Home Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum

Auction Re: 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle PRO 9.5 ... Would PSA Grade As Authentic?

Here's a link and image to an auction for a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle PSA 9.5.

Mantle PRO 9.5

image

It's a great looking card, but I suspect it might be altered. In any case, assuming it is authentic, would PSA assign this card a grade of "Authentic" if cracked out and submitted. I wonder what an Authentic grade would bring. $1,000.00? Or, perhaps, lots of thousands?

Though we'll likely never know, the history behind this card would be interesting.

/s/ JackWESQ
image

Comments

  • bluemarlinbluemarlin Posts: 627 ✭✭✭
    I would guess that card was definatley trimmed,If PSA were to just authenticate it I'm sure it would bring $3000 or more.

    Jake
  • storm888storm888 Posts: 11,701 ✭✭✭
    A genuine/unaltered 1952 Mantle will always find its way
    into the highest-level of holder that it can, PRIOR to being
    marketed.

    IF the card is "real but trimmed," PSA might slab it "authentic."

    I am not certain that the folks at PRO can reliably determine
    if the cards they slab are genuine. However, I do not think
    they are evil; IMO, they are just not highly skilled.
    Folks Who Bite Get Bitten. Folks Who Don't Bite Get Eaten.
  • yankeeno7yankeeno7 Posts: 9,248 ✭✭✭
    I would not send a card for an "authentic" grade to PSA...I would use SGC for that one.
  • WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    Pro, owned by some slime ball is highly skilled.

    I edited out the word 'evil'
    and the Owners name.

    Steve
    Good for you.


  • << <i>Pro, owned by some slime ball named John Hoffman is highly skilled.

    I edited out the word 'evil'


    Steve >>



    Steve,

    Can you please expand on the Slime Ball comment? I personally do not know John, but it sounds like you have some prior dealings which may be helpful information for the members of our message board.
  • WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    Justin

    Ever see a properly graded card in a PRO holder?


    What more needs to be said.


    Do you really think the owner of a company (who also owned ASA) prior to buying Pro, has no idea on how to grade?

    Steve
    Good for you.
  • cohocorpcohocorp Posts: 1,371 ✭✭
    there has to be a GOOD reason that this card is in a pro holder. i would be less suspicious if it were raw. as everyone knows this should either be in a sgc or psa holder if it were on the level. looks real to me though, so i would say doctored in my opinion. so if it can make it into a psa holder as authentic, it would probably bring about $6000 as a rough guess. mantles in authentic or psa 1,2 holders vary greatly in price based purely on eye appeal. this one has such nice eye appeal though, it may go upwards of $10,000 as a guess if graded psa authentic.
  • thenavarrothenavarro Posts: 7,497 ✭✭✭




    << <i>Justin

    Ever see a properly graded card in a PRO holder?


    What more needs to be said.


    Do you really think the owner of a company (who also owned ASA) prior to buying Pro, has no idea on how to grade?

    Steve >>



    I thought ASA used to be owned by Alan Hager. Alan wrote a really neat book on cards, but his prices listed were fantasy level. He was the consumate salesman whom in my understanding patented the use of the slabs that all the grading companies use today and they have to pay him royalties. Alan was fun to talk with but it was amazing what would find itself in high grade ASA slabs. They were the first grading company I used to do business with. I would buy raw T206 Cobb's, T202 Cobb's, T205 Cobbs, E95 Cobbs, T227 Cobbs, etc, and submit them to ASA, and they'd come back typically no lower than 4's. He used to publish prices he would pay for ASA graded cards as well, so I sent him my Cobb collection. Of course, he wouldn't pay his advertised prices so I didn't sell to him and stopped using ASA. Once they were crossed to PSA, they turned into 1's, 2's and an occasional 3, and rarely a 4. I sold my Cobb collection in 1999 to use as a large down payment on a house, properly graded by PSA. One good thing about ASA, is that they were at least good at identifying alterations, counterfeits, etc.

    Mike
    Buying US Presidential autographs
  • WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    Mike I could be wrong about his prior ownership. Maybe it was USA?

    was one of those bottom tiered organizations.

    Perhaps I should just change my post and not mention the owner by name?


    Steve
    Good for you.
  • I wouldn't mind owning a trimmed or restored Mantle that looked like that for the right price though. If it's not fake maybe it was restored. It certainly looks sweet.





    Dave D.


  • EagleEyeKidEagleEyeKid Posts: 4,496 ✭✭
    his prior ownership. Maybe it was USA?

    It was USA.
  • shagrotn77shagrotn77 Posts: 5,608 ✭✭✭✭
    No doubt it's been altered in some way, but if it's legit and not a counterfeit, I don't see why PSA wouldn't grade it authentic.
    "My father would womanize, he would drink. He would make outrageous claims like he invented the question mark. Sometimes he would accuse chestnuts of being lazy. The sort of general malaise that only the genius possess and the insane lament. Our childhood was typical. Summers in Rangoon, luge lessons. In the spring we'd make meat helmets. When we were insolent we were placed in a burlap bag and beaten with reeds - pretty standard really."
  • storm888storm888 Posts: 11,701 ✭✭✭
    "Do you really think the owner of a company (who also owned USA) prior to buying Pro, has no idea on how to grade?"

    //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////


    I did not mean to imply that they lack the ability to grade/over-grade for profit.

    Some years ago, I had an issue with them on some counterfeit minor-league BB.
    I became convinced that they had done NOTHING evil, and simply had no clue
    about telling fake from real.

    I agree that the subject Mantle "looks real," based on the scan. I would NOT
    trust PRO to confirm that.

    Counterfeit stamps are now nearly perfect; coins are getting quite good; cards
    are positioned to be hit HARD by the skilled print-jockeys of Asia.

    ////////////////////////////////////////////

    OT: There is a thread at N54 about card prices and the coming "depression."
    It is worth a look.
    Folks Who Bite Get Bitten. Folks Who Don't Bite Get Eaten.
  • Storm888, I'm relatively new to the message boards and I would VERY much like to read this thread you refer to at N54 but I do not know what the N54 designation stands for. Could you give this novice a direction towards locating this thread....
    "You tell 'em I'm coming...and hell's coming with me"--Wyatt Earp
  • storm888storm888 Posts: 11,701 ✭✭✭
    Folks Who Bite Get Bitten. Folks Who Don't Bite Get Eaten.
  • You guys think that card is authentic? I have serious doubts.
  • NickMNickM Posts: 4,895 ✭✭✭
    A '52 Mantle is the sort of high-profile card that PSA will slab with "Authentic" if it is real but altered. I wouldn't want to bet a large sum of money on this card being genuine though without a good opportunity to examine it in person first.

    If you're considering having a card slabbed as Authentic, contact PSA Customer Service before sending it in to make sure that the forms are filled out in the way they would like and it's properly brought to their attention.

    Nick
    image
    Reap the whirlwind.

    Need to buy something for the wife or girlfriend? Check out Vintage Designer Clothing.
  • Thanks Storm888 for the web address. I spent 45 minutes reading the responses and I must admit the participants in the network54 forums as a whole are a pretty educated bunch...
    "You tell 'em I'm coming...and hell's coming with me"--Wyatt Earp
  • WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    Guy wants almost 50k for that card.

    good luck.


    Steve

    Good for you.
  • stevekstevek Posts: 29,234 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I agree - in my opinion as pathetic as Pro-Grading is, I would not trust them to authenticate a card such as this, or frankly any other card of significant value.
  • Brian48Brian48 Posts: 2,624 ✭✭✭
    Man, this thing screams scam all the way.
  • Big80sBig80s Posts: 2,758 ✭✭✭
    Just out of curiosity - I saw that this card has five offers on it. Have any board members laid down an offer? And if so, do you mind sharing how much?
    Let's Rip It: PackGeek.com
    Jeff
  • WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    If real, the owner would probably lose their shirt if they cracked it and had it graded "authentic'
    by PSA.

    Someone is into that card for serious dough I think.

    If a person had 10k or less into it getting it into a slabbed authentic holder
    could get them out of being buried.

    at 49k the seller is dreaming, however all it takes is one guy who does not know
    that all grading companies are not created equal and .....


    Steve
    Good for you.
Sign In or Register to comment.