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Researching a signed Mickey Mantle card, need help!

First of all let me say thanks for allowing me to join this forum ! While I am not a card collector as such, I do pick them up on occassion. I have one that was a garage sale find several years back that I am trying to get info on and am hoping some of you can help. It is not the typical small card that everyone collects but a 4x6 inch card from the Shangri-La Celebrity Golf Classic. It is signed across the front. I have seen the same pic that is on my card on the smaller cards but without the background. Mine was taken inside a stadium and is not overlaid on the card. It shows the background !! It is from 1992, and has the stats on the back. I also found (another garage sale) a 7 inch figure of Mickey that is plastic & in batting position but has lost the bat !! There are no markings whatsoever on the figure. It has #7 on the back. I am curious about one thing though, was Mickey Mantle a lefty?? That is the position he is in in the figure,, Just curious !! Any help is appreciated !! You can email me (hope its ok to do this) at mart@quik.com if you wish. Since I am new here & not sure about how to navigate this site yet !! Thanks !! I am going to see if I can attach a pic.

Comments

  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,407 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Hi Mart
    And welcome!!!
    Can you give us a scan of the card and if you place the figure on the scanner, we can see that also.
    The Mick was a lefty but was a great switch hitter.
    The figure is probably a Hartland - year? Hard to say without looking at it. The originals are from 1960 and reprints were done around 1988 by Hartland. The bat can be replaced.

    mike
    Mike
  • Yes I am trying to get the pics on now !! But as I said I am new at this forum and do not know how things work yet !! OK It didn`t work !! Someone please tell me how to attach a desktop file !! Please !!
  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,407 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Mart
    If you have a problem, just email me the pics and I will host them for you.

    Address is below
    mike
    Mike
  • I finally got the pics to go out,, let me know if they reach you. This comp is like me old & half-nuts !!!! Thanks Mike !!!
  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,407 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Mart
    Here ya go...

    First the Mantle auto - I'm no expert, but it looks pretty good to me - value? His stuff is white hot on ebay but a PSA/DNA authentication will really make it sell IMO. Detailed picture link.

    image

    ebay Mantle auto - PSA/DNA:

    image

    On the figure - it's a 1960 Hartland - a mint issue is valued at about 400$ - this one has paint missing from the arm and will be worth less - I would probably pay no more than 100$ since it's also missing the bat.
    You can contact Hartland about getting a replacement bat for the figure.

    image

    You have a couple of great items there!
    mike

    Mike
  • Mike, thanks for all your help on these !! I haven`t cleaned the figure other than to dust it off,, is there anything you recommend? I also went to our local art gallery & got an archival mylar sleeve for the auto !! A friend from another board has an aunt that is with the Make-A-Wish Foundation & she is going to get authentication from them. But about the cert that you mentioned ,,, is it costly & how does one do it ? I have seen PSA`s membership fees & I really cant afford that for one card. Is there another option??? Again thanks for all your help !!! Martha
  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,407 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Mike, thanks for all your help on these !! I haven`t cleaned the figure other than to dust it off,, is there anything you recommend? I also went to our local art gallery & got an archival mylar sleeve for the auto !! A friend from another board has an aunt that is with the Make-A-Wish Foundation & she is going to get authentication from them. But about the cert that you mentioned ,,, is it costly & how does one do it ? I have seen PSA`s membership fees & I really cant afford that for one card. Is there another option??? Again thanks for all your help !!! Martha >>


    PSA/DNA does not require membership and it will cost you 75 bucks I believe to have it authenticated. If you plan to sell it, it will be worth the authentication fee IMO. If you plan to keep for yourself - no need. Based on the item - it's hard to believe that it is forged.

    On the figurine - I believe mild soap is all I would recommend and do not touch up the figure with matching paint. It destroys the value of the item. As I said, go to the Hartland web and see if you can pick up a replacement bat.

    mike
    Mike
  • Mike,do you think that if the auto is verified by the Make-A-Wish Foundation, that hosted the tournament, that it would do instead of a certification service ?? At this point, finding even $75 that I didn`t need for meds would be difficult. I am planning on listing the pair on ebay, but I am going to try to get a replacement bat first. Do you know if the figure stood on anything? Hartland mentioned something about a wooden disc. but all the Mickey Figs were sold out on the secondary market. and they were newer ones. So I do not know about these?? Soap & water sure did help, the dark areas that you saw are hardly noticable now, guess it was mostly dust settled & turned dark. And no, I would never touch-up !! I know better than that !!
  • jrdolanjrdolan Posts: 2,549 ✭✭
    I agree with Mike that you really need to get it authenticated if you want serious bids. A note from the Make-A-Wish Foundation that Mantle attended one of their fund-raisers doesn't add much provenance, because the card itself states that. Now if they could attest that he signed all of those cards printed for that event, that would be different. But if he didn't, how could they prove he signed that one?

    The autos look like Mick's classic signature to my non-expert eye, but then almost all the fakes do. The garage sale story will not play well on eBay because it's the standard line in a long history of scams. Nothing personal, but I know how memorabilia shoppers view these things. If you get the PSA/DNA authentication, that takes care of everything -- and multiplies your sale price a few times.

    I love your items even if they had no autos. Good luck and please tell us how you do, with authentication or without.
  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,407 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Mart
    The Mantle figure (which I have) comes "as is" (if one has the original box and neck "tag" - the item better than doubles in value!) and the problem with them is that some stand up on their own and others don't - unfortunately with ebay, you don't find that out till you buy it. That's a minor point.
    I recommend you get the replacement bat and please "state it" in your description. I would say the Mantle would be described as "excellent" shape.

    Another consideration on the Mantle auto is to get an "online" certification from them (call their 800 number) - I think that is very cheap and you can then honestly put PSA/DNA spam word in your description - it will not carry the weight of the full authentication.

    I wish you all the best of luck
    mike
    Mike
  • Thanks for all the advice !! Everyone has really helped !! I am well aware of all the garage sale stories that happen on ebay !! Actually mine was a church rummage sale and somehow I do not believe that whoever donated it knew it was in with the books. But I went back later & inquired & they said no one had asked about it !! So I put it away & several moves later decided to research it !! At that time Mickey was still alive so interest was not as high as now !! And yes I always describe in detail with pics every scratch as well as repro parts !! I have 100% positive feedback & plan on keeping it that way !! I will let all know how it goes but I need to get a replacement bat first. And I will check on online cert. Wish I had unlimited money but alas that is not the case !!! Then I could go for the real thing !! The man who runs my ISP offered $75 for the card alone and truth be known, that is probably about what ebay will bring. But since he also operates Quik-Drop and lists on ebay I thought I`d take a chance that maybe it might go a little better. Perhaps the pair of items will do OK !!! Thanks again everyone !! Martha
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