1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 PSA NM+ 7.5. ...

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          1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 PSA NM+ 7.5.  It seems impossible that it has already been over twenty years since the world lost Mickey Mantle, who succumbed to terminal liver disease at Baylor University Medical Center in 1995. The passing of any immortal is always a shock, but the man had been so emblematic of his era, so firmly tethered to an America as seen through the eyes of the Baby Boomer generation, that his death seemed like the signal of an end of far more than a human life. The perpetually boyish Oklahoman who claimed DiMaggio's center field grass for his own was so relatable-so one of us.

          Mantle's #311 representation launched the "high-number series" of the 1952 Topps issue, a portion of the set that fell victim to deadlines and slow sales. Only small quantities made it to counter displays, the balance ultimately towed several miles off the New Jersey shore and dumped to clear space on the warehouse floor. The distance between supply and demand is nearly as vast as the Atlantic Ocean that serves as the final resting place for most of the original population of this iconic trading card.

          The consignor of the offered card, and several other high-grade examples that appear both in this auction and our approaching Platinum Night, grew up in Connecticut as a Yankees fan surrounded by Red Sox supporters. While his affection for the Bronx Bombers ran deep, his greater love was the bubble gum (yes, the gum) each wax pack contained, and he rarely handled the cards themselves. For decades, he simply forgot about that childhood collection, leaving it untouched until now.

          Graded PSA NM+ 7.5, this former resident of that box is one of just five at this lofty rating, bested by forty-seven from more than 1,550 examples that make up the full population. Deeply saturated colors make this a real looker, and a virtual absence of wear might leave some to wonder if an upgrade might be in order. It's one of the most exciting "finds" of the past several years, and one of the hobby's most iconic and investment-worthy entries.