‘Category of its own’: Mickey Mantle card sells for report-breaking price

Heather Hamilton

August 28, 12:31 PM August 28, 12:31 PM

A 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle baseball card has bought for $12.6 million, earning it the most highly-priced piece of sports memorabilia.

The baseball card from the Yankee Corridor of Famer’s rookie period, which was graded in around-excellent ailment, marketed Saturday after months of bidding with Heritage Auctions.

"This card is arguably the finest-condition illustration of the most legendary publish-war card in the globe," Chris Ivy, Heritage's director of sporting activities auctions, stated in a assertion. "That quality, moreover the fact it has documented provenance from the most storied discover in passion heritage, puts this card in a group of its individual."

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Effectively-recognised collector Alan Rosen reportedly purchased 5,500 1952 Topps cards, like dozens of Mantle playing cards, for $125,000 in 1986 soon after finding a simply call from a buddy in Boston declaring a local guy had inherited the playing cards and was keen to provide them. With dollars in hand, Rosen hired a police officer and drove to Quincy, Massachusetts, to make the buy.

In 1991, Rosen offered 1 of the Mantle playing cards for $50,000 to an nameless customer, for each ESPN. That buyer, who is now acknowledged to be Anthony Giordano, turned down many provides to market the card more than the a long time. It was not till recently that his sons persuaded him to have the card graded and auctioned.

The preceding report revenue cost for a sporting activities card was $7.25 million, set when a T206 Honus Wagner card was bought previously this month.

In the identical auction, Heritage also sold an autographed Hillerich & Bradsby bat made use of by baseball legend Babe Ruth for $1.68 million, breaking the file for the most at any time invested on a baseball bat.