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I finally pulled the trigger at the Nationl: 1952 Topps #311

For several years I have been putting all my eBay earnings in a back account entitled "Mickey Mantle RC". It seemed the more I saved and got close enough to get a decent Mantle RC, the value of the card would go up. Those of you who have followed the market recently know what has happened to the prices of high grade vintage cards and especially any Mantle RC.
Well I found a very nice PSA 2 at the National that I think is under graded. It has great creamy white borders although it has a slanted cut. A crease across the middle and one that comes up about 1/2 inch from the bottom and ends by the "M" in Mickey, along with a small crease on the lower right corner. Finally, some scuffing to the left center of the card. The creases are not all that noticeable. The presentation of the card is excellent given the grade of 2. The answer to perhaps the question on your mind is I negotiated a price of $15,000. I was flying high with this card in my pocket contemplating how I was going to safely get it to my hotel room when I ran into Joe Orlando on the convention floor. I asked him to check it out and verify it to be the real thing, which he did. I then decided to go to the PSA booth and have it put in the new PSA holder. I called my wife from the convention floor and told her I just dropped a bunch of money on the new pinnacle of my collection. "Good for you" she said..."now come back to the hotel room and take me out to dinner!"

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Comments

  • cardcountrycardcountry Posts: 571 ✭✭✭
    Well done! What a great pick-up!

    Jeff
    Jeff Foy/Dave Foy
    Card Country
    Graded stars 1950's-1980
  • You better have taken her out for one hell of a dinner! Congrats on the purchase.
    Current T206 Needs: (Updated 9/11/17)

    LaJoie Portrait 3+, Cy Young Bare Hand 3+

    Ty Cobb Bat Off 4+, ANY Red & Green Portrait

  • DboneesqDboneesq Posts: 18,219 ✭✭
    Congrats on the pickup. An ICONIC card is now in your collection. I am a HUGE MICK collector, and that is probably 1 of the 2 cards (also '51 Bowman) that I will never own. Enjoy the card!!!
    STAY HEALTHY!

    Doug

    Liquidating my collection for the 3rd and final time. Time for others to enjoy what I have enjoyed over the last several decades. Money could be put to better use.
  • MantleFan23MantleFan23 Posts: 701 ✭✭✭✭
    Wow! What a great card...congratulations!
  • slum22slum22 Posts: 2,594 ✭✭✭✭
    Congratulations! It must feel great to work so hard towards a goal and achieve it. I hope you savor every bit of that gem.
    Steve
  • Stone193Stone193 Posts: 24,439 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I called my wife from the convention floor and told her I just dropped a bunch of money on the new pinnacle of my collection. "Good for you" she said..."now come back to the hotel room and take me out to dinner!"




    Wow - congratulations Rich!



    "Take me out to dinner"? You got off easy buddy. image

    Mike
  • HighGradeLegendsHighGradeLegends Posts: 1,693 ✭✭✭✭
    Wow nice card!
  • DarinDarin Posts: 7,291 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Very nice archetypal Mantle. Congrats!!
  • initialDinitialD Posts: 1,624 ✭✭✭
    Solid purchase! Your diligence surely paid off. Now enjoy it!
  • NIIIIIIIIIIIICE!!!!!!
    Big Fan of: HOF Post War RC, Graded RCs
    WTB: PSA 1 - PSA 3 Centered, High Eye Appeal 1950's Mantle
  • KendallCatKendallCat Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Great pickup and always awesome to grab "the " card in the hobby.
  • DanBessetteDanBessette Posts: 6,421 ✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: ThoseBackPages

    NIIIIIIIIIIIICE!!!!!!




    Lol.



    Rich, that is an astounding card and it's an awesome story how you saved the money and finally harpooned the whale. Major congrats!



    But it's not his RC.
  • MrNearMintMrNearMint Posts: 1,209 ✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: Stone193

    I called my wife from the convention floor and told her I just dropped a bunch of money on the new pinnacle of my collection. "Good for you" she said..."now come back to the hotel room and take me out to dinner!"




    Wow - congratulations Rich!



    "Take me out to dinner"? You got off easy buddy. image









    No kidding!



    You got the "double whammy"! The 52 mantle AND a wife who not only congratulated you on buying a card but who knowingly let you spend 15 g's on one single card.



    #oneluckysob





    Great card, congrats!
  • Arsenal83Arsenal83 Posts: 1,176 ✭✭✭
    Great card, better wife. Congrats on both.
  • craig44craig44 Posts: 11,439 ✭✭✭✭✭
    That is big time!

    George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

  • BrickBrick Posts: 4,992 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Congratulations. Beautiful card.
    Collecting 1960 Topps Baseball in PSA 8
    http://www.unisquare.com/store/brick/

    Ralph

  • flatfoot816flatfoot816 Posts: 2,194 ✭✭✭
    wowza--congrats. what did the dinner cost you?
  • Amazing card. Thats one that I bet we wish all had. Thanks for sharing.

    Marc
  • RookieHOFersRookieHOFers Posts: 733 ✭✭✭
    Congrats to you, that had to be a thrill of a lifetime. Nice to hear you have such an understanding and supportive wife.
    Matt
    I collect: 80’s Rookies and 86 Fleer Basketball
  • KendallCatKendallCat Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The key is with the wife either talk in general terms, say it is an investment, or hide the checkbook. If you buy a Mantle for $15k and she asks how much just say "15". When she screams $1500! tell her yes - you spent $1500. Just leave out the other part about the $13.5k on top of the $1500 image
  • 19541954 Posts: 2,905 ✭✭✭
    Great card Rich.
    Looking for high grade rookie cards and unopened boxes/cases
  • baseballfanbaseballfan Posts: 5,464 ✭✭✭
    beautiful!!!!!

    congrats
    Fred

    collecting RAW Topps baseball cards 1952 Highs to 1972. looking for collector grade (somewhere between psa 4-7 condition). let me know what you have, I'll take it, I want to finish sets, I must have something you can use for trade.

    looking for Topps 71-72 hi's-62-53-54-55-59, I have these sets started

  • PSARichPSARich Posts: 534 ✭✭✭
    Thanks to all for your kind remarks. Yes, it ends a long and sometimes frustrating journey...but all great in the end! As for my wife, her life is difficult being disabled and in a wheelchair. Yet she finds the positive and happiness in most everything. She has traveled with me to several card shows although this was the first National. I have sold many cards to purchase things she needed to have as good a quality of life as possible. She knew that I have been saving for this card a long time and was genuinely thrilled for me. As for dinner...Gordan Ramsey's Pub at Ceasers to the tune of $80.
  • maddux69maddux69 Posts: 2,150 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Congratulations and great story!
  • UFFDAHUFFDAH Posts: 2,088 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Double thumbs up - one for the card and one for your wife!! Congrats!!!
  • divecchiadivecchia Posts: 6,673 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Great job on scoring an iconic card. imageimage



    Congrats,

    Donato
    Hobbyist & Collector (not an investor).
    Donato's Complete US Type Set ---- Donato's Dansco 7070 Modified Type Set ---- Donato's Basic U.S. Coin Design Set

    Successful transactions: Shrub68 (Jim), MWallace (Mike)
  • IronmanfanIronmanfan Posts: 5,493 ✭✭✭✭
    Congrats!



    IMF
    Successful dealings with Wcsportscards94558, EagleEyeKid, SamsGirl214, Volver, DwayneDrain, Oaksey25, Griffins, Cardfan07, Etc.
  • JBrulesJBrules Posts: 2,126 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Well played!! Congrats on landing such an iconic card.
  • PSASAPPSASAP Posts: 2,284 ✭✭✭
    Nice job Rich, way to go!
  • Originally posted by: PSARich
    ...Gordan Ramsey's Pub at Ceasers to the tune of $80.

    I would of went to the Waffle House and got the ALL-STAR breakfast!
    No kidding, tons of food for like 2-3 people to eat on.

    Btw, enjoy the card....when I got mine, I took care of it, like it was a new car.
    Whats your plans?? display it, safe, or the bank.

    Collecting RC's (mostly 40-60's)
  • SOMSOM Posts: 1,555 ✭✭✭
    I think he omitted the final phrase of his wife's request:

    "Now you can take me out to dinner tonight IN PARIS!"

    Congrats on 311!
  • PSARichPSARich Posts: 534 ✭✭✭
    Well DanBessette, I suppose the correct description would be "Mickey Mantles first Topps card." But I'm going with Mantle's Topps RC just to feel good. As for where the card goes, unfortunately it's off to the safety deposit box at the bank. I'll bring it home periodically to enjoy it for a day or two, but it's too valuable to keep at the house.

    By the way, there was no shortage of 1952 Topps Mantles at the National, mostly in grades PSA 1-5. There were a few higher grades but not a lot. Some auction houses had some PSA 7s and 8s on display that were going to be in their next auctions. Prices were high. I did see a 1952 Bowman Mantle graded PSA 10 (1 of 2). The asking price was $750,000.
  • pdub1819pdub1819 Posts: 1,988 ✭✭✭✭
    Congrats!!! How many is "several" years that you saved? I think it is a great idea to save like that, but just want to have an idea on the timeframe.
  • thunderdanthunderdan Posts: 3,036 ✭✭✭
    That's great to hear. Big congrats landing the card you really wanted. It's hard to go wrong with a 52 Mantle.

    Glad your wife was understanding. Maybe she'd sign off on a T206 Wagner? Worth a shot!
    image


  • Congrats. I'm in the market for one as well, and I think I looked at this one on Friday afternoon.

    I didn't pull the trigger on one at the show but I am buying one soon. Your right this one looked great for a 2 and 15k is a good deal.
  • PaulMaulPaulMaul Posts: 4,889 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Great! Just curious, given the cert #, wasn't the card already in a new holder?
  • This content has been removed.
  • PaulMaulPaulMaul Posts: 4,889 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The 24 series slabs have all the new features except the back cert # I think. Maybe that's what he was referring to.
  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,727 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: PaulMaul

    The 24 series slabs have all the new features except the back cert # I think. Maybe that's what he was referring to.




    Correct. By new holder, I am guessing Rich meant a holder with the new bar code on back of the flip, which was not yet out when this card was initially graded.



    Superlative card, Rich! Congrats on the purchase!


    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
  • PSARichPSARich Posts: 534 ✭✭✭
    I did have it re-holdered because I wanted the new holder with the bar code on the back. The card was in the "previous new" PSA holder but had a bit of a "smoky" edge on part of one side. I saved up my eBay earnings for about 2 1/2 years and finally decided I was at my limit as to what I wanted to spend on the card. As for the price, it was about average for a PSA 2, at least the ones I inquired about at the show. I just felt it presented itself very well for a "2'. It is hard to get a "great deal" on 1952 Mantles and I know I paid a competitive price. And who knows where the market goes in the future as right now it is crazy. For me it was a matter of finally getting the card I have wanted and I will enjoy it just as much whether the market continues to climb or bottoms out.

    Note: Joe Orlando shared at the PSA Luncheon that PSA is developing another upgrade in their holder as they are trying to stay ahead of the bad guys with their security.
  • BPorter26BPorter26 Posts: 3,499 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Awesome pickup of one or if not the most iconic card in the hobby. BTW it's also nice to you have a great support system (Wife)
    "EVERYBODY LOVE EVERYBODY IT SAYS IT RIGHT THERE ON THE WALL" - JACKIE MOON
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