An intriguing oddity is revealed with the discovery of this lumber issued to Mickey Mantle for one of the two All-Star Games contested at the halfway point of the 1959 Major League season. Check our November 2011 auction archives and you'll find another 1959 Mantle All-Star bat, which garnered a final bid of $41,825. Though the 113A model number applied to the knob of the standard ash Adirondack is identical to the previously offered model, as are the thirty-five and a half inch length and thirty-two ounce weight, the barrel stamping is slightly different in design and coloration. Presumably this means that this bat derives from the other All-Star Game, and that each player received two bats for each contest. The presented example exhibits excessive use, which expert John Taube attributes largely to action in the sandlots after Mantle's ownership. As such, the degree of use assigned to Mantle himself cannot be calculated. Some very light writing on the barrel appears to be Mantle's name, though not in Mantle's hand (rather, an identifier). The bat still presents wonderfully and loses little of its appeal as a tremendously rare "event" bat from the most beloved post-war Yankee. Record-breaking results for the mighty Mick in our February 2013 "Platinum Night" auction are a strong indication that the market for Mantle is hotter than ever, so smart investors take note. LOA from PSA/DNA GU 6.