WTB - This EXACT 55B Mantle

[arcadekrazy]

Last seen (by me) in a 2012 H&S auction. Please PM

[quitcrab]

Is it to personal to ask why that exact one ?

[xplainer]

Originally Posted by quitcrab

Is it to personal to ask why that exact one ?

I'm curious to. If not too personal.

[hangman62]

Yea, whats the story here

[1952boyntoncollector]

yeah why is that...

[Ksquared]

According to VCP, it was sold on 2/16/13 on ebay for $295 (best offer) by seller
mom_and_pop_card_shop. looked up that seller and they are still active. maybe they can help by sending an email to buyer (not sure if a seller would do something like that). here is the information from VCP. the information "o***w" is the buyer but i'm not sure how to decode that

2/16/13 eBay Image mom_and_pop_card_shop o***w Best Offer $295.00

[arcadekrazy]

KSquared - Thank you for the info

Everyone else:

Short answer: nostalgia - I used to own this particular card

Long Answer:

My uncle, who in many ways was a father to me, purchased this card for me back in 1989 - the 55B "TV Set" was, at the time, my favorite set and Mantle was my favorite player. I had heard of the exploits of Mantle from both my mother and uncle, so to me, a 12 year old just starting to learn the history of our National Pastime, he was the most amazing ball player to ever strap on a set of cleats. My uncle presented the card to me after taking me to my first NY Yankees game - He had bought it as a Christmas gift, but held off on giving it to me, figuring it would be a more fitting gift after my first visit to Yankee Stadium.

Over the intervening twenty plus years, I liquidated some of my collection (looking at you, T206 rare backs that could now finance a BMW) and this Mantle went to auction with the rest of my 55B cards.

My own son was born this past fall. He watched his first Yankee game from our hospital room. While I was holding him I started to dream about taking him to his first live game and pondering his reaction to the sites and sounds, and was immediately transported back to that warm May day back in 1990 when I saw my first live game, and soaked in the wonder and amazement of it all as my uncle sat beside me, rooting for a horrid version of our favorite team.

This past Christmas, my aunt presented me with a couple of bins of my uncle's old stuff (he died 12 years earlier) she found while cleaning the house, and asked me if I wanted anything. While searching the bins, in a stack of old magazines and other misc papers, I came across an old copy of "Baseball Cards" magazine. My heart rate quickened a bit as I checked the date - Nov. 1989. I thumbed through the yellowing pages, taking note of the various ads trumpeting that year's "hot rookies" and silently smiled to myself, wondering if I might find an ad for a 55B Mantle (or maybe THE ad). And sure enough, I found an ad for "Paul Lewicki" cards tagged with a "post it"....There, circled by my uncle, in Paul's list of cards was the 55B mantle ("55B Mickey Mantle, Nr. Mt." - no mention of the two vertical wax stains and almost miscut back, and I'm sure my uncle didn't know to ask questions)

I am not one who regrets things, but right now I do wish I hadn't sold that card.

And there you have it, the exact reason and back story to this particular card.

My apologies for bumping this thread.

[1952boyntoncollector]

yet another reason why holders are really good and third party graders...without grading companies..no way you will find the 'exact' same card....

I think you can write to PSA as well and see if the card is on the registry...or you can also check psa registry and see if that card is there ....

[pow323]

I love great stories like that! Hope you find it again and can buy it back from the new owner! Good Luck in your findings!

[gregr2]

Thanks for following up with that story. I really do hope you find and it can share that with your son.

[Beatles Guy]

A beauty of a card and a beauty of a story. Thanks for sharing.

[vintagetoppsguy]

Originally Posted by pow323

I love great stories like that! Hope you find it again and can buy it back from the new owner! Good Luck in your findings!

+1

[quitcrab]

Good luck! Great story ! Hope it comes your way. I remember as a 6 years old trading my 68 Brooks Robinson all star for a couple terrible cards. When I told my older sister (10 years old ) about the trade, she told me I got ripped off. She went and found the kid and got my card back. I still have it ! One of my favorite cards !

[jrlebert]

Wow, good luck in finding it!

[mantleman]

Great story and a great looking card for the grade !!!!

[NateMack]

That is a great story and I love hearing about a special story behind the meaning of a card. I too, have a special connection with my dad via baseball cards! Some of my favorite memories of my childhood are of listening to my dad and his friends talk about old players and for them to dig up their heavily, and I mean heavily, used cards and talk "shop"...

I have started giving my dad a set every year for Christmas staring a couple years ago. I started with finishing his most collected year of 72 Topps. Even though he grew up in the 50's (his main childhood collecting years) he collected the 72 set when he was in his early 30s. I graduated to giving him the 58 Topps set, followed by the holy grail in his opinion.. the 56 Topps set, and added to his collection with the 59 Topps set this year. I already have 54 done for his gift next year! And 55 Topps done for the year after that!

Anyways, it is a crazy thing that I treasure to have my dad still around to talk about the glory days of collecting (for him) and the players of today. And also how I am collecting cards that we both thought would be way out of our grasp when I was in my collecting hey-day back in the dreaded late 80s- early 90s...

Thanks for sharing your story! Thanks for reading mine....