1960s(?) Oddball Mantle - what is this?
 

For all the negativity there is in this hobby, there are also some really great people. I have been lucky enough to get to know several of them through my addiction to Mantle cards.

One of these hobby buddies sent me an image of this oddball Mantle several months. Neither of us could identify it, but my thought was it was likely cut from a box of some kind in the 60s. I offered him a fair price for it, but he was not ready to part with it. Last week, I got married to an amazing woman. When I got back from my honeymoon, I had a package in the mail from my buddy with a nice wedding card and this oddball Mantle. I could not be happier to add this to my collection.

Although this is a permanent addition to the collection, I am curious as to whether anyone has any insight into what exactly this is or where it came from? It smells old, looks old, and feels old, so I am confident it has at least some age to it.

http://i1345.photobucket.com/albums/...psa46e7c7a.jpg

Mantle
 

What are the dimensions? Is the back blank? Kind of looks like a cutout of something larger. Is the card stock heavy like a box, or does it have the consistency of the old baseball card stock?

Just a few questions that popped up while reading your post!

Thanks,
Nate Mack

Hi Nate,

Thanks for weighing in. I don't have it in front of me at the moment, but I believe it is approximately 4X6 or 5X7. It definitely appears to have been cut from a box of some kind, I just cannot figure out what. The back is blank and is a gray tone, and the cardboard is the same consistency as the Post Cereal cards.

Any thoughts?

Chris

Hiya Chris! Congratulations on your recent marriage! May she always be a gem mint '52 Topps Mantle to you!:D

I have never seen the image of Mick you posted. It's a beauty. From the photo and artwork graphics, I would guess 59 -- 61. Perhaps it was once part of some advertising display. Regardless, the piece was nicely cut and preserved all these years.

Hope someone comes through with identifying it. You could contact Tom Bartsch at Sports Collectors Digest to have them print it and see if any of their readers might know. Some of those old-timers might not indulge in Net54. If you feel so inclined, contact him at 800-726-9966 , ext. 13815.

Take care, my friend. --Brian Powell

Kinda reminds me of the c.1964 Mickey Mantle Linen Photo Emblem
http://www.net54baseball.com/attachm...0&d=1289284293

http://www.sportscollectorsdigest.co...guide_articles

It may be pictured in one of the links on this page.

The man who should know!
 

Kelly Eisenhauer


mrike@
ptd.net


Not sure if the e-mail is still good, but worth a try. Good luck and let us know.


Could also try Mike Mosier of Columbia City Collectibles or Jim Fleck or Levi Bleam of 707 sports cards

Thank you all. I love the image myself so am glad to have it, particularly since it is so seldom I find new items. I've looked through the SCD articles a while ago but did not see it. My initial thought was that it was the cover of a game or some other Mantle endorsed item but no luck finding it there. If no one on here has any info, I'll reach out to people to confirm. I've purchased many items from Kelly, and he is a wealth of information on oddball items.

Hi all,

Kelly was able to identify it for me. It was cut from a Mantle sponsored batting item:

http://keymancollectibles.com/Gamest...ages/wpe27.jpg

Just thought I'd share. Thanks again!

Chris

Cool image! Glad you were able to find the origin.

Mantle cutout
 

Chris,

That's very cool you have found the origin. Now you'll have to add the other Mantle on that same Mantle Batters Training Set; the one that's slightly below. That would make for another nice cutout/card.

Oddball
 

That's awesome to see the original box and display! Well Done!!!

Thanks for sharing the solved mystery!
 

case closed.