One of the most valuable cards in existence. Issued a year before his debut on Topps, Mantle's Rookie Card came after a season in which the 18-year-old was called up to the Yankees on September 17, 1950, only to sit on the bench for the remainder of the season. Mantle did practice with the Yankees and got to know Yankee icons DiMaggio, Rizzuto, and Berra, but he would not make his playing debut until 1951. In that season, Mantle started with the Yankees, was sent down to their Kansas City farm club, and then was recalled. In his first playing season, Mantle hit a pedestrian .263 with 13 home runs, and it would be 1952 before he had his breakout season. The card itself shows Mantle's youth, as he appears baby-faced and wide-eyed in front of a gorgeous background of blue sky. Although the 1952 Topps Mantle gets lots of attention, this Bowman #253 Rookie Card is Mantle's true rookie card and is a terrific prize for any collector. Graded PSA Good+ 2.5.