5 Mickey Mantle Cards to Own on a Budget
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Mickey Mantle may not be the G.O.A.T of baseball, but he surely is up there in the sports cards world. Nearly every collector young or old has heard of the absurd pricing of Mantle rookies. Recent sales of the 1952 Topps PSA 8 hitting over a million dollars, has collectors dreaming of finding a raw rookie in their grandparents attic.
However reality is, most collectors cannot afford such a opportunity to own such an iconic card. While we still dream, there are Mantle cards out there, that can be had on a budget.
A top 10 player of all-time, Mantle was a five tool player, that played on one of the greatest franchises, the New York Yankees. The 20x All-Star would finish in the Top 5 in MVP votings, and incredible 9 times. Playing at an elite level year in and year out, he would win the MVP 3 times, while helping his team win the World Series seven times. The man know as "The Mick" would finish with 536 home runs, and 1,509 RBI's. Mickey Mantle manned centerfield, and if it wasn't for his bad knees, would've finished with more than his 153 stolen bases. The Triple Crown winner, and career .298 hitter was truly a legend.
If you play your cards right, there are opportunities to obtain a nice Mickey Mantle under $500. Here are 5 Mantle's for reasonable prices and still popular in the sports cards market.
Related: 5 Graded Cards and $1,500 to start a collection
1958 Topps All Star #487
A beautiful card showcasing Mantle in his backswing, and wearing the pinstripe well. This card also represent him being selected to the 1958 All-Star team. With the stars, the colors, and Mantle being front and center, this card really pops in any collection.
The PSA 5 can be found for around $300. A nice grade for a card that was made in the 50's.
1958 Topps World Series Batting Foes #418
This card is just an incredible piece for any collector. This card can appeal to any collector that is a fan of the history of baseball. Bringing together both Mickey Mantle and Hank Aaron, arguably the biggest stars of baseball at the time, is nothing short of pure bliss. There is 1,291 combined career home runs between these two giants.
You can grab yourself a SGC 5 for around $400.
Related: Top Iconic Yankees Players and Their Rookie Cards
1959 Topps #10
Staying in the 1950's and focusing on a young Mantle, I would pick up this beautiful card in a low grade. With a bold red circle, and Mantle centered with his little smirk, this Mantle card is a must have in any budget. Just a great overall card to own.
The sharpness and bold colors of this card, allows for a low grade to still look great. A PSA 3 is around $400.
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1960 Topps #350
One of my favorite cards, is this 1960 Topps card. Topps going back to the horizontal look, and incorporating both the batting stance and candid picture, this card hits on multiple levels. The iconic Mantle stance, the smile, the stadium in the background, and the colors, really drive this card home for any collector.
Depending on centering, good time, and some good luck, you should be able to score this card from a PSA 2 to possibly a 4.5 under $500.
1969 Topps #500
The card that closes the book on one of the greatest players to ever put on a uniform. This card is special for so many reasons. But one great thing about this card, is that the stats on the back show his entire career.
This card in a PSA 4 can be found for around $350.
