Super high end Mantle cards

[gunboat82]

Originally Posted by Steve D

Regarding the value difference between Mantle and Mays:

It was pointed out in a previous post, that Mantle seemed to have good luck in the art department with his cards...most of his cards portray him smiling, or just looking good; hell, he was a handsome dude.

Aaron too; most, if not all of his cards show him in a good mood, looking happy to be there.

Mays on the other hand, seems to be unhappy or brooding on most of his cards.

What would the difference be if Mays looked as good as Mantle on his cards?

Steve

The subjective "mood" that a card brings is certainly a factor. I love the look of the 1953 Topps cards. The first three I chased were, in order, Paige, Robinson, and Mantle. When I tracked down the Mays, I didn't really feel any connection to it, even though the I like the pose. Mays' scowl reminds me of Jay-Z's serious face on the Hard Knock Life album cover. If he had been flashing the 1954-56 smile during those fake fielding drills, it would've been one of my favorite cards.

His 1952 Topps is an O.K. compromise between chaseability and aesthetics. He looks focused... maybe mildly constipated. But not pissed off at the world, the way he looks in the 1953 Topps set.