1952 Topps Baseball #311 Mickey Mantle first Topps card. Graded EX+ 5.5 by PSA. This card originates from a new find of 1952 Topps baseball cards that recently surfaced in the Midwest. Our consignor's husband collected the cards as a child and, miraculously, nearly all avoided the common fate of being repeatedly flipped or placed in bike spokes. Instead, he carefully stored them in a shoe box, where they remained, untouched, for the past seventy years. The majority of the cards are in high grade, with the only issue of note for most being centering. We have selected three of the cards - Mantle, Jackie Robinson, and Willie Mays - for inclusion in this auction. (All have been submitted for grading by Lelands.) The remainder, including nearly all the high numbers, will appear together in one of our upcoming sales this year.

The offered Mantle card is an an outstanding example of the hobby's most iconic postwar baseball card. It should be noted that of the 1,787 examples of this card listed in the PSA Population Report, only 257 have received a higher grade. A total of 18 have been graded at this level, meaning that this card ranks in the top 15% of all PSA-graded 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle cards. Technically, the card features a clear and colorful image of Mantle, with white borders and retention of its original gloss. The bottom right corner has a light touch while the remaining corners are sharp. The edges are very smooth. Centering is off top to bottom as well as left to right. The reverse is off center but is otherwise clean and bright. This is a high-grade fresh-to-the-hobby example that would be a welcome addition to any advanced 1952 Topps or Mickey Mantle collection.