Authentic Card ? (Mantle Rookie)

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Posted By: Seth Nagdeman

Someone local to where I live offered this Mantle for sale. I wanted to get an opinion please as to whether it looks authentic.

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Posted By: Douglas

I am certainly no expert, but the box around the Yankees logo and signature look odd to me. Seems to "jagged" for my liking, and the black line does not go all around the logo. Also, at the end of Mantle, shouldn't the 'e' have a bit of a hook on it? Perhaps I'm looking too hard to find something, I'm sure there are others out there with better input. Just my 2 cents.

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Posted By: Jim VB

The hook on the end of the "e" is not a telling factor. The Mantle was a double print in the last series. One of them has a hook. One doesn't.

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Posted By: Doug

There are two variations of the '52 Topps Mantle. The first one doesn't have the hook at the end of the "e" and there is no line at the bottom of the black box around the logo. The second variation has the complete box around the logo as well as the hook on the "e". The Mantle looks okay to me, but it's hard to tell just from a scan.

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Posted By: Douglas

Hmmmm, I did not realize there were differences to that effect. Thanks for coming forward with the proper info, as now I don't feel as crummy for passing along mis-information. Good luck in your purchase.

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Posted By: Doug

I also forgot to add that there is also a difference in the backs on each version as well. On the no hook e/incomplete box version the stitching on the baseball w/ the 311 in it faces to the right. On the hooked e/complete box version the stitching faces to the left.

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Posted By: Seth Nagdeman

I don't know the nuances of the Mantle rookie very well. I noticed there is not extra yellow coloring around the rectangle box on the front as I have seen with other Mantle's. I haven't seen the card yet in person. It's two hours away, and just wanted to see if the scan looks ok before I take the drive. I probably could tell if the card feels right in person. If the details of the card look ok it would be worth the drive. Thank you.

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Posted By: Doug

Based on the scan I'd say it looks legit enough to be worth taking a look at.

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Posted By: Seth Nagdeman

thank you

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

This card was double-printed and here is a scan of the other version......





Note these differences in comparing the two images....

1....this version does not have the "gloss" on Mickey's arm that is seen in your scan

2....there is no raggedness in Mantle's name box, as in your scan

3....the "e" in Mantle name has a "hook" to it, while your scan doesn't

Despite these differences in how Topps printed their Mantle card, both cards are authentic.

Having said all that, there is an inconsistency in your two scans. Please explain why the
front image has sharp corners, while the back image has rounded corners ?


TED Z

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Posted By: Seth Nagdeman

I looked at the Mantle card today and it was a fake. Please watch out for the person (calls himself Gene) who posted on craigslist: http://syracuse.craigslist.org/clt/1014365281.html. I drove 1.5 hours to 222 E Campville Rd., Endicott, NY. The card was a homemade reprint. I told him it is illegal to sell a fake and that he wasted my time. I can't believe there are still people that would try to do this.

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Posted By: Doug

I can't believe people still do it either, but you see them all the time on ebay with descriptions like "I have to sell this as a reprint, but it looks real and doesn't say reprint on it anywhere" and they are usually guaranteed to get a few hundred bucks out of someone that's willing to take a chance on it.

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Posted By: Seth Nagdeman

What really stood out to me about this person is that he was representing the card as real. He doesn't seem to have any problem having people travel to him. I was only there for a minute after I saw the card, but he told me that someone came from Delaware.

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Posted By: Jim VB

Seth,

That area of the country is a known haven for crooks and thieves!

(Only kidding. I grew up less than an hour away.)

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Posted By: PC

Craigslist is a huge red flag. Just about guaranteed to be fake, even if it is in a holder (in which case, the holder is just about guaranteed to be fake or opened/resealed).

But I have to say, on the scans, I couldn't conclude 100% that the card was fake. The back seemed to have some "artificial" wear, but it was hard to tell for sure.

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Posted By: Rob D.

Seth,

I'm surprised your drive wasn't to Ohio, since we seem to have almost cornered the market in scammers who specialize in baseball cards and memorabilia.

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Posted By: Jim VB

He's still pushing it too. I sent him an email tonight asking if it's authentic or a reprint. This was his reply:

"it is not a reprint.this is a 1952 card 311"

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Posted By: Seth Nagdeman

the creases were not actually on the card, but in the photo. that's how bad it was in person. it was not possible to see that in a scan, and i suppose people will keep driving to his home.

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Posted By: Jason L

and wants people to drive out to see him!
in all seriousness, -thanks for informing everyone, Seth.

And I'm further curious - what do you mean, the wear was only in the photo, not on the card?
you mean he photoshopped artificial wear onto the digital pic that wasn't really there??
that's just weird.

how much is he asking for the thing?

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Posted By: Seth Nagdeman

he was asking $3,000 which was a fair price if it was a real card. before taking the drive he assured me that it was real and that he had more cards. i just couldn't imagine that someone would invite you to their home and try to sell a fake. he also had other fake cards of home run derby and 48 leaf. any other time i have travelled for a collection i have been very happy with the results.

it was a hi-res color copy of a real card with creases. all the detail was there, but it was rediculous because if you felt over the front of the card there were no creases... they were only in the photo. the paper stock was wrong and you could see that it was "manufactured in a basement." I'm a very calm person, but I did get angry with him. I said that his cards were garbage, he is trying to rip off people, he wasted my time, and just to give it up since this was illegal. i said a few other choice words, but I'll leave it at that. :D

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Posted By: PC

That explains why the scan looked legitimate.

Amazing what people try to get away with.