Trading Trout for Mantle - My Biggest Trade Yet!

mouschi

Last year, I was on a kick to discover various parts of the hobby, one of which included PSA graded rookies of the newer guys.  On April 8th, 2019, I got in a card that I just couldn't get out of my head:  A 2011 Topps Update Mike Trout Diamond Anniversary PSA 10.  Like many, I have several "I wish I didn't sell" Mike Trout horror stories, and worried I was buying at its peak, but thought it still had quite a bit of room to grow - I was right!

Eventually, I sold all my modern PSA stuff, except for the Trout, because it was doing very well.

Recently, I decided to trade/sell my Trout, because it just didn't fit in with what I was passionate about.  A week or so ago, I started talking to someone who had a '52 Topps Mantle, and I was talking to him about trading it for one of my Cracker Jack Cobbs.  He wasn't interested, and in an off the cuff remark, I mentioned my Trout.  As it turns out, that intrigued him!

This is what came in:  I had to give up my Trout plus quite a bit of cash.  This is probably the nicest "1" I've ever seen of Mantle (seriously - check what is out there...it is crazy!)

The corners, color and clarity are all amazing, with the centering being acceptable.  The paper loss on the white border in the bottom left largely accounts for the low grade.  Now that's my kind of "1"!  As a bonus, the back is super clean, too. (not that I care about backs all that much - ha!)

The Trout was a super card - maybe the card of this generation.  While it may have leveled off, it very well could hit $10,000 and beyond, which - to those of you who have one, I'm rooting for that to happen!  I'm just happy I was able to do well with it and hop off the Trout train at the right time to pick up this beauty.  As crazy as it is, the deal was completed exactly one year to the day of when I got the Trout in!  I already had a '52 Topps Mantle up until last year before I sold it.  While it was an amazing card, the eye appeal of this one is just absolutely off the charts - a true pleasure to look/stare at, which is what I really look for in any cardboard.  This marks the biggest trade I have ever done, and is everything I love about this hobby!

A while back, I created the graph below, and interestingly enough, this card is the exception to the rule for me.  I was happy to do the deal and looking forward to it coming in, but my excitement for this card skyrocketed once I had it in hand ... I guess that's when you know you have the right piece for your collection!  Not that it will stay here forever by any means, but while it is here, I will happily enjoy it for however long it is in my care.

BaltimoreYankee

Tanner, that is a great card and you always have the best stories. I like how the paper loss pretty much stops at the border. Also love the graph!

GreenSneakers

Nice tanner. But you should care about backs.

addicted2ebay

Tanner went full modern to vintage....smart!

MantleFan23

Great card, Tanner!! The graph is also something that we all can agree on.

LGC

Congrats!!
Trading is so underrated.

pab1969

Great deal. It is a no brainer. I would have made the same deal if I was in your shoes.

pdub1819

This is so awesome for you! But it makes me sad whenever that Trout is mentioned...I had a PSA10 and sold it a few years ago for maybe $500...

mouschi

Thank you guys!

@GreenSneakers said:
Nice tanner. But you should care about backs.

When it comes to vintage, I'm kind of forced to pick between fronts and backs most of the time ... if paper loss on the back means no wrinkles on the front, I'm game! As for this Mantle, the back is actually super clean, which I do care about and am happy

@pdub1819 said:
This is so awesome for you! But it makes me sad whenever that Trout is mentioned...I had a PSA10 and sold it a few years ago for maybe $500...

Oh man, I hear you ... EVERYONE has a Trout sob story, myself included. Like the time I sold an '09 blue refractor auto for $900-1000 of his years ago. Heck, this may very well be a sob story when all is said and done! The important thing to remember is if we were able to make money on our initial investments, because no one could have predicted the outcome. It has been crazy!

TheCrisser

Would rather have the Trout.

rexvos

@TheCrisser said:
Would rather have the Trout.

Nice response. I think I preferred the original crosser account.

Great eye appeal on the 52 Mick Tan Man Baseball fan. I doubt I will ever own one. Card is iconic as they come.

BLUEJAYWAY

Will the Mantle remain in your collection long term?

remedylane

Beautiful card!

BJY83

Beautiful Mantle. If anyone has a mid grade 52 Mantle available, I've got 37 PSA 10 Trout updates I'd trade.

1951WheatiesPremium

@mouschi

Please PM me if you ever tire of that Mantle. That’s a real beauty.

Vagabond

Were gonna need an updated chart in one year

Nice card.

mouschi

Thank you guys!

@BLUEJAYWAY said:
Will the Mantle remain in your collection long term?

That is a very good question! Right now, I'm just enjoying the heck out of it here, but I have a change of heart super frequently, so it could be gone tomorrow or it could be here in 10 years

flcardtrader

Congrats Tanner, that is an awesome card!

The Trout is a big one in our house as well. 2011 Trout is my wife's lottery ticket - she just doesn't realize it yet. She plays lottery every week and buys scratchers hoping to "hit it big". What my wife doesn't know is, I figure we are in less than 10 year territory before she gets the win of her lifetime!

Enjoy the Mantle, its a beauty!

LarkinCollector

@flcardtrader What's your address again?

1951WheatiesPremium

Was the cardboard it was shipped in even recycled yet?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/274346798078

BJY83

LOL. I guess he "had a change of heart. "

1951WheatiesPremium

Some enjoy the hunt more than the kill.

Tanner wheels and deals and never fails to impress me with what he pulls off.

maddux69

He is the king of self promotion, and that helps to get eyes on his items. GLWTS

KingBen

What was the Trout numbered to?

Nice Mantle! Congrats! 👍🏼👍🏼

80sOPC

500 word post and the card made it 2 weeks. Fascinating

mouschi

What I love most about this hobby is doing deals... hunting for the next big thing. That's the best for me not to mention writing about the deals I do. i had no intention of letting this go when i wrote this, but decided to put it up yesterday because... why not? If it sells, I'll go on the hunt again. If it doesn't, I'm overjoyed to have it

I know this may not be how others collect, but it is the way I've found to be most enjoyable for me.

Vagabond

Wow, you at least decided to keep the Trout longer. If I had known you were going to put this Mantle up so quickly, then I would have said that you should have held on to the Trout longer to get an even better deal as you'll see more of a faster increase = even a better deal two years from now. But to each their own. Like you said, that's what's more enjoyable for you.

mouschi

@KingBen said:
What was the Trout numbered to?

Nice Mantle! Congrats! 👍🏼👍🏼

Thanks! It isn't numbered.

@Vagabond said:
Wow, you at least decided to keep the Trout longer. If I had known you were going to put this Mantle up so quickly, then I would have said that you should have held on to the Trout longer to get an even better deal as you'll see more of a faster increase = even a better deal two years from now. But to each their own. Like you said, that's what's more enjoyable for you.

If it was a calculated move and only for financial gain, I would definitely see where you are coming from, but my only thought of selling came yesterday... and yes of course financial gain is part of it for sure, but for now the fun is having a 52 Mantle

brad31

Everyone should collect how they want - some people buy and sell the same card dozens of times. Some people like to say they once owned lots of different cards and their experience is in having had the card at one time. I am a person who last sold a card at a garage sale as a kid - I like to hold onto my cards and get anxiety about thinking of selling them. I have a couple of duplicates that I want to sell but never get around to it. Some like to chase sets complete them and then sell shortly after to free up funds to go complete another set. We all enjoy the hobby in our own way.

1951WheatiesPremium

@brad31

I didn’t think I was doing any harm by posting the listing. I am a Tanner fan; I’m my opinion, he is a board and cardboard legend; when Jose Canseco meets a Jose Canseco collector because of the scope and breath of said collection, that’s good enough for me. Great posts, great cards and entertaining stories every time.

I hope it sells quick so he gets new items to post about, myself. And it is a beautiful 1, for sure.

rmilin

Why didn't you just keep the Trout and buy the Mantle?

AnkurJ

I’d love to buy it but we couldn’t agree on a number. I’m sure you won’t have a hard time selling it though!

BLUEJAYWAY

Wouldn't the card command a higher price if it was in a PSA holder? Although I do understand that SGC is favored by many for grading vintage.

brad31

@BLUEJAYWAY said:
Wouldn't the card command a higher price if it was in a PSA holder? Although I do understand that SGC is favored by many for grading vintage.

I believe it is $1000 to grade a card valued between $10K and $24. Plus the insurance costs to ship there and back. Would it get at least a grand more? Who knows. Pretty big decision to spend more to try and sell it.

mouschi

@rmilin said:
Why didn't you just keep the Trout and buy the Mantle?

Prior to the trade, I was actively trying to sell/trade the Trout. Knowing the value was about 7k at the time, it just wasn't worth having 7k tied up into it. I much rather would have wanted my money into something I loved (like the Mantle). While it would be nice to have so much money, that I didn't have to sell anything, selling and trading is actually how I got everything I have. The Trout was an amazing card, but simply not something I was targeting.

@AnkurJ said:
I’d love to buy it but we couldn’t agree on a number. I’m sure you won’t have a hard time selling it though!

It was nice "meeting" you, Ankurj! The stuff you showed me was killer.

@BLUEJAYWAY said:
Wouldn't the card command a higher price if it was in a PSA holder? Although I do understand that SGC is favored by many for grading vintage.

I think that is the case, but goodness gracious, I just love it in its black SGC tuxedo so much.

@brad31 said:
Everyone should collect how they want - some people buy and sell the same card dozens of times. Some people like to say they once owned lots of different cards and their experience is in having had the card at one time. I am a person who last sold a card at a garage sale as a kid - I like to hold onto my cards and get anxiety about thinking of selling them. I have a couple of duplicates that I want to sell but never get around to it. Some like to chase sets complete them and then sell shortly after to free up funds to go complete another set. We all enjoy the hobby in our own way.

Here, here! This isn't a business for me, but it is more than a hobby. I love this hobby a little too much at times, and some (ha! many) people don't "get" me.

Tonight, the family was watching Prison Break (I've been dying to show it to my son ... great show!) He called a person mercurial ... we all confessed to each other we didn't know what that meant, so looked it up ... it said "prone to changing their mind a lot" or similar. I guess I'm a mercurial collector! There are some cards that are off limits, but when it comes to vintage like this, well ... there are so many out there.

@1951WheatiesPremium said:
@brad31

I didn’t think I was doing any harm by posting the listing. I am a Tanner fan; I’m my opinion, he is a board and cardboard legend; when Jose Canseco meets a Jose Canseco collector because of the scope and breath of said collection, that’s good enough for me. Great posts, great cards and entertaining stories every time.

I hope it sells quick so he gets new items to post about, myself. And it is a beautiful 1, for sure.

No, no at all, though I did get a feeling that my actions may have shocked or confused some people about my turning around to sell this so quickly after emotionally gushing over it a few short weeks prior. I totally get it though - I think I responded the same way when the guy who got my Trout turned around to put it up for sale a day later as well.

I do want to be clear with everyone reading though - this was not an effort to pump the card up by means of selling it later. Not that there is anything wrong with that - heck, I pull out all the tools I can in my toolbox when trying to sell, but when I do, I try to be as genuine as possible about my intentions. When I first wrote this article, it was written in the true spirit of jumping out of my skin excitement for landing such an awesome card. I still love it, but my thinking is that in light of how the hobby has caught fire recently, it would probably be smart to post it up - if it sells, it sells and I can go hunting for other gems. If it doesn't, then ... well ... I'm still the proud owner of it

Either way, thank you, @1951WheatiesPremium and @brad31 for the kind words - I appreciate you both, as I do everyone else here who has been kind to me. The camaraderie and conversation is part of what makes this hobby/community so special to me.

AnkurJ

Looks like it’s gone! So what’s next?

mouschi

Good morning! No, no deal - I "chickened out" at the last moment and told the person I probably need a bit more time with the card