Would You Rather? 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle vs. Willie Mays Rookie Cards
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Two iconic center fielders whose home ballparks sat just minutes apart in New York City. Two rookie cards. One difficult choice.
The 1951 Bowman set offered collectors painted masterpieces of Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays, arguably the greatest one-two punch ever featured in the same release. Both cards showcase future Hall of Famers rendered in the company's distinctive artistic style, capturing these legends at the dawn of their storied careers. The question isn't which player was better, a debate that will outlive us all despite Willie having the edge statistically, but rather which RC provides the better buy for today's high-end hobbyist.
The Mick's Crown Jewel - #253
Mantle's Bowman rookie sales have occupied rarefied air when it comes to sports collectibles as a whole, unsurprisingly considering his 536 career home runs, three MVP awards, and legendary postseason dominance. A PSA 9 specimen shattered records in early 2022, commanding $3,192,000 via Memory Lane Inc., more than quadrupling the previous auction benchmark of $750k almost four years prior. With only nine PSA 9s in existence and a single PSA 10—part of Arizona Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick's collection— high-grade copies are rarer than a black-and-blue porterhouse.
The market for mid-grade Mantles features its own highlight reel with PSA 8 versions spanning a $372k-$615k range in the early 2020s, while PSA 7s have sold for a wide variety of prices from just under $80,000 to as high as $174,000 in recent years.
For vintage hunters seeking more reasonable entry points, lower grades offer relative accessibility. Buyers have snagged PSA 3 copies this year for as low as $10,000, although most come in closer to $15-$17k. Even the lowest end of the PSA scale brought in $9,000 at auction earlier this summer, showing just what people will do to get their hands on such a heralded item. Finally, raw copies in poor condition represent the shrewdest of bargains, though authentication still remains critical given the card's value at any grade.
This astronomical pricing reflects multiple factors: Mantle's status as baseball's most collected figure, designation as his only true rookie card per PSA, and the dearth of quality editions out there. Beyond the cardboard, Mantle's resume speaks volumes — a 20-time All-Star who captured the 1956 Triple Crown and a staggering seven World Series championships with the uber-popular Yankees. His 18 homers in the Fall Classic remain a record that may never be shattered. According to PSA CardFacts, cards from this high-number series commonly suffer from print lines, wax stains, and poor centering — issues that make near-perfect copies virtually unobtainable.
The Say Hey Kid's Statement Card - #305
Mays' Bowman RC presents an intriguing alternative. The 24-time All-Star's rookie recently set its own record when a PSA 8.5 brought $390,934 at Robert Edward Auctions last August, surpassing the previous PSA 8 high of $338,400 from March 2021.
With zero PSA 10s on file and only eight graded a 9 (the last one publicly sold went for $65,725 way back in 2009), the National League's best of the best offers similar scarcity dynamics at a lower price point than his one-time crosstown comp. A PSA 8 fetched $173,240 through Goldin in June, while PSA 7s have reached almost $47k of late.
In the next rung down, PSA 6s have gone for between $23,000-$30,000 lately, while a 5 sold a couple of weeks ago for $16k even. Sales for PSA 3 and 4 versions have been active this year, staying below the $10k and $5k marks, respectively.
With the exception of those coveted rings, Mays' credentials either match or exceed Mantle's one for one: 660 homers, 12 Gold Gloves (most ever for a center fielder), two MVP awards, and perhaps the greatest all-around set of tools the sport has ever seen. The Say Hey Kid made "The Catch" in the 1954 World Series, an over-the-shoulder grab that preserved the Giants' eventual sweep and remains one of sports' most well-known replays. It would be the only time Mays won a ring throughout his illustrious career, a fact that likely contributes to the price differential between the pair of superstars.
Making the Call
The choice ultimately hinges on collecting philosophy and financial reality. Mantle commands an enormous premium reflecting his unparalleled popularity and cultural significance beyond baseball. For many, his rookie represents the absolute pinnacle of post-war collecting, with costs reflecting that. Meanwhile, Mays features relatively solid value for those prioritizing on-the-field dominance over market mystique.
No matter your choice, hobby history favors both cards long-term. The set's artistic appeal and dwindling availability, combined with each player's enduring legacy, ensures continued demand no matter any market corrections or bubbles bursting. In the end, either selection rewards you with a cornerstone rookie from what was truly a golden age of card collecting.
Scott Orgera is a sportswriter and statistician with more than three decades of experience. He has covered thousands of MLB and NFL games, along with most other major sports. A member of the BBWAA, his bylines appear in the Associated Press, Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus, FanGraphs, and Forbes, among others. He also co‑authored 976‑1313: How Sports Phone Launched Careers and Broke New Ground. Having worked card shows with his family in the 1980s, Scott has remained active in the hobby ever since and now owns a card and memorabilia shop just outside New York City.