

Brian (still taking the 25 other Mantles)

Well, contrary to others obviously but I LOVE the mantle image.
Color and style that makes him look every bit the superhero of his time.

I'll have the 52'T please.

In thinking more about it I think I would take the multiple Mantles. I like quantity sometimes....and I would get tired of looking at just 1 card.
.

Yes I agree ! I like a little variety

I would rather date 25 hot girls than 1 slightly hotter girl. That is what the OP is asking.