The Coolest Card in 1952 Topps (and It’s Not Mantle)
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The 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle is the most iconic baseball card in the world without question. While an SGC 9.5 copy of the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle no longer holds the record for the most expensive baseball card sold at auction, three PSA 10 examples are known to exist and are projected to be worth around $40 million each.
Even the most damaged copies of the 52 Topps Mickey Mantle are crazy expensive. A severely worn looking copy of the card with pink highlighter scribbled over Mantle’s name recently sold for $17,500. Copies of the card that look like they were ran over by a car still sell for more than a 2025 Nissan Versa.
The Coolest 1952 Topps Card is the Bobby Shantz #219 with an Autograph and a “1952 AL MVP” Inscription
If Mickey Mantle is the ‘Goliath’ of the 1952 Topps set, then ‘David’ is a 5-foot 6-inch, 139-pound pitcher named Bobby Shantz. The “Mighty Little Southpaw” is baseball’s most improbable MVP of all time, and he is still alive today.
An autographed 1952 Topps Bobby Shantz card with a “1952 AL MVP” inscription is so cool because it is accessible for any baseball card collector 73 years after Shantz won his MVP award. It costs significantly less than a 1952 Topps Mantle, which is definitely cool. The beautiful 1952 Topps Bobby Shantz auto in the picture above sold for just $155 back in January.
Additionally, if you send Bobby his 1952 Topps card in the mail today, he will send it back with an autograph and an inscription. The special connection fans feel when they get their favorite cards autographed and sent back in the mail can't be overstated.
Bobby Shantz is the TTM GOAT
Bobby Shantz just turned 100 years old and is the oldest living Major League Baseball MVP. He is the only living MLB player to have played in the 1940s. Even at 100 years old, Bobby Shantz still signs autographs through the mail.
Through the mail (commonly known as TTM) is a popular way for baseball card collectors to acquire autographs from their favorite players. Many TTM Facebook groups, message boards, and websites exist for hardcore collectors to share addresses with each other of their favorite athletes.
When collectors send baseball cards to their favorite players in the mail, they will include a self-addressed envelope with postage so the card can be conveniently returned. Most will include a nice thank you letter and a small sum of money as well.
Shantz is a legend within the TTM community. He reportedly signs over 200 cards per week, and his penmanship is still precise at 100 years old.
Bobby Shantz was on Top of the Baseball World in 1952
Despite weighing just 139 pounds, Shantz dominated the competition in 1952. He led all of Major League Baseball in WAR (Wins Above Replacement), starting the season with a 13-2 record. He pitched 14 complete games in his first 15 starts. During the 1952 All Star Game, he struck out Whitey Lockman, Jackie Robinson, and Stan Musial consecutively. He finished the season with a 24-7 record and pitched 27 complete games.
Even back in 1952, MVPs were typically won by hitters, but the diminutive Shantz towered over the competition from the pitcher’s mound. He was named on 16 of the 20 writers' ballots for first place. Mickey Mantle finished in 3rd place.
David is a collector based in Georgia and a lifelong fan of the New York Yankees, New York Giants, and New York Knicks. He is an avid sports card collector with a strong passion for vintage baseball cards and vintage on-card autographs. David enjoys obtaining autographs through the mail and loves connecting with other knowledgeable collectors to discuss the history and evolution of the hobby. He also previously wrote about the New York Giants for GMENHQ.com