OT: Who Determined That Mantle's Rookie Card was the 52 Topps

[Baseball Rarities]

Originally Posted by rats60

It was much earlier. The 1963 Topps Pete Rose was the first hyped "rookie card." By 1979-1980, it was selling for over 100.00. In 1982, it was counterfeited. By 1985, it was over 1000.00.

FWIW, Beckett’s 1985 guide lists the price of a 1963 T Rose in Mint condition at $300.

[rats60]

Originally Posted by Baseball Rarities

FWIW, Beckett’s 1985 guide lists the price of a 1963 T Rose in Mint condition at $300.

Rose broke Cobb's hits record in 1985 driving the price of the 1963 Topps Rose through the roof.

[Baseball Rarities]

I think that it already had skyrocketed in anticipation of Rose breaking the record. In comparison, here are a few other notable Mint Card values from the same 1985 guide:

1951 Bowman Mantle $400
1952 Topps Mantle $2,100
1954 Topps Aaron $175
1955 Topps Koufax $60
1955 Topps Clemente $100
1968 Topps Ryan $36

Beckett did not list the 1963 Rose as a $1,000 card in mint condition until 1994.

[rats60]

Originally Posted by Baseball Rarities

I think that it already had skyrocketed in anticipation of Rose breaking the record. In comparison, here are a few other notable Mint Card values from the same 1985 guide:

1951 Bowman Mantle $400
1952 Topps Mantle $2,100
1954 Topps Aaron $175
1955 Topps Koufax $60
1955 Topps Clemente $100
1968 Topps Ryan $36

Beckett did not list the 1963 Rose as a $1,000 card in mint condition until 1994.

That's odd because I have the November 1984 price guide, it has Rose at 350 and the rest of those cards all lower at a time when everything was going up in price.

Beckett may not have had it listed for 1k, but mint ones were bringing that. Do you have a monthly from around September 1985 when he broke the record? I know it was at least 700+.

Beckett was slow in those days at raising prices. For example he listed 83T Sandberg at 3.25, but they were 5.00-6.00 all summer long. My guide had 52T Mantle at 1400, yours had it 2100, but I turned down 3000 for mine.

[Baseball Rarities]

Originally Posted by rats60

Beckett may not have had it listed for 1k, but mint ones were bringing that. Do you have a monthly from around September 1985 when he broke the record? I know it was at least 700+.

No, all that I have are the yearly guides. I got rid of all of my monthly Beckett guides years ago.

[drcy]

Despite the premise of this thread, I don't know of anyone who considers the 52 Topps to be Mantle's rookie card.

[HasselhoffsCheeseburger]

Seems to me, and I'm sure there are technical terms for it, the rookie card phenomenon is simply a natural byproduct to supply and psychology.

As a general observation, there are less 1980 cards than there are 1990, less 1970 than 1980, less 1960 than 1970, and on and on. Seems only natural that we would assume subconsciously that a player's first card is their rarest and be drawn to it above all others.

[Buythatcard]

I saw this excerpt on cardboardconnection.com:

"Baseball Rookie Cards versus 1st Year Prospect

Before the 2006 baseball season, the MLBPA announced some changes that were meant to make defining rookie cards easier. Both Topps and Upper Deck were on board but, honestly, things just got more confusing and a window for a new breed of pre-rookies opened.

With the rule change, official rookie cards were only made after a player appeared on a team's 25-man roster. In its most basic form, it was a great idea. Collectors chase rookie cards when they're first-year players. The rule has had great success in hockey. Although not an official rule, it's like this in basketball and football too as players generally make their team's rosters fresh after the draft and don't spend several years developing in a minor league system."

If we follow this, then the Mantle 51 Bowman is a 1st Year Prospect
card, while the 52 Topps is his Rookie card.

[VoodooChild]

As a 10 year old starting to collect in 1984, rookie cards were definitely being hyped. My local card shop had Rose, Seaver, Brett, Yount RCs, etc. showcased. I don't remember exact prices, but my parents would give me $5 and I know those were out of my league. Even as a 10 year old, I was drawn to the older cards. That shop also had a Clemente RC and I do remember it was $100. I also remember buying some 1960's Clemente's with my $5 budget so I know RCs carried a pretty big premium back then.

My dad did end up buying me that Clemente RC in 1985 for my 11th birthday. Knowing my dad, I'm sure he negotiated and the card (which I still have) is not mint, but we didn't know about price guides back then.

It wasn't until around 1986-87 that I remember the rookie card craze getting out of control.

As for Mantle, the '51 Bowman is what I've always considered his RC.

[Fred]

It's not like the term "rookie" was coined in the 80's. I've been collecting for a while and don't remember people using the term "rookie card" (as people now use it) until the early to mid 80's. Yes, they had cards that had multiple rookies on the same card but I don't recall people calling the first player card (where the player is solo) a "rookie card" back then. That term (rookie card) seems to be used so loosely these days. I've seen people apply it to post cards and other issues that people may not consider cards.

One of the most popular hobby publications was the SCD. Perhaps someone can try to find the time frame when the term "rookie card" was a common ad description.