1950's Mantle Run Complete! - SCAN HEAVY!

[MattyC]

I really wanted to close 2013 by completing my 1950's Mantle run. I defined the run as including all his basic issues, alongside one example of the popular multi-player cards on which he appeared (i.e., w/Berra in 57, Aaron in 58, or the 53B). My focus here was less on numerical grade and more on centering and eye appeal.

























MIC Collection - Mickey Mantle

[frankhardy]

Yowzers! Very impressive! Fantastic cards.

[brewing]

Beautiful cards. I'm green with envy.



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[talkinbaseball]

Great run of the "Mick"

[ALR-bishop]

Bravo

[MattyC]

Thx, fellas! I just know I'm gonna cave and seek out a nicely centered 1960 Topps Mick-- and the slope is slippery from there!

[Bestdj777]

Beautiful cards. Congrats on completing the run. Cannot wait to see your 60s run!

[Vintagevault13]

Great cards! Congrats. Looking forward to seeing what you get in 2014.

[GregC]

Absolutely stunning run brother. Can't wait to see them in person. That '57 is very sharp for the grade. I still think you need the 58 all star though. It's such a beauty.

[Harliduck]

Wow. I know everyone loves the older ones the most, but that 57 is spectacular. You just don't see that type of centering on that card, and it's clean. NICE. Thanks for posting!

[Stonepony]

Well done! Great run

[JollyElm]

Great stuff. Yowza!!!

[g_vezina_c55]

You are in fire matty
Impressive congrat !

[corey dean]

That is impressive.

[Samsdaddy]

Very impressive.

My favorite two are the 1957 and 1959 Topps cards.

[brian1961]

Matty---

Well done, bro, well done. Your selection shows you not only sought good centering, but superb picture registration. I simply love your 52, 53, and 56 Topps. Your 54 Bowman is such a honey with that crisp focus. Love 'em!

Stay good and picky for a good 60, one of my all-time favorites.

Again, impressive Mickey Mantle collection run. ---Brian Powell

[Sean1125]

Nice run Matt!

[MattyC]

Brian,

That really means a lot, man. Maybe the nicest thing a fellow collector can say. Much thanks. I just simply don't have the loot to reel in perfect 9s and 10s at the big AHs, so finding lower graded examples with greater appeal than their number grade was something of a challenge.

Sean,

My man! Holla when on the West Side!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

[the 'stache]

I'm drooling over here, Matt. Bravo!

It's funny how I've done a 180 on card centering. When I first came back to collecting a few years ago, the overall condition mattered most to me. Now I look at centering before I consider anything else. Your cards amply demonstrate just how much centering improves the overall aesthetic.

You really know how to inspire a guy. I can't wait to get back to buying again.

[pawpawdiv9]

i myself try to focus more on the card and not the grade, especially when it comes to cards that cost a bit of money. You have to ask yourselfs...why spend so much on a O/C card?
Eye appeal mean everything. And Matty C you have done a outstanding job thus far. Congrats.
p.s. i did send you a pm on my BST thread, if you decide to find any i have justifies to be part of your awesome collection.

[toppcat]

Fantastic! I have to say that 52 Topps looks real nice for a 3.

[MattyC]

Thx, Dave. I really think Chris hit the nail on the head in his earlier post, in that grade is only part of the equation when selecting a card.

So many times two cards can be set side-by-side, and the lower end one wins out on sheer eye appeal.

I've played that game for fun and shown two cards to friends or family, covering the grades, and it is always cool to see when people prefer the lower graded and thus far less expensive example!

[Miniduff]

Beautiful cards Matty, but wouldn't you rather have a dozen psa 10 commons?

Seriously, amazing job building your collection.

[MattyC]

Thanks, Duff! I just love that collector focus website that CW from these and the PSA boards put me onto way back when-- it's like one's own personal Registry that allows for viewing, sharing, and organization.

I can't wait to see what pieces you select for your collection, now that you too are free from the chase of gem mint commons that we both have known too well over the years LOL!

Though I will say, if a mint 1975 Mini Claudell Washington ever crossed my path, I'd have to go for it-- just due to the sheer '75 mini-DNA that will always be deep in my cells!

[CW]

Nice! I like how the grades run the gamut (from the sharp '59 "2" to the grinning n' blazing '56), but none of the cards look out of place within the run. Great collection!

[MBMiller25]

Damn, nice run Matt! Just checked out the focus site, you've been busy! Great eye as usual, I really expect nothing less from you

[Bunker]

Originally Posted by MattyC

Thx, fellas! I just know I'm gonna cave and seek out a nicely centered 1960 Topps Mick-- and the slope is slippery from there!

The 60 Topps Mantle is one of my favorite cards so I hope you do cave! The centering and registration on your cards are awesome, you have a great eye (and I bet a lot of patience)

If you do cave on the 60 you may as well keep going, you have all the big dollar monsters behind you.

[MBMiller25]

So......This is not my money, so its easy to make this next comment, but I have been thinking about it, and think you need to complete the entire run. You love Mantle, and have knocked out all the difficult and terribly expensive cards. There are not many people out there that can say they have every base card for Mantle.

[pawpawdiv9]

i tried that myself..it got too expensive..If i had to re-do it..i would of only went for the major cards. Thats one of the reasons i been selling off my other base cards and stuff over the past several months.
If there was one thing i had to re-do..was going for the 1963 plaque/mask i was gonna win in auction. It was a rare piece and unique in every way...but spending over 5k on it was a deciding factor to save up for the 52 #311 RC...worth it? everyday

[baseballfan]

Great stuff!!!!

[MattyC]

I can definitely see doing 1960, 1962, 1965, and 1969 white letter. The others hit my eye so-so in terms of aesthetic, but as I type this I know the completionist strain of collector DNA I carry will demand I finish the run!

[Leon]

I never did chime in on this one. Great run, Matt. As a guy (myself) who always appreciates centering, you hit a homer!!

[Bestdj777]

Originally Posted by pawpawdiv9

i tried that myself..it got too expensive..If i had to re-do it..i would of only went for the major cards. Thats one of the reasons i been selling off my other base cards and stuff over the past several months.

You'll be back If I could do it over again, not sure if I would have gone for the complete run or just focused on the major cards myself. When I see a collection like this, it makes me wish I had focused my funds a bit more. Although I really like the look of 95% of my regional, foreign issue, rare inserts, some of my base cards are atrocious (i.e. I only have the circle portion of the 59 Topps...If anyone has a spare border they would like to part with...).

[pawpawdiv9]

I know, i got the fever...we all do it seems.
right now, its just selling mode, or until i hit the lottery.
Its hard to focus on 1 thing, when i see all these great cards iin here.
Last year, i finally found a card shop, and i took my brother, We literally spent several hours drooling over cards..i wished i went thru the older cards. He had them seperaltly in boxes by era and years. Did not go thru the t206 stuff to even see what he had. He did have a old joe jackson with a 1k price...so i only imagine what high-end stuff he had tucked away.

[MikeGarcia]

Originally Posted by GregC

Absolutely stunning run brother. Can't wait to see them in person. That '57 is very sharp for the grade. I still think you need the 58 all star though. It's such a beauty.

.......apologies for my crappy antique scanner and overly-handled 15-year-old BGS holders.... but you should listen to your lil bro......the '58 All Star belongs in there...have fun with the '60's.

[MattyC]

Those corners on the 58 AS look dangerous!

And is the 54B not one of the most American Pie images in all of collecting? Just an awesome card, that one. And that example really shines for the grade.

[judgebuck]

I don't post here often, but this got my attention. What great centering and eye appeal!! Beautiful cards! You have a great eye for what looks good. I'm a Mantle collector,too. If you ever get into the other cards that are not basic issues, take a look at the 1959 Bazooka and the 1960 Post Cereal. Good luck in getting the 60s cards.

[judgebuck]

Also, the 51 bowman is stunning. Hard to find a good centered on like that one.

[MattyC]

David,

Thanks, brother-- very much appreciated. I think it's so challenging and thus rewarding to find eye appeal in mid to lower grades.

These days, scans tend to distort flaws, and really misrepresent what the card is in hand. And that's when we are admiring them as collectors, when in hand, or in a display a few inches from our eyes, or maybe visiting a bank box every now and then. It's unbelievable, how great some lower grade, centered cards can hit the eye in those real-world circumstances.

When looking at things this way, I just never see a reason to reach for a card in a higher, more expensive grade, when I can find satisfactory eye appeal in a lower grade.

Best,

Matt

[Samsdaddy]

That sure is a beautiful 58 All Star. I have one as well but not nearly as nice as that one.

[pawpawdiv9]

Originally Posted by judgebuck

If you ever get into the other cards that are not basic issues, take a look at the 1959 Bazooka and the 1960 Post Cereal. Good luck in getting the 60s cards.

FYI, i have been actively selling my 'numerical' graded 1960 post cereal on Ebay and on the B/S/T board.
Open to reasonable & serious offers. Send PM if interested.

I love how we been showing our Mantle cards. I LOVE IT!! but there is others beside him..and this is why i am expanding my goals to rookie cards. There is so many others you can fall in love with.
I got the 'itch' and some money to spend now..Tried to work a deal and fell thru on a nice Clemente RC...but i might be getting a piece of pre-war if my bids hold up. Yep i said it....PRE-WAR!!