Heritage Rosen Mantle - Greatest Card Ever Auctioned?

[GasHouseGang]

With all of the smash-and-grab robberies they've had lately in LA, I would not fill comfortable with those expensive items out on the floor.

[Snowman]

As a few have mentioned, that "stain" on the top is not actually a stain. It's not dirty or fingerprint oils or something spilled onto the card. That's toning, and it occurs naturally on paper over time due to oxidation. It will also get worse over time.

Also, the way SGC grades means that they felt the card was a 9, but that it had superior eye appeal when compared to other 9s (typically due to centering and color), so they give it the +0.5. Basically, read the 9.5 as a 9 with strong eye appeal. It's not a near 10 in the sense that it was just one small issue holding it back from the 10. It's a 9 condition-wise in their assessment.

As far as comparing this to the other high-end Mantles, this one clearly looks better than 2 of the 3 PSA 10s. The one that Ken Kendrick owns (Diamondbacks owner) is, perhaps ironically, diamond cut. The fact that that card is in any holder above a 7 is pretty funny to me, let alone a 10. Nothing worse than a diamond-cut card for my OCD tastes.

[Snowman]

Personally, I would take MattyC's PSA 4.5 over this 9.5 and two of the PSA 10s. There are probably fewer than 15-20 truly perfectly centered 52 Topps Mantles in any grade that don't have creases (and this 9.5 is not perfectly centered). I know there are only 9 perfectly centered Jackie Robinsons in a grade 4 or higher out of the ~900 or so copies on VCP (yes, I went through them all one-by-one and counted). Some day when I get the time, I'll comb through all the Mantles too and take notes. Centering on key vintage cards is so much more scarce than even most of us realize. Same with 54 Topps Hank Aaron and 51 Bowman Mays & Mantle, and many others. You can probably count the total number of dead-centered copies in existence on your fingers and toes.

[jayshum]

Auction ends tomorrow night. Current high bid is $8.1 million with the BP. Any predictions where it ends? I'm guessing $10.5.

[mrreality68]

Originally Posted by jayshum

Auction ends tomorrow night. Current high bid is $8.1 million with the BP. Any predictions where it ends? I'm guessing $10.5.

Yes it is finally coming down to the end. Thankfully

I think 12.5 with BP. I feel it is a "Prestige Card and Grade" for the soon to be owner. So Bragging Rights will drive up the price. and on that money level it money becomes a non issue for many of those bidders and if they want it they will have it

[luciobar1980]

I feel like this could go insane near the very end and go for like 20 million. Probably not but...

[icurnmedic]

Originally Posted by luciobar1980

I feel like this could go insane near the very end and go for like 20 million. Probably not but...

Agreed, this is not a card for us mere mortals. Whomever is buying this piece of cardboard is not likely hampered by the monetary yoke that bridals most of us. I don't think $20mill , but would not be surprised at the same time.
Thomas