As with other cards and other collectibles, certain things in their journeys happen to make them go from just being a card to being iconic. Sometimes those things aren't "fair" in terms of what does or does not happen to other cards, collectibles, or players. All I know is that by the time the hobby was full-blown retail with multiple shops in most towns (1985 and later for me) the '52 Topps Mantle had already achieved that status. Though it was pictured in many magazines and books about the hobby, I never saw one in the flesh until about 1990, I think - at a show in Charlotte, NC. It was an EX-ish card that the guy wanted 5 grand for. My Dad just laughed. Little did either of us know what a bargain that would have turned out to be...
I was born too late unfortunately to have any real shot at that card becoming a reality for me. My personal grail is the '56 Mantle - which I first saw in a Tide book with the Yankees team sets at some point in the late 1980's. I've owned one since I was about 13.
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Vintage Cubs. Postwar stars & HOF'ers.
Last edited by jchcollins; 06-01-2022 at 12:14 PM.
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