The Myth of the Mickey Mantle Rookie Card
In short: While the 1951 Bowman is Mickey Mantle's true rookie card, the 1952 Topps version became a cultural icon due to revolutionary design and accidental scarcity.
A 1:37 short film in the series “The Collector's Mind”, narrated by intellect_voice_01.
Sources used in this film: Smithsonian Magazine, “In 1952, You Could Buy a Pack of Baseball Cards That Included This Mickey Mantle at a Corner Store. Today, You Would Probably Have to Go to an Auction House”; REA, “Set Spotlight: 1952 Topps Baseball”; The New York Times, “The rise of the rookie card (and the non-rookie card that started it)”; National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, “Topps transformed baseball cards from hobby to passion”; mlb.com, “'52 Mantle card found in attic sold for $12.6M”; Guinness World Records, “Most expensive sports trading card sold at an online auction”; MLB.com, “1952 Mantle card sells for new record price”; The Heirloom Index, “1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle — sold prices by grade”.
Sources used in this film
- Smithsonian Magazine — In 1952, You Could Buy a Pack of Baseball Cards That Included This Mickey Mantle at a Corner Store. Today, You Would Probably Have to Go to an Auction House · View →
- REA — Set Spotlight: 1952 Topps Baseball · View →
- The New York Times — The rise of the rookie card (and the non-rookie card that started it) · View →
- National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum — Topps transformed baseball cards from hobby to passion · View →
- mlb.com — '52 Mantle card found in attic sold for $12.6M · View →
- Guinness World Records — Most expensive sports trading card sold at an online auction · View →
- MLB.com — 1952 Mantle card sells for new record price · View →
- The Heirloom Index — 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle — sold prices by grade · View →
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Smithsonian Magazine: In 1952, You Could Buy a Pack of Baseball Cards That Included This Mickey Mantle at a Corner Store. Today, You Would Probably Have to Go to an Auction House
- Also: REA: Set Spotlight: 1952 Topps Baseball
- Also: The New York Times: The rise of the rookie card (and the non-rookie card that started it)
- Also: National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum: Topps transformed baseball cards from hobby to passion
- Also: mlb.com: '52 Mantle card found in attic sold for $12.6M
- Also: Guinness World Records: Most expensive sports trading card sold at an online auction
- Also: MLB.com: 1952 Mantle card sells for new record price
- Also: The Heirloom Index: 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle — sold prices by grade
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/the-myth-of-the-mickey-mantle-rookie-card.
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