MY First Mickey Mantle - UPDATE - GRADE BUMPED!!!!!

initialD · May 3, 2009 4:17AM

Hey guys and gals,

Been a great weekend, I've been syked about this card and only here would people understand why?

Finally got it on Saturday. I damn near pooped myself when I held it in person!!

1954 Red Heart Mickey Mantle. This is my first Mantle card and I couldn't be happier

I don't know much about the Red Hearts, except they came in dog food? Leads me to believe that

this card must be a real nice specimen? I love the color and the portrait

and DAMMM it's a 54!!

smet · May 3, 2009 4:18AM

Very nice, I like it.

bman90278 · May 3, 2009 4:18AM

Congrats!!!!!!!!!!! That card is a beaut!!!!!!!

brian

Bosox1976 · May 3, 2009 4:18AM

One of my favorite poses.

bsidegrve · May 3, 2009 4:29AM

Congrats! One of my top 5 favorite Mantle cards.Great condition too!!

initialD · May 3, 2009 4:33AM

Thanks guys!

I was worried most about the centering but it's only off a tick

and think it still has great appeal. Wish my scanner really caught

how much richer the color really is.

swartz1 · May 3, 2009 4:36AM

Will you be getting it slabbed?

edmundfitzgerald · May 3, 2009 4:40AM

That thing is so nice that it looks like it was printed yesterday. Enjoy !

initialD · May 3, 2009 4:46AM

<< <i>Will you be getting it slabbed? >>

I've been thinking of it. Putting it in the mail gives me worries though?

Express or Super Express? Any comments?

Maybe PSA will be at a show this summer around here? I think TriStar has one

coming up. I may wait til then.

Gonblott · May 3, 2009 4:51AM

Congrats on your first Mantle!

Tabe · May 3, 2009 4:57AM

Super-nice Mantle. That's also one of my favorites. Definitely get it graded!

Tabe

ploobims · May 3, 2009 5:08AM

Very nice card, great condition, 1st time ive ever seen a 54 red heart card i believe, i ve heard of the set

smet · May 3, 2009 5:18AM

Anyone know for sure how these cards were originally distributed?

OAKESY25 · May 3, 2009 5:33AM

I believe they were distributed for several years from what I remember reading...
that is a very nice copy.. hope it is unaltered and legit..

MantleMarisFordBerra · May 3, 2009 5:48AM

That is one of the nicer '54 Red Hearts I've seen. Big congrats to you!!

intence · May 3, 2009 6:21AM

PoppaJ · May 3, 2009 6:29AM

Congrats on owning such a beautiful card! .... and a Mantle at that!

The 1954 Red Heart set actually consists of three series of eleven unnumbered cards. Each series in the 1954 Red Heart set has a specific color background—red, green, or blue behind a color photo of each player. The rarest background is red.

These handsome and slightly oversized cards are still highly sought after today. The 1954 Red Heart set was issued via a mail-in offer through the makers of Red Heart dog food. The cards were still available to those who requested them as recently as the early 1970’s.

Important cards in the 1954 Red Heart set are: Mickey Mantle #18, Stan Musial #23, and Duke Snider #29.

Neither Mantle nor Musial appeared in the 1954 Topps set and Musial was not in the 1954 Bowman set either.

Let's hope PSA grants you a nice 8 or 9 on that beauty! Centering shouldn't be an issue at all.

Thanks for sharing!

PoppaJ

calaban7 · May 3, 2009 6:33AM

Wow , nice card

WinPitcher · May 3, 2009 6:36AM

Very nice indeed. I'm wondering why it isn't already in a slab?

Also, I'd send that in under the freebie voucher one gets for signing up.

No need to worry about mailing it, use registered mail.

Steve

smet · May 3, 2009 6:41AM

Thanks PoppaJ, I knew they couldn't have actually come in bags of dog food, but beyond that I had no idea.

lawnmowerman · May 3, 2009 6:54AM

<< <i>

I don't know much about the Red Hearts, except they came in dog food? >>

link

stevek · May 3, 2009 7:45AM

I'm drooling over that card, like a hungry dog.

scashaggy · May 3, 2009 7:48AM

Very nice looking card.

baseballjeff · May 3, 2009 9:06AM

Way to go!!!
Jeff

daddymc · May 3, 2009 10:42AM

Beautiful Mantle. Hope it grades high for you.

heritage · May 3, 2009 12:41PM

That Mantle is awesome ..That looks like a 8.5 or a 9.

Good Luck with the grade!

initialD · May 3, 2009 1:00PM

Funny, I've never noticed how much 'slightly oversized' the Red Hearts are.

Thanks for the info and link.

IMHO there's no way in hell this card grades below an 8, an 8.5 would be suiting, and a 9 would totally effin rock

Why can't PSA have a store around the corner from my house for some instant gratification?!!

nightcrawler · May 3, 2009 1:18PM

Wow, congrats. Thanks for posting.

smtjoy · May 4, 2009 12:48AM

Congrats, very nice Mantle!

I do hope it grades, I always wonder when a nice card like that isn't slabbed.

CW · May 4, 2009 2:11PM

Sweet card! Everyone should have at least one Mantle in their collection.

CONGRATS!

Dboneesq · May 4, 2009 2:26PM

Bill,

If you get a "9" on that card ... sell it ... I'll meet you at The National ... and dinner/beers are on you! LOL I wish you the best of luck with the card. THE MICK was my idol growing up and I ALWAYS liked that card.

divecchia · May 4, 2009 2:32PM

Congrats on your first Mantle. Definitely a great looking card.

Donato

fiveniner · May 4, 2009 8:25PM

Holy Macro card looks to good to be true.Its a beaut for sure.Good luck with the card.

initialD · May 4, 2009 10:31PM

<< <i>Bill,

If you get a "9" on that card ... sell it ... I'll meet you at The National ... and dinner/beers are on you! LOL I wish you the best of luck with the card. THE MICK was my idol growing up and I ALWAYS liked that card. >>

HA! Is that before or after Vegas gets destroyed?!

I don't see any upcoming shows where PSA will be there.

They have been at the Shriners Shows before but not the one coming up in June

I don't think I can hold off from putting this one in the mail

corvette1340 · May 5, 2009 12:24AM

does anyone know what the reprints of that card look like? I've seen a lot of them around but have never paid attention to see if they say reprint, etc...

Also, how much would you want for it as is if you could guarantee it wasn't a reprint?

rbdjr1 · May 5, 2009 12:37AM

Was your source for this card, a known reliable seller? I hope so, and wish you good luck with PSA.

Like Steve mentioned, why would anyone want to sell this card in a raw state, when one would think in a PSA 8, 8.5 or 9 holder, would command more $$$ for the seller.

Just wondering?

Do not mean to cause alarm. But when I see a beauty like that card "raw", and seeing and reading sooooooooooooooo much BS on these threads over the years, just makes me wonder, like Steve, said, ......why raw?

rd

P.S.

good luck with that beauty, and hope my comments, turn out to be, "much to do about nothing"!

stown · May 5, 2009 1:13AM

Freaking georgous Mantle

initialD · May 20, 2009 10:00AM

NEAR MINT 7 1954 RED HEART MICKEY MANTLE Card US

Total Items: 1
Date Received: 5/18/2009
Date Shipped: N/A
Order Status: OK

Just popped today!! Went with the Super Express.

Lil bummed at the 7 but owell?

THere's an PSA 8 on ebay now that can't hold a candle to this.

REview?

smet · May 20, 2009 10:10AM

7? I would have never guessed that.

MBMiller25 · May 20, 2009 10:33AM

Bill, I would have it reviewed, I think you got screwed.

Aric · May 20, 2009 10:39AM

7? Wow that is crazy. I was worried for you that the card would come back altered. Never would I have guessed it would grade a 7. Definitely send it in for a review.

daddymc · May 20, 2009 10:44AM

Nice job on the 7. It's hard to tell, but the only thing I can see on the scan that looks like it might have dropped it to the 7 is the bottom right corner on the back. If it's sharp, I would resub.

Bosox1976 · May 20, 2009 11:07AM

Buy the card, not the holder! Your card is an 8 all day long, that other card is a 7 all day long.

Fine Job!!!

nam812 · May 20, 2009 11:15AM

There appears to be some stray green ink at the top of the yellow diamond that houses Mickey's name. That could be the reason for the lower grade.

fattymacs · May 20, 2009 11:16AM

Good news, and a sweet card.

MantleMarisFordBerra · May 20, 2009 11:53AM

7? *sigh* The card is nicer than a 7. You know it. We know it. I'd go further but I don't want to get bammed.

End of the day, you have one VERY nice Mantle.

PoppaJ · May 20, 2009 11:57AM

I would definitely send your card in for a review .... at worst it should receive a 7.5 on centering alone!

Beautiful card .... Congrats!

PoppaJ

WinPitcher · May 20, 2009 12:02PM

Outstanding!

Steve

stevek · May 20, 2009 12:11PM

It's likely a "shoebox" card - was probably stored loose in a shoebox and over the course of 50 years of moving the box around in the closet, maybe occasionally handling the card, etc, the 4 corners get slightly frayed and that's a classic vintage PSA 7 or 7.5 card, which is still a dam nice vintage card.

Take a loupe and look at the four corners...if they're all frayed as mentioned, there is dim hope it's gonna get an 8...if two of the corners look mint, then yes resubmit it.

WinPitcher · May 20, 2009 12:18PM

It hasn't even been shipped back yet, perhaps an email to Joe is in order?

Steve

initialD · May 20, 2009 12:52PM

<< <i>It hasn't even been shipped back yet, perhaps an email to Joe is in order?

Steve >>

I've been thinking that this may be in order.

I mean all said and done there's over $80 bucks to get this one card graded!

Maybe I can slip him an email now, anyone have it handy?

What are the odds he sees it in the morning before it ships? ARGHH!!!

I've been checking this status a billion times these past 2 days and to see a 7,

it never crossed my mind

And to look at the one on ebay burns me!

Leme give it a shot and hope it doesn't fall on deaf ears over there.

THanks guys

MY First Mickey Mantle - UPDATE - GRADE BUMPED!!!!!

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