Yankees legend Mickey Mantle is set to shatter one of baseball’s priciest records. A mint 1952 Topps trading card featuring the Hall of Famer is expected to fetch an estimated $3.5 million when it heads to the auction block later this month — the most expensive card ever sold, according to Forbes. The Mick’s card could surpass the previous record set by the 1910 Honus Wagner tobacco card set, which sold for $3.1 million in 2016. The Mantle card’s eye-popping pre-sale estimate is thanks to its rarity – it’s only one of six 1952 Topps Mantle cards to earn a mint 9 out of a 10 rating, according to Heritage Auctions. “It falls into the category of collectibles with broad appeal to all types of collectors and investors,” Chris Ivy, the head of Heritage’s sports division told Forbes. “This card is Americana, and the appeal of it and desire to own one of the few top examples is limitless.” The Mantle card is owned by offensive guard-turned-professional sports card dealer Evan Mathis, who won the 2016 Super Bowl with the Denver Broncos, according Forbes. Mathis has been collecting rare cards all his life and at one point owned 50,000 of them. Five years ago, he started selling high-end trading cards. “I cannot keep as much as I buy,” Mathis said. The last mint 1952 Mantle card was sold at public auction 12 years ago for $282,588, Forbes said. Low-grade Mantle cards of lesser quality cost around $15,000. More than 2,000 1952 Topps Mantle cards of all grades exist. Ivy said the collector’s piece is for everyone – if you can afford it. “You don’t have to be an art collector to want to own a Warhol ‘Marilyn,’” he said. “You don’t have to be a comic collector to want an Action Comics ‘Superman’ #1, and you don’t have be a baseball card collector to want to own a 1952 Topps Mantle ‘Rookie’ Card.” Bidding begins March 28, and the auction on April 19-20.
A 1952 trading card of the Yankees' celebrated Mickey Mantle could reach $3.5m at auction, according to estimates. The rare card could surpass the record set in 2016 for the Honus Wagner tobacco card set of $3.1m. The Topps card of Mantel is nine of only six that is rated one out of 10 for condition. According to Chris Ivy of Heritage Auctions: "This card is Americana, and the appeal of it and desire to own nine of the few top examples is limitless." The last 1952 Mantle card sold 12 years ago for $282,588.