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

[jfkheat]

I picked up these two in the last couple weeks.

[Bestdj777]

That’s awesome Brian. Always knew you had that beauty but awesome to know a bit more of the history of it. The photo is a bit difficult to see but looks like a 1960 Post and a 1959 Home Run Derby. Can anyone make out the others?

Ps. I’ve enjoyed hearing your collecting stories, both buy phone and through your terrific book. Your knowledge is an asset to the hobby. And, I would have loved to see your collection back in the day.

[hcv123]

Originally Posted by Bestdj777

That’s awesome Brian. Always knew you had that beauty but awesome to know a bit more of the history of it. The photo is a bit difficult to see but looks like a 1960 Post and a 1959 Home Run Derby. Can anyone make out the others?

Ps. I’ve enjoyed hearing your collecting stories, both buy phone and through your terrific book. Your knowledge is an asset to the hobby. And, I would have loved to see your collection back in the day.

61 Dice Game
48 Leaf Ruth
38 Heads up Dimaggio
69 Topps Super Mantle?
67 Maris proof

[brian1961]

To confirm and identify the other tantalizing cards The Mint Man chose to photo, I believe that Howard has indeed nailed the 1969 Topps Super Baseball Mantle. The others are an O-Pee-Chee "Baseball Stars" Set A 1937 Joe DiMaggio, 1941 Play Ball DiMag, and a 1960 Home Run Derby Mickey Mantle. The year I've given for the latter is not a misprint on my part; rather, the conclusion of my research into this amazing black 'n white set. I devoted chapter 8 to the Derby set, and this happens to be the other set that Rich Mueller ran on Sports Collectors Daily. I'm rather certain those adroit among us can Google it, and find the saved article/chapter. Rich was rather taken with my findings, and he and I were hoping to drum up a little business. Didn't work, but he gave it the old college try, for which I am grateful to him.

By the way, there was one major card the Mint Man chose not to include in the photos, the Piece de Resistance of Barbara's collection. When Alan Rosen had the celebratory photo snapped of buying Barbara Grossman's massive Yankee collection, a smiling Barbara was holding thick wads of hundred-dollar bills, while Mr. Rosen had one arm at his chest holding three of the cards, and, with his other arm around Barbara, he held up one card, the crown jewel---the subject of chapter 13 of my book, a Mickey Mantle card so beautiful, so fascinating, and so profoundly rare in high grade, I gave it the deserving name, THE MALTESE FALCON OF BASEBALL CARDS. If you're fortunate to own a copy of Mr. Rosen's second and last book, TRUE MINT, you will find this celebratory photo on page 63. Not to be flagrantly coy, but if someone wishes to load up a scan of the photo, I'd be grateful. My tech expert is away, and I figured Mr. Rosen won't mind anymore, and there might be a few curious Mantle connoisseurs out there who might enjoy this photo from the fall of 1987...... ---Brian Powell

[brian1961]

Originally Posted by brian1961

By the way, there was one major card the Mint Man chose not to include in the photos, the Piece de Resistance of Barbara's collection. When Alan Rosen had the celebratory photo snapped of buying Barbara Grossman's massive Yankee collection, a smiling Barbara was holding thick wads of hundred-dollar bills, while Mr. Rosen had one arm at his chest holding three of the cards, and, with his other arm around Barbara, he held up one card, the crown jewel---the subject of chapter 13 of my book, a Mickey Mantle card so beautiful, so fascinating, and so profoundly rare in high grade, I gave it the deserving name, THE MALTESE FALCON OF BASEBALL CARDS. If you're fortunate to own a copy of Mr. Rosen's second and last book, TRUE MINT, you will find this celebratory photo on page 63. Not to be flagrantly coy, but if someone wishes to load up a scan of the photo, I'd be grateful. My tech expert is away, and I figured Mr. Rosen won't mind anymore, and there might be a few curious Mantle connoisseurs out there who might enjoy this photo from the fall of 1987...... ---Brian Powell

My dear son kindly edited a scan of the aforementioned TRUE MINT, page 63, to the requisite KB limit a jpeg is allowed to have on this forum. Here we have the celebratory photo being snapped upon the occasion of Mr. Mint's purchase of Barbara Grossman's collection. As you read The Mint Man's remembrances, and study the accompanying photo, note carefully what he's holding in his right hand, the card I have given the name, THE MALTESE FALCON OF BASEBALL CARDS, the most profound Mickey Mantle gem of all. Early in the millennium, this particular 1953 Stahl-Meyer Franks Mickey Mantle was graded by PSA. When the registered mail box was delivered to its owner, and he unwrapped the layers of bubble wrap to see PSA's verdict, he began weeping uncontrollably with utter joy, for the label said, "PSA 9 MINT"! A verified flawless, priceless, and king-sized blue diamond or ruby of a Mickey Mantle baseball card, this.

I trust you will find this more than a bit intriguing... --- Brian Powell

[WWG]

18 year old Mick with the 1950 Joplin Miners.

[IgnatiusJReilly]

Originally Posted by WWG

18 year old Mick with the 1950 Joplin Miners.

That’s awesome!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[irv]

Originally Posted by WWG

18 year old Mick with the 1950 Joplin Miners.

Wow, is that ever nice! I take it it is yours, WWG?

[Sportscards1086]

Was hoping for a PSA 6, but oh well.

Great stuff in this thread!!!!

[MarcosCards]

Wow, this thread was started back in 2016! It’s probably not a Net54baseball record — but still - wow!

I have a somewhat humorous story to tell about this 1960 Mantle card. A former New Yorker lived a few doors down from me in my previous mid-Michigan neighborhood. I never saw any visitors at his house — so I don’t think he had many friends. He had also recently gone through a sad divorce. He’d often wander down to my house when he saw me working in the front yard. I enjoyed chatting with him because I loved hearing his Bronx accent.

One day our conversation turned to sports — and then to baseball cards. I brought out this 1960 Mantle card, and, of course, his eyes light up. He proceeded to tell me about his great childhood collection (that included this card) that, alas, his mom threw out when he went off to college.

The funny thing is, as he continued to watched me do my front yard work, and we continued to talk baseball, he slipped the card into his shirt pocket. I noticed it — but didn’t say anything. But, when my wife called me in for lunch, and he started to head for home, I had to tactfully remind him to return the card. For a moment I thought that maybe I had somehow conveyed to him the false impression that I was giving him the card. But the sheepish look on his face told a different story.

I’ve since moved to a different Michigan city, but when I see this card, I often think of him. Sometimes I wish I had just given the card to him — rounded corners, severe creases and all.

[Sportscards1086]

Here's my new pick up

[sflayank]

Picked up another mantel color that had not been seen before. I now have every color mantel (coin on right..color is solid like the rese..bad picture)
Known to exist except 2..another weird green and silver
And mantel in gold that's never been seen
19 colors

[sflayank]

Picked up another mantel color that had not been seen before. I now have every color mantel
Known to exist except 2..another weird green and silver
And mantel in gold that's never been seen
19 colors