Quote:
Originally Posted by Buythatcard
I saw this excerpt on cardboardconnection.com:
"Baseball Rookie Cards versus 1st Year Prospect
Before the 2006 baseball season, the MLBPA announced some changes that were meant to make defining rookie cards easier. Both Topps and Upper Deck were on board but, honestly, things just got more confusing and a window for a new breed of pre-rookies opened.
With the rule change, official rookie cards were only made after a player appeared on a team's 25-man roster. In its most basic form, it was a great idea. Collectors chase rookie cards when they're first-year players. The rule has had great success in hockey. Although not an official rule, it's like this in basketball and football too as players generally make their team's rosters fresh after the draft and don't spend several years developing in a minor league system."
If we follow this, then the Mantle 51 Bowman is a 1st Year Prospect
card, while the 52 Topps is his Rookie card.
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What?! That makes no sense. Mantle played 96 games in 1951, starting in mid April.
Cards then weren't issued starting in January, but during the season. So the 51 would have been issued after Mantle was on the roster.