The official Mickey Mantle Pickup Thread. All Mick, all the time!

[bswhiten]

Originally Posted by Bestdj777

Fortunately, I’m a hoarder

Me too especially with items I like. The K or no K green both seem to be fairly common after a quick eBay search.

[clydepepper]

1962 Topps 200- MICKEY MANTLE.jpg

[swarmee]

I sorted my PSA set by completion percentage and I rise from 29th to 13th, with 19 more Mantles (15 new) in the queue in Newport Beach. So I'm very close to hitting 50% of the Master Set Registry, even with those new oversized cards being added.

[brian1961]

Congratulations, John. That's quite the quantum leap up the Mantle Master Set Registry! -- Brian Powell

[AustinMike]

Picked up 3 Holiday Inn coasters. Now I have 3.

Ben, I think you picked up the large one recently also but I couldn't find the thread where you showed it. I think you said it was an uncatalogued version. Hopefully someone isn't currently churning them out.

[swarmee]

PSA Grades are in:
GOOD 2 1956-57 Mac Boy Decal Mickey Mantle
POOR 1 1962 Post Cereal Mantle-5/Maris-6 Perforated-Ad Back, Panel
FAIR 1.5 1958-61 Jay Publishing Photos-Type 1 Mickey Mantle Batting, Pose to Chest
GOOD 2 1962-65 Jay Publishing Photos-Type 2 Mickey Mantle Portrait
GOOD 2 1962-65 Jay Publishing Photos-Type 2 Mickey Mantle Batting, Pose to Chest, One Ear Showing
VERY GOOD 3 1947-66 Exhibits 1951 Yankees Team
VERY GOOD-EXCELLENT 4 1947-66 Exhibits 1952 Yankees Team
VERY GOOD-EXCELLENT 4 1964 Challenge the Yankees Game Mickey Mantle
EXCELLENT 5 1947-66 Exhibits Mickey Mantle 1st Name Outline in White
GOOD 2 1963 Exhibits Statistic Back Mickey Mantle

The Jay Publishings all got hammered for some reason. Exhibits were okay as compared to what I expected. The Challenge the Yankees card was evaluated by COMC as NM and while it had a little corner wear, got a below expected VG-EX. I think I have posted all these in the thread before, but if you want to see something specific, I can probably dredge up the before scan.
Previous uploads

[Promethius88]

Fresh back from PSA today. Not sure how the AS garnered a straight 6.

[bswhiten]

Originally Posted by AustinMike

Picked up 3 Holiday Inn coasters. Now I have 3.

Ben, I think you picked up the large one recently also but I couldn't find the thread where you showed it. I think you said it was an uncatalogued version. Hopefully someone isn't currently churning them out.

Nice Mike! The brown batting right and mileage charts are beautiful. I don't have the large coaster you show, but I have seen it before. I honestly just thought it was a fantasy piece since the only fake (that i am aware of) from the hotel is a paper placemat that has the similar color scheme and it isn't catalogued anywhere. The placemat is easy to tell it is a fake though since the paper isn't actually textured it is just a scan. What does the the back of the coaster look like? You are probably the best judge if it is a legit item since you have it in hand.

Chris, do you have one?

I still need the batting left coaster...

[bswhiten]

Nice PSA poppage John!

Originally Posted by swarmee

PSA Grades are in:
GOOD 2 1956-57 Mac Boy Decal Mickey Mantle
POOR 1 1962 Post Cereal Mantle-5/Maris-6 Perforated-Ad Back, Panel
FAIR 1.5 1958-61 Jay Publishing Photos-Type 1 Mickey Mantle Batting, Pose to Chest
GOOD 2 1962-65 Jay Publishing Photos-Type 2 Mickey Mantle Portrait
GOOD 2 1962-65 Jay Publishing Photos-Type 2 Mickey Mantle Batting, Pose to Chest, One Ear Showing
VERY GOOD 3 1947-66 Exhibits 1951 Yankees Team
VERY GOOD-EXCELLENT 4 1947-66 Exhibits 1952 Yankees Team
VERY GOOD-EXCELLENT 4 1964 Challenge the Yankees Game Mickey Mantle
EXCELLENT 5 1947-66 Exhibits Mickey Mantle 1st Name Outline in White
GOOD 2 1963 Exhibits Statistic Back Mickey Mantle

[Bestdj777]

Originally Posted by bswhiten

Nice Mike! The brown batting right and mileage charts are beautiful. I don't have the large coaster you show, but I have seen it before. I honestly just thought it was a fantasy piece since the only fake (that i am aware of) from the hotel is a paper placemat that has the similar color scheme and it isn't catalogued anywhere. The placemat is easy to tell it is a fake though since the paper isn't actually textured it is just a scan. What does the the back of the coaster look like? You are probably the best judge if it is a legit item since you have it in hand.

Chris, do you have one?

I still need the batting left coaster...

I have a fake placemat but no coaster. Was disappointed that the placemat wasn’t real though.

[clydepepper]

1959 Topps 10- MICKEY MANTLE.jpg1960 Topps 350- MICKEY MANTLE.jpg

[AustinMike]

Originally Posted by bswhiten

Nice Mike! The brown batting right and mileage charts are beautiful. I don't have the large coaster you show, but I have seen it before. I honestly just thought it was a fantasy piece since the only fake (that i am aware of) from the hotel is a paper placemat that has the similar color scheme and it isn't catalogued anywhere. The placemat is easy to tell it is a fake though since the paper isn't actually textured it is just a scan. What does the the back of the coaster look like? You are probably the best judge if it is a legit item since you have it in hand.

Chris, do you have one?

I still need the batting left coaster...

Ben, the coaster is textured. I've attached a couple of closeups (darkened a little to help show the texture). It doesn't feel like the brown one in that the brown one feels more like linen than paper and this feels more like paper.

[AustinMike]

Originally Posted by clydepepper

Attachment 350126

Raymond, that is a gorgeous '59.

[clydepepper]

Originally Posted by AustinMike

Raymond, that is a gorgeous '59.

Well, the front is anyway - back is dirty and I paid too much.


=

[DJCollector1]

Picked up a nice '59 for my display piece I'm working on.
Actually cracked this one out of a slab, and I'm very happy with the eye-appeal.

It will fit seamlessly into my display I'm slowly working on.
The brightness along the bottom right corner is from the light source when I was taking the picture.

[clydepepper]

1961 Topps 300- MICKEY MANTLE NM.jpg1964 Topps 50- MICKEY MANTLE.jpg

[Fuddjcal]

Originally Posted by clydepepper

Well, the front is anyway - back is dirty and I paid too much.


=

don't we all

[JeremyW]

I bought a Mantle & I don't regret it.

[mickey7mantle7]

Had to sell everything. Just bought this one to start over...

[mickey7mantle7]

From today.

[AustinMike]

Several days ago, I learned about the variations in the small Mantle Dormund post card in this thread. Today, I'd like to pick everyone's brains about the attached Mantle pencil sets.

In the attached photos, the set on the right is the red packaging set that is available frequently on ebay and in auctions. The set on the left I picked up and was told it was a version sold at Yankee Stadium back in the day. After receiving the pencil set, my first thought was that it is the normal packaging minus the red color. But on closer inspection, there are a few other differences. (1) In the closeup, you can see the fielder extends more into the Mantle photo on the red version versus the red-less version. (2) Mantle's photo is cropped differently between the two packages. On the red version, you see more of the uniform to the right of the stripe on Mantle's right shoulder than on the red-less version. And finally, (3) the green "grass" in the field on the red version doesn't seem to be as dense as on the red-less version allowing more white to show through the green specs.

So, the ultimate question, is this a true variation of the Mantle pencil set or a very clever fantasy piece? Does anyone else have one or has anyone else seen one?

[Bestdj777]

Originally Posted by AustinMike

Several days ago, I learned about the variations in the small Mantle Dormund post card in this thread. Today, I'd like to pick everyone's brains about the attached Mantle pencil sets.

In the attached photos, the set on the right is the red packaging set that is available frequently on ebay and in auctions. The set on the left I picked up and was told it was a version sold at Yankee Stadium back in the day. After receiving the pencil set, my first thought was that it is the normal packaging minus the red color. But on closer inspection, there are a few other differences. (1) In the closeup, you can see the fielder extends more into the Mantle photo on the red version versus the red-less version. (2) Mantle's photo is cropped differently between the two packages. On the red version, you see more of the uniform to the right of the stripe on Mantle's right shoulder than on the red-less version. And finally, (3) the green "grass" in the field on the red version doesn't seem to be as dense as on the red-less version allowing more white to show through the green specs.

So, the ultimate question, is this a true variation of the Mantle pencil set or a very clever fantasy piece? Does anyone else have one or has anyone else seen one?

Doubt anyone is making any fantasy pieces of this as they aren’t particularly valuable. To be honest, yours just looks faded/dirty to me. It wouldn’t surprise me if there were minor printing discrepancies throughout the issue. I don’t think that color/style is appealing enough that they’d issue it using that when they already had a nice design they could have used.

[AustinMike]

Originally Posted by Bestdj777

Doubt anyone is making any fantasy pieces of this as they aren’t particularly valuable. To be honest, yours just looks faded/dirty to me. It wouldn’t surprise me if there were minor printing discrepancies throughout the issue. I don’t think that color/style is appealing enough that they’d issue it using that when they already had a nice design they could have used.

Hey Chris, thanks for chiming in. I agree, I don't think it's a fantasy piece. Like you said, it's not a valuable item. However, I am open to that being an option. I also thought about fading, but I can't imagine how the red would completely fade out without anything else appearing faded. So, I think it was just printed without the red, either by accident or on purpose. I was hoping someone else had one like it or had seen one like it. I also agree that without the red it isn't as appealing. However, you're assuming the red versions were manufactured first. What if the red-less version was first and then for later versions they printed it with red? Past auctions have had display boxes with red sets in them. This would be more likely to occur if the red version was made last and the display boxes are overstocked items. But, who knows for sure?

[mintacular]

Really love both those 59s, just picked this up. Been a while since I got a card for the PC that I was this excited about.....

[lowpopper]

[swarmee]

Great card, Greg. Love the "game face" image; can just imagine him staring down Bob Gibson in the World Series with that look. I bought the PSA Authentic (tape) 1960 Post Mantle from eBay a few weeks ago. Most I've spent on a card ($1500).

[AustinMike]

Originally Posted by swarmee

Great card, Greg. Love the "game face" image; can just imagine him staring down Bob Gibson in the World Series with that look. I bought the PSA Authentic (tape) 1960 Post Mantle from eBay a few weeks ago. Most I've spent on a card ($1500).

John, I remember seeing that on ebay and thought it was a very nice looking PSA 1. If I didn't already have the '60 Post Mantle, I would have been very tempted to get it. It definitely beats the Mantle I've attached that I found on the PSA website in a registered Mantle master set. I have to wonder, how in the world did the attached get a number grade?

[bswhiten]

Mike,
I don't have the pencil set to compare with, but they both look legit to me. I guess the non-red could have faded and print issues just led to the offsets, but who knows... The joys of oddball collecting!

That post was graded pre-Jumbo is my guess why PSA gave it a number grade.

And Greg, good to know my dupe Phillies Cigar is in a good home

Nice pickup John!

[Fuddjcal]

delete

[brian1961]

John, sincere congratulations on your hunting down the over-the-top elegant 1960 Post Cereal Mickey Mantle. Yours is simply beautiful. Hope you truly enjoy a recent book you purchased, and I trust the second chapter will complement this purchase of yours.

Austin Mike, I cannot help thinking the PSA grader must have evaluated that '60 Post Mantle from sheer ignorance, which in this case is not bliss.

Have a swell day, guys. --- Brian Powell

[MattyC]

Lovely 58 Mick and Post cereal examples!

[swarmee]

It does present nicely. I'm still on Chapter 1 though.

1964 Topps - [Base] #331 - A.L. Bombers (Roger Maris, Norm Cash, Mickey Mantle, Al Kaline) [Near*Mint‑Mint]
Courtesy of COMC.com
Bought this sharp and centered one a week ago and COMC considers in NM-MT.

[brian1961]

"I'm still on Chapter 1 though." -- John

LOL! John, I'll tell ya. An early customer was a buddy at work that's been a Yankee fan since I was a kid. He reads slowly, and sporadically. I've been trying to encourage him and egg him on to read chapters 3 and 13, since he loves Mickey Mantle so much. It's been 3 years....... but I love my buddy, Andy! My first customer, however, devoured it in a couple weeks, and the gentleman told me it's helped him three times. My darling wife loves it, bless her heart. Just an old author hoping collectors like his book, and hoping others would buy it and give it a whirl.

By the by, bud, do you love the fantasy card?

All the best to you, and all "youse guys"! --- Brian Powell

P.S. John, observing the scan of your gorgeous Post Cereal, I think I detect a pinhole where the tape at the top had been. I love it, 'cause it illustrates what I wrote of those great '60 Posts; that is, what a young boy would do with a huge gem as this. As I titled my second chapter: "THE MAJESTIC GIANT SEQUOIA MANTLE" !

[DJCollector1]

Picked up a low-end example of a '58 ALL-STAR to go into the Mantle display I'm working on.








Only going to include a couple more items, then my "display project" is done.

[swarmee]

Finished two chapters and really enjoying it; it's definitely written in a prosaic style I'm not used to, so I'm trying to take it all in. The fantasy card is really nice.
I picked this up yesterday, but relisted it in case someone loves it more or wants to try to trim it closer to the borders and possibly increase the grade.


I know they're pretty rare, so leaving it out there for a richer buyer than me would allow me to buy more cards for the set or upgrade some lower tier ones.

Grabbed this one as well:


And a nice 1965 Topps Team Card:

[Jdoggs]

Nice 51 bowman mantle psa 2.

[AustinMike]

Picked up a couple more Holiday Inn items.

A mechanical pencil and a bar of soap.

[bswhiten]

Nice ones Mike...

On the HI subject I just got back my nicest full matchbooks from Beckett.
A good way to protect them imo. They recognized variations too

[Bestdj777]

Originally Posted by bswhiten

Nice ones Mike...

On the HI subject I just got back my nicest full matchbooks from Beckett.
A good way to protect them imo. They recognized variations too

That’s fantastic. A nice alternative to breaking them down and sending in just the covers.

[AustinMike]

Originally Posted by bswhiten

Nice ones Mike...

On the HI subject I just got back my nicest full matchbooks from Beckett.
A good way to protect them imo. They recognized variations too

Wow! That's great Ben. It's nice to know that you don't have to destroy matchbook covers to get them graded if you want them graded. It's also nice to know that they recognize the variations. Good for Beckett.

Edited to add: I do wish they would have slabbed them open so that you could see the inside.

[bswhiten]

Originally Posted by AustinMike

I do wish they would have slabbed them open so that you could see the inside.

Me too...I sent them as open books and they closed them. The matches inside these books are pristine as well Oh well.

[brian1961]

I was watching the spring, 2019 Huggins & Scott auction closely. They were offering a 1954 Stahl-Meyer Franks Mickey Mantle in PSA 1 POOR. In spite of its lowly grade, it has a lowlier PSA pop of 17 for the year. Though there were plenty of creases, a few stains, and the factory lot inventory number stamp (that landed in the exotic purple background beside Mick's cheek), the card presented very well, with the heart of the card---Mickey's face, hat, and neck virtually unmarred. With the required juice, the card sold for $6,519.

That's a very impressive price for a PSA 1 Mantle. To put it into perspective, earlier this year a 1954 Stahl-Meyer Willie Mays went for $1,320, or about 20% of what the Mantle auctioned for. While the '54 Stahlie of Mickey Mantle is considered his toughest Stahl-Meyer, the '54 Willie Mays Stahlie was the only year they issued Say Hey. Very interesting.

--- Brian Powell

[brian1961]

Originally Posted by AustinMike

Picked up a couple more Holiday Inn items.

A mechanical pencil and a bar of soap.

There's something so quaint, and almost surreal about a bar of Ivory Soap saved from a visit to Mickey's Holiday Inn. Naturally, the key is the wrapper, but what a conversation piece. Nice pick-ups, Mike. ---Brian Powell

[AustinMike]

Originally Posted by brian1961

There's something so quaint, and almost surreal about a bar of Ivory Soap saved from a visit to Mickey's Holiday Inn. Naturally, the key is the wrapper, but what a conversation piece. Nice pick-ups, Mike. ---Brian Powell

Hey Brian, hope you had a great holiday weekend! Thanks for the kind words regarding the soap. It's amazing that at over 60 years old, it still lathers up real nice. I think there are 4 brands of Mantle Holiday Inn soaps and I now have 2 of them. I think there are also a couple of different sizes although I don't know if all four brands come in different sizes or if it's only 1 brand that is a different size or what. But, that is part of the fun ... discovering what's out there.

[brian1961]

Mike, you're amazing. My family and I spent the night at Mickey's Holiday Inn during the summer of '62--nice memory. I wish I could be more specific, but I believe SPORT magazine did a short, but picture-loaded piece on Mickey's hotel in the late 50s, not too long after it opened. If you don't happen to have it, it would be a perfect companion piece to your HI hoard. Have good day, bro. ---Brian Powell

[Sportzking]

Don't know if it was posted already but here is mine. Nothing special, but it was the first Mantle I ever picked up.

[swarmee]

Welcome to the board. You never forget your first... ;-)

[swarmee]

https://www.blowoutforums.com/showthread.php?t=1297252
PSA unofficially responded on Net54 that they will review all these cards for free under their grade guarantee!
Check your registry set Mantles. I will not buy any graded cards until this scandal is resolved to my satisfaction.

Posted this on all my sets on the registry:

Deleted all but one of my cards in every registry set until PSA remedies the situation of certifying thousands of altered cards by Gary Moser and other with number grades, invalidating their Pop Report and Set Registry. This is my boycott of the Set Registry until this matter is settled to my satisfaction.

If anyone wants to make offers on my Mantle cards, send me a message. I think I was #23 before turning them all off this morning.

[Popcorn]

Man those 52 Topps Mantle prices were crazy.

34k for a 2.5 that’s not even centered!

[Baseballcrazy62]

Posted this earlier in the pick up thread. My first Red Heart Mantle.CEDB1D05-BDE6-47BB-81C9-8E8E87DC88F9.jpg