What would you do?
 

Hey guys so I have been pondering back and forth on if I should sell my Goudey Set and purchase a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle. I have a standing offer on my set which will put me close enough that I won't fork a ton of money out. Anyway my question is would you trade away a collection for one single card? I mean I've always dreamed about owning this card and now a chance has presented itself. It will obviously be a low grade mantle. still to own probably the second most sought after card in the industry be pretty sweet. I am also looking at it as an investment. So what would you do. Continue to build the Goudey set or sell it away n buy a 52 topps Mantle??

It sounds like you want the Mantle.

Continue building your set, the '52 Mick will always be available. Think of the feeling completing the Goudey set at the grades you are working on. Once it's finished, consign the set and buy the Mantle as an award for finishing the set. May have some cash left over to start the next set or get a Ruth at the same time.

Depends on how much you like your current collection. For me, I could care less about the Mantle card so it would not be the best idea. I did at one time trade a substantial group of cards for a 1958 Dolan Nichols card with an option line on the card. Was a good deal for me as I got a card I wanted and nobody was buying commons from the 1970's. Left me with less cardboard to store and got a tough card without spending any money.

In your case, a 52 Mantle would be an investment so a little different that my hobby trade. Really depends on what you want in the end.

Steve you do make a very good point. That would be a very sweet reward wouldn't it.

I agree.

It all depends on how bad you want the Mantle.

I recently sold a ton of stuff for a single card that completed a project and do not regret it so a single moment. The 52 Mick is not rare, but it matters how much you want it versus your set. Would you just start your set all over? If its the card you want and at a price you cant beat, then hey, what are gonna do?

I considered the same thing at one time--no one would buy my collection at a price I wanted so I passed. Low grade Mantles appear to be in an upswing. It might be a good time to buy.

Don't sell, you worked so hard for so long to build your set. It's like mine, I simply could not trade it all for one card. I put my heart into this set and spent so much time on it, it would almost feel like a waste.

It's a very hard decision and that's why I brought it to you guys. I mean you never know what can happen in the next year. I do want the mantle but I feel when I complete the Goudey set that I may just keep it. But to complete it be pretty great achievement. It's tough that's why I want your opinion. I appreciate everyone's input so far.

If it were me, I'd keep the Ruth cards, sell the rest, and then look for a low grade Mantle with nice eye appeal.

A Mantle and the 4 Goudey Ruths are a nice iconic collection all by themselves.

This is the 34 set no Ruth's

Are you bored of the Goudeys already?

Oh my bad, definitely sell then.

Jesse- We have all notice your passion for the Goudeys and completing that set...I would at least finish the set before considering such a deal. To get a nice Mantle (which I consider better than VG) would cost you a fortune...and I'm not convinced the '52 Mantles have much more market value growth potential...they're already so very high.

Not bored by any means. I think I may just continue the set and finish it and then go from there.

If you do get bored expand to little subsets of other issues. I just recently did that with the Ohio OJs I was working on. Cincinnati is now T206s, Cleveland is now '33 & '34 Goudey, plus I added a Yankees '14 & '15 CJ and a 1956 Topps set. Kept the OJ focus on Columbus cards.

keep the set. There will always be enough low grade Mantles around when you have the $ to buy one.

I agree with most of the earlier posts. The Mantle will be there and the worst that will happen is your 34 set grows in number and value which makes the Mantle easier to achieve. Once you get the Mantle, then what?

If you like the Mantle a lot, I say make the trade. You can always restart the 34s one at a time, $60 a pop (or whatever they have been running). You probably aren't just going to have $4k laying around to buy a Mantle. I've done the collect a bunch of low priced cards over time, then sell to fund a large purchase thing a couple times, and haven't regretted it for a second.

I really want to thank everyone who has commented. I think I will complete the set. I truly do enjoy this set just from the art work. I may pick up a second subset or something to keep me busy while I wait for these 34's to pop up.

Just wondering which 52 Mantle version? A or B. I believe 'A' is more better looking than 'B' due to the wiggleness of the yellow signature box and uncomplete logo box.

A for sure. I hate the wiggly version.

Never have understood why a second-year double printed Mantle is so important to so many collectors.

I kinda agree...although the card does get me kinda excited every time I see it!

If you never replaced the Goudey set, would it bother you?

No I wouldn't lose sleep over it. I just thought wow I have a chance to own a great piece. Which who knows if I will ever again. But I really do want to complete this set. So I'm torn but I think I'm keeping it and going to complete the set. Maybe build a small collection of cards along the way

tmi

As many said before, the Mantle will always be there for as long as the hobby is alive and kicking. You have devoted alot of time, effort as well as funds to build your collection and I don't think flipping it for just one card (especially a low-grade) would be a wise decision. This is just my opinion, at the end of the day, you are grown and will do what best suits you. Hope this and all other opinions help you in your decision.

Thanks for the responses again guys

I have flipped sets and cards in the past. Certainly not on the magnitude of what you are contemplating. If I trade a set, I like to get at least 3-4 quality cards in return. A lot of times, I look at trades like a stock portfolio in that I like to diversify with the cards I get in return. That is just me though... As many have stated on here, collect what you like. Just curious though. How many Gehrigs are involved in this potential trade?

I think this is pretty telling. Sounds to me that you just haven't found which cards that you're really passionate about. I still vote sell and keep looking for what really speaks to you.

Bear with me as I tell you a story. I got card crazy in the late 80's and early 90's, buying "new stuff" but very aware of the 52 Topps Mantle because it was on the front page of every collecting magazine. I can relate to the excitement about actually seeing one in person. The card reached such iconic status in the 80's-90's that every time I tell people I own one they always say things like, "wow" or "I know the card", "I can picture it in my mind", "the image is burned into my brain" , etc. And these are often non collectors.

Some of you have stated that you don't understand why this card is such a phenomenon. Well it is and that's all there is too it. I don't think that it will fall from grace ever.

Yes it is a double print, but is also a high number low print which balances things out. But the majority of Mantle's available go into collections and are not sold when the owner dies, they are handed down while other items get sold. That's what I plan to do.

For those of you who are waiting for the 52 Topps Mantle bubble to burst, you will be waiting forever. High grade examples are astronomical, and initially lower grade examples were reasonable. But that is changing fast. Yes you will probably have many chances to buy this card, but prices will climb and hold.

I came back into the hobby just a year ago. I am not wealthy, but I had a little money squirreled away. I had an opportunity to buy an iron clad legit raw 52 Topps Mantle from a long time owner (owner for 40 plus years). I thought about it for awhile like you are doing, and decided on the one card over a set or two. I was pretty sure that having the money to buy one would most likely not occur again. I now have it, and have been working on the rest of the 52 Topps Yankees, Yankees Cracker Jacks, NY T222's, NY T206's, NY '48-'53 Bowmans, 1960 Topps Yankees etc etc.

My point being is, I got the most amazing card to say that I own one, and then moved onto other subsets and things to go with it, that match my monthly budget. For the advice that "you can always get a Mantle, keep your set", I say you can always buy 34 Goudeys.

One more piece of advice, some will say that prices will fall as future generation will not be as interested as we are. Reasons given include the idea that they cant relate to the players, cards etc., don't care about the things we care about etc. I remind you that this board is made up of a bunch of T206 fans/collectors/junkies/addicts. I think we all know that they were not born, not even close to the era of T206's.

There will "always" be members of the next generation that will fall in love with the cards and collectibles that we too have fallen in love with. The reality is that with population growth, there will be more of them per capita then now. So there will be more and more collectors from the next generations wanting a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle. And there are no more originals being printed. (At least not legit ones).

But after all this is only my opinion, and not necessarily yours. My 52 Mantle is not in amazing condition by no means, it is still raw, but feel it is a solid PSA 2. I wouldn't sell it for any reason, not even to upgrade because it was my first, and because of the person I bought it from and the story behind his acquisition, and maybe it is one of a few still legitimately raw. I can picture you holding the 1952 Topps Mantle and saying to yourself "wow". And then continuing with other collecting pursuits with your Mantle as a centerpiece. You will not regret it ever. Trust me.

+1 Well said. If I could say I wouldn't lose sleep over selling my set like you did, then I would rather have the Mantle. Just my thoughts (also, the Mantle is soooo sweet a card, I would give my left you know what to get one, and I do not collect that era at all).

...

I am thinking along the same lines lately in reverse. I have a few rare cards from sets that are completely impossible to complete. Best example a few E107s including Plank. Should I let go of cards that rare which are bound to increase in value to pursue one of my favorite sets which could be completed?

No, you keep the e107s (in my opinion).

I go Mantle all the way.

I'm on the fence here, but I think I'm going to agree with Matt. Get the Mantle. There's no Ruth in the '34 set, and you haven't acquired either of the Gehrigs yet. The cards you have thus far should be easy to replace.

Do you have any candidates in mind? If you ultimately decide to buy a Mantle, before you put down any money, make sure to get high quality scans-front and back-to post here. I want the experts to look at the card you'll be buying to insure that it is an authentic card.

Good luck!

...and I would never get a raw high-dollar card

Brad, would you mind posting a scan of your Mantle?

Please keep the set

I've gotten to the point where I'll do it on a card that's a few hundred bucks, but not much more than that. If he sells, and buys a Mantle, even if it's slabbed, I want to see it, and I want all our expert eyes to see it. Slabbed doesn't automatically mean legit.

I tend to agree w/Bill on this one...I'd sell the set...get a mantle...and then at some time pick up a #37 34 goudey gehrig...the only card one really needs from this set!!!!

And for the record...I am living in the camp who believes the 52 topps mantle values will slide...not crash...but slide as the boomers die off who idolized him.

I sold off most of my T206 set to buy Lionel Carter's Eddie Plank. I never really regretted it, but I do still miss some of the cards I wound up selling. And, beware, going back over the same ground and trying to put another T206 set together has been a difficult proposition for me -- sort of like, am I really going to spend another $200 on a Southern Leaguer? I did that already. Why am I doing it again? It's not like just getting back on the T206 horse.

You will miss certain of your 34s that will be hard to replace, even if you find a better condition one.

Guys everyone here seems to be split. That's why it's very hard for me to decide on what to do. I do agree that the mantles or the Goudey's are going anywhere. I really think though to complete the set would be something pretty sweet. Then once completed yes it may be difficult to sell because of the time put in. I'm back and forth on this but I think when the sets completed I can buy a better mantle grade than I could now. So I feel I'll complete the 34 set then sell it to purchase the 52T Mantle.

Oh and bill when the time comes I will def make sure that the mantle is legit. I'll have u guys look at it

Why even complete the set if you will just sell it to buy something else? Would you sell the Mantle soon after buying it? Life is short man, why spend 2 or 3 years working on finishing your set if you already have made up your mind to part with it?

Definitely a tough decision, and I guess what you should be asking everyone is for their reason why they would choose one over the other...what choice they would make is somewhat moot if they do not have a good reason behind it.

Jesse, if I were you I would take time to think about what it would be like with and without both the Mantle and the Goudeys. You may be able to find the answer just by thinking this scenario through. For me, I love being able to go through my cards looking at the unique poses and also knowing that I'm building the set. There is no right or wrong answer because it's purely a preference. It is true that you could sell the Goudey set and buy the Mantle now and then if you decided to start over on your Goudey set afterwards, you could do so more easily.

I believe eventually I will get a 52T Mantle, but I don't know when. I've considered selling some of my collection to get the funds necessary, but I've never really put the thought into it fully. I know I could re-obtain most of my collection rather easily, but it's my collection and I love it...and that makes it hard to part with.

When you force yourself to make this decision, just know there isn't a right or wrong answer and ultimately it's what you feel you would enjoy more or not regret in the long run.

I knew I forgot to comment on something!

Great point, Luke! I feel the same way you do about completing a set. When I finish a set, I believe I will enjoy it possibly even more and selling it would just make me sad :(

I have heard many people say that they are planning on selling the set after they complete it and I have no problem with that, but I guess I'm a little different on the matter.