1969 Topps Mickey Mantle

For The Mick's last playing days card, we are graced with two versions including a super rare variation. The 1969 Topps Mickey Mantle #500 card shows the slugger in a left handed batting stance from the waste up, with Mickey looking out towards the pitcher. Since he did not play in the 1969 season, the back of the card contains his full career statistics and while there is no cartoon, it does state "Mickey is 3rd on the All-Time home run list! The All-Star announced his retirement from baseball on March 1st, 1969!"

The regular 1969 Mantle baseball card has his name in a red circle on the top left corner of the front of the card. His first name is in white and has last name is in yellow. However, there is a much rarer variation where both of his names inside of the circle are white. This white letter variation can be found on many 1969 Topps cards, but only amongst card numbers 400-511 and to this day it remains a mystery as to why or how these variations came to be. The white letter 1969 Topps Mickey Mantle variation is his rarest card, even rarer than his early 50's cards and due to the scarcity of the card and the fact that 1969 cards were notorious for poor centering and print qualiry, this card was included in PSA's list of the top 200 sportcards. White letter 1969 Topps Mantle cards can be worth as much as ten times the value of a similar condition standard version card. As for my personal Mantle collection, I am the proud owner of the regular version and the proud "hope-to-someday-be-owner" of a white letter version!