1952 Topps Mickey Mantle

The 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card is considered by almost every collector of sports cards to be one of the most important cards in the hobby. In fact, the card grading company PSA ranks it as the second most important card! This is one card that has eluded my possession so far due to its high valuation, but some day...

There are several reasons that all contribute to the popularity and desirability of this card. All Mantle baseball cards are very popular, and the entire 1952 Topps set is one of the most popular sets with vintage baseball card collectors. The 1952 Mantle card is #311 in the set, meaning it was part of the high number series which were printed in much lower quantities than the lower numbered '52 cards. Even if you are lucky enough to find a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle, chances are that it won't be anywhere close to mint condition. The Mantle card, along with every other 1952 Topps card suffered from the common printing problems of the era, including poor centering and/or print defects on most cards. However, a nice looking 1952 Mickey Mantle card is simply amazing to look at, and even the lower quality cards are pretty nice! This card is definitely on my bucket list of cards that I want to own someday.

Interesting Note: Did you know that there are actually two versions of the 1952 Mickey Mantle card? The difference is fairly minor, but it is there. One version has the New York Yankees logo border completely filled in with black ink while the other version is only partially filled in. There is no difference in value between the two versions.