What was the best 1952 Topps card ..... in 1952?

brian1961 · #1 10-08-2017, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck9788

We all know the Mantle card is the crown jewel of the set. But back in 1952 the Mantle card was probably viewed as a common card.

What card(s) did collectors way back in 1952 want when they opened up their pack?

Chuck, let me set you straight. The 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle was NEVER viewed as a common card, for a very plausible reason. As is widely known, Topps did not get their "famous" last series printed, and then distributed, until very late in the 1952 season. By that time, Mickey was beginning to live up to the immense bally-hoo that began to be placed upon him in the spring of 1951. Mick did very well in the pressure cooker pennant charge month of September 1952. Hence, when Topps designed their placards to introduce their last series, and entice both distributors and children (sellers and buyers), Mickey Mantle's name is right after Jackie Robinson at the top of their advertising placard.

Thus, during the 1952 World Series, the last time when baseball would be on the minds of boys, their customers, Topps was banking that Mick's precence would draw boys to buy. It worked for a short time, 'cause Mick really blossomed in the World Series, and Jackie Robinson himself told the press that it was Mickey that killed the Dodgers.

Unfortunately, as we all know, Topps was 3-4 weeks too late with their vaunted last series of their special Giant-sized baseball cards. Lots of leftover cases, that were sadly dumped in the deep eight years later.

Every time I think of their fate, and all those few dealers of the time that were obviously NOT contacted by Sy Berger et al, all I see is RED!

Back to the original question, I am rather certain that a lot of boys in 1952 would have wanted the card of Giant slugger Bobby Thomson, for obvious reasons.......

As for Willie Mays, forget it. Say Hey did not play a single game in 1952, as he spent all of his time in the military service, with no end in sight, since we were in the middle of fighting The Korean War. Both Topps and Bowman printed cards of Willie, since he was a key rookie in 1951. The Bowman looks swell, but the Topps card of Mr. Mays looks wretched, with only the 1961 entry looking worse, IMO.

---Brian Powell

tedzan · #2 10-08-2017, 07:54 PM

Here is the very Mantle card I acquired in the Fall of 1952. I paid a nickel at our neighborhood candy store, and opened
up a Topps waxpack expecting to get Mickey. I will never forget that day, as I very carefully shuffled thru the cards and
Mickey was in the middle of the stack.

Regular season was nearly ended and by then most baseball fans had become quite excited over this 20 year old rookie.
He had a great season with 171 Hits....23 HR's....scored 94 Runs....87 RBI's....and, batted .311.......what a coincidence,
Mickey's BB card number, how did TOPPS know that ?

Whoever here said that Mickey's card was probably a "common TOPPS card" in the Fall of 1952 when the High # series
cards were available is forgiven.

TED Z
.

1952boyntoncollector · #3 10-08-2017, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tedzan

Here is the very Mantle card I acquired in the Fall of 1952. I paid a nickel at our neighborhood candy store, and opened
up a Topps waxpack expecting to get Mickey. I will never forget that day, as I very carefully shuffled thru the cards and
Mickey was in the middle of the stack.

Regular season was nearly ended and by then most baseball fans had become quite excited over this 20 year old rookie.
He had a great season with 171 Hits....23 HR's....scored 94 Runs....87 RBI's....and, batted .311.......what a coincidence,
Mickey's BB card number, how did TOPPS know that ?

Whoever here said that Mickey's card was probably a "common TOPPS card" in the Fall of 1952 when the High # series
cards were available is forgiven.

TED Z
.

cool story.....cool you kept that card all those years.

irv · #4 10-08-2017, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1952boyntoncollector

cool story.....cool you kept that card all those years.

X2, Thanks for sharing, Ted.

I believe I mentioned this before, but I still find it odd that your card has roughly the same mark in almost the same spot as my Mickey.

I know it's going back a ways, but do you remember the card coming from the pack with that mark/crease on it?

brian1961 · #5 10-08-2017, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tedzan

Here is the very Mantle card I acquired in the Fall of 1952. I paid a nickel at our neighborhood candy store, and opened
up a Topps waxpack expecting to get Mickey. I will never forget that day, as I very carefully shuffled thru the cards and
Mickey was in the middle of the stack.

Regular season was nearly ended and by then most baseball fans had become quite excited over this 20 year old rookie.
He had a great season with 171 Hits....23 HR's....scored 94 Runs....87 RBI's....and, batted .311.......what a coincidence,
Mickey's BB card number, how did TOPPS know that ?

Whoever here said that Mickey's card was probably a "common TOPPS card" in the Fall of 1952 when the High # series
cards were available is forgiven.

TED Z
.

To be sure, great story, Ted. Also to be sure about forgiving the chap who thought Mickey's Topps card was probably a "common" player. Now, having said that, I imagine that his Bowman counterpart would have initially been viewed as a common.

When Mantle went to spring training in 1952, his future was a question mark, since his terrible leg injury suffered during the second game of the 1951 World Series had not healed as yet. Moreover, weighing heavily on Mickey was the reality that his beloved father was dying. Extremely rough time for Mick. Shortly after the funeral, Casey put Mickey in center field, as he originally planned. The Bowman of Mantle is numbered 101, which off the top of my head would be a series two card, appearing in Bowman packs in May to early June.

--- Brian Powell

tedzan · #6 10-08-2017, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brian1961

To be sure, great story, Ted. Also to be sure about forgiving the chap who thought Mickey's Topps card was probably a "common" player. Now, having said that, I imagine that his Bowman counterpart would have initially been viewed as a common.

When Mantle went to spring training in 1952, his future was a question mark, since his terrible leg injury suffered during the second game of the 1951 World Series had not healed as yet. Moreover, weighing heavily on Mickey was the reality that his beloved father was dying. Extremely rough time for Mick. Shortly after the funeral, Casey put Mickey in center field, as he originally planned. The Bowman of Mantle is numbered 101, which off the top of my head would be a series two card, appearing in Bowman packs in May to early June.

--- Brian Powell

Hi Brian

You are correct....the 1952 BOWMAN MANTLE was issued in BOWMAN's 2nd series cards which were available circa late Spring/early Summer of 1952.

When the 1952 Baseball season started at the Stadium, there was a fair number of fans who would often boo Mickey, especially when he Struck Out or mis-played a ball in the Outfield.
To be fair to Mickey, a lot of this booing was also due to Joe DiMaggio's absence from the game. But, by the Summer of 1952, Mickey's excellent performance at bat and in the field had
turned around those boos into cheers. Indeed, Mickey was a very important factor in the Yankees winning the AL pennant that season. The Sporting News and the New York newspapers
really got on the "Mantle bandwagon".

I recall quite well when the 1952 TOPPS series of Hi #'s became available..mid-September 1952. And, by then Sports fans, and especially BB card collectors, were all very excited about acquiring anything associated with Mickey. Therefore, timing here has a lot to do with his TOPPS BB card being "hot", while his BOWMAN BB card not getting much respect.

TED Z
.

irv · #7 10-09-2017, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brian1961

To be sure, great story, Ted. Also to be sure about forgiving the chap who thought Mickey's Topps card was probably a "common" player. Now, having said that, I imagine that his Bowman counterpart would have initially been viewed as a common.

When Mantle went to spring training in 1952, his future was a question mark, since his terrible leg injury suffered during the second game of the 1951 World Series had not healed as yet. Moreover, weighing heavily on Mickey was the reality that his beloved father was dying. Extremely rough time for Mick. Shortly after the funeral, Casey put Mickey in center field, as he originally planned. The Bowman of Mantle is numbered 101, which off the top of my head would be a series two card, appearing in Bowman packs in May to early June.

--- Brian Powell

Quote:

Originally Posted by tedzan

Hi Brian

You are correct....the 1952 BOWMAN MANTLE was issued in BOWMAN's 2nd series cards which were available circa late Spring/early Summer of 1952.

When the 1952 Baseball season started at the Stadium, there was a fair number of fans who would often boo Mickey, especially when he Struck Out or mis-played a ball in the Outfield.
To be fair to Mickey, a lot of this booing was also due to Joe DiMaggio's absence from the game. But, by the Summer of 1952, Mickey's excellent performance at bat and in the field had
turned around those boos into cheers. Indeed, Mickey was a very important factor in the Yankees winning the AL pennant that season. The Sporting News and the New York newspapers
really got on the "Mantle bandwagon".

I recall quite well when the 1952 TOPPS series of Hi #'s became available..mid-September 1952. And, by then Sports fans, and especially BB card collectors, were all very excited about acquiring anything associated with Mickey. Therefore, timing here has a lot to do with his TOPPS BB card being "hot", while his BOWMAN BB card not getting much respect.

TED Z
.

Info I didn't know about.

Thanks for sharing guys!

ALR-bishop · #8 10-09-2017, 11:18 AM

NYT 12-28-52

\

SMPEP · #9 10-09-2017, 11:41 AM

My Father-in-Law VERY actively collected the 1952 Topps set. To the point where 50 years later - I could show him a small part of a card and he could identify the card.

He was from NY and he traded as many cards as he could to get Mantle.

I won't even tell you how many he had in "pack fresh" condition.

When he first learned they had become valuable ... he called his mom. You all know the story of what had become of them.

Cheers,
Patrick

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