1952 Topps Mickey Mantle: Looking to Own One?

Some believe the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle is the most popular baseball card of all-time. A picture-perfect presentation of a star being born in New York, the Mantle card is a favorite of those seeking to invest in sports memorabilia and also of those who understand its significance in the hobby.

Mickey Mantle, of course, was immensely popular as a player during the 1950s and 60s.  Mantle won seven World Series rings during his career, all of which was spent playing for the Yankees.  He was a popular speaker and card show guest throughout the 1980s and early 1990s before his death.

The ’52 Mantle is one of the top three or four  sports cards of all-time  for a virtually never-ending list of reasons, highlighted by a few key factors:

• It’s Mantle-- a living legend who enjoyed immense favor with the baby boomers now edging into retirement.

• It’s not an easy card to find because Topps dumped many of the final series cards that year into the ocean just to get them out of the warehouse.

• It’s part of an iconic set that continues to grow in popularity with collectors and investors.

• It’s proven to be a solid investment.

Always wanted a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle but couldn’t take the plunge? You’re not alone. It’s a great-looking card; one of those that even casual or non-collecting sports fans are aware of on some level because of the publicity that often accompanies the sale of a high grade copy.

If you’re ready to invest in a 1952 Topps Mantle, we’d recommend some comparison shopping, of course. Knowledge is power and if you know where the market is, you’ll get a better deal. But don’t expect to find one at bargain basement prices. Demand still far outweighs supply.
Here’s a list of recent sales of 1952 Topps Mantle cards graded by PSA:

PSA 1: $3383

PSA 2: $6103

PSA 4: $12,002

PSA 5: $24,000

PSA 6: $17, 489

PSA 7: $16,100, $17,250

PSA 8: $60,000, $91, 470, $112,800

PSA 9: $282,587

You can see what a difference even one grade can make, assuming the graders to a consistent job, and sometimes a qualifier such as off-center or miscut can impact a grade significantly. Beauty, after all, is still in the eye of the beholder. Those prices represent a significant jump over what 1952 Topps Mantle cards were selling for five or six years ago.

You can do an eBay search to find out what prices are being asked on the cards that are out there and do a completed items search for some which may have sold. They’re almost always on the market. That’s the good news!

The general rule on buying vintage baseball cards is to buy the best you can afford. The card will appreciate. The cards which see the biggest jump in value are almost always those in the highest grades. A PSA 8 topped $100,000 for the first time in an auction in 2009.

1952 Topps Mantle cards are often found with condition issues, whether it’s poor centering or simply wear from being well-loved. The good news is that you can own one without a lot of hunting, in virtually any condition and the bottom won’t be dropping out of the market anytime soon.

We’d recommend buying only a graded 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle because of the issues with altered cards or those which have been counterfeited. You can click here to see what's available on eBay and there should be plenty of options. Even if the graders aren’t uniformly consistent, at least what you see is what you’ll get. It will also be easier to sell down the road if you must. Just don’t stick the slab in your bike spokes.