Hi, Jim. I want to thank you for taking the time and trouble to load up Brad Rasmussen's likely school project. What a profoundly beautiful 1960 Post Cereal Mickey Mantle. I can really understand the urges you've gotten to allow the artifact to remain intact. It is so poignant to that period of time. Well I remember Miss Kaplan at Fairview Elementary School teaching me how to print. A few years later, I was indeed taught to write cursive precisely as Brad did.
Jim, your desire to remove it from its paper is also very understandable. I imagine it was attached with either Elmer's Glue or Lepage's Glue, which was really a white paste. In my opinion, the 1960 Post Cereal Mantle is truly one of Mick's most underrated, undervalued, and desirable cards. It is simply breathtaking. Its monumental size compared to most other Mantle cards puts it in a class by itself, or a cornerstone from which to build a display of outstanding Mickey Mantle cards and coins.
When I wrote my book about post-war regional / food issues, NEVER CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN, I devoted chapter 2 to this set, anchored by my SGC-Authenticated specimen. Like yours, it's only missing perhaps 2 - 3% of the card due to wayward cutting by a lad doing his best, with tongue half outside of his mouth. I gave this Mickey Mantle an appropos name.
THE MAJESTIC GIANT SEQUOIA MANTLE
One small correction. The cereal Post placed its Sports Stars was not Grape Nuts; rather, it was GRAPE NUTS FLAKES. A geriatrtic cereal, it helped to keep people my age on the "go-go".
One small gold nugget of information is found on the title page of Brad Rasmussen's project----the date of Nov. 14, 1960. There has been a teenzie bit of discussion as to when these gorgeous Post Sports Stars were issued. I believed they debuted shortly after the 1960 World Series. Brad's dated document confirms my belief, and goes right along with a multi-sport set---mostly baseball, with a pair of football and a pair of basketball stars.
Whatever you do, Jim, you best choose a path leading to no regrets. If you choose to have it professionally removed, make them understand the precious card must survive completely intact. As it is now, it is quaint, nostalgic, and satuated with ambience-----PLUS VERY VALUABLE.
Wishing you wisdom and the very best.
--- Brian Powell