Hi Mark,
As you know I always like to know some history about pins and this pin has always been a very strange pin. Yes this pin in nice shape as the one that was on ebay usually goes at that price 5000 or more. The last 3 on ebay went in a range of 5500- 7700 in a span of about the last 3+ years. I do know who won the pin and in my estimate he got a very good deal. He got it at the lower end of the range. I can also tell you that he was a bidder on the last 2 that were on and believe me there was some money left on the table here
I was in contact with the person who owned it and he really had no idea that this pin was worth so much. The person who owned it had a very intresting story about this pin that his mother had purchased it for him from an add back in 1961 . You could buy the mantle or the maris and he chose the maris as he was a big willie mays fan and didnt want to get the mantle. Its an intresting story about an add to send away for these pins as I have never found any adds about them. In all the years that I have been collecting most all of these pins seem to come out of California. As his did when he was about 18.(He Lived in California) He moved out at eighteen and never went back until his mother passed away . In cleaning out the house he found some of his items from when he was young stored in a box and the maris pin that was purchased for him by his mother was still there! As for mantle vs maris I do find in tracking these that the Mantle is a little more rare than the Maris,but very nice examples command great prices,as many of them seem to fox or spot easily. Also the mantle pin seems to come in different how can I say this shades of white. There is a more creamy white and a more softer white. It doesnt surprise me that pairs of these pins (which never come up as pairs) command anywhere from 10000 to 12000 dollars. Depending on condition. As for how many are out there who really knows but the best I can figure is somewhere at about 50. With 25+ being it great condition. One day when I have the time I will tell you a great story on how I ended up getting my Maris pin!
Here are my 2!