A 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle Rookie Baseball Card No. 311 (PSA 1)

THE MOST IMPORTANT POST-WAR CARD IN THE HOBBY

This fresh to the hobby example of 1952 Topps No. 311 has been in the collection of the original owner since it was first pulled from a pack over seven decades ago. Graded and authenticated by PSA with a 1 designation, the card features strong centering and clean back.

With the 1952 series, Topps set the standard for what would become the modern trading card. Featuring full team logos and colorized black-and-white photography along with facsimile signatures of the players, Topps cards also featured the statistics and biographical information that would connect their target demographic, children, with their favorite players. The 1952 Topps set was produced in six series. Later series cards, which would be released as children returned to school and the baseball season came to a close, were produced in smaller quantities as a cost-saving measure; as a result, the Mickey Mantle card, #311 in the 407-card set, was produced in a smaller quantity than earlier cards in the series. According to Sy Berger, co-designer of the 1952 Topps series, the firm was unable to sell later-series cards even at a steep discount, and, needing space in their warehouse, they dumped pallets of unwanted higher-series cards in the Hudson River, leaving even fewer in existence.

In 1952, when Topps first entered the sports card market, Mickey Mantle was playing his second season in the major leagues with the New York Yankees. Following Joe DiMaggio's retirement following the 1951 season, Mickey Mantle was moved to center field, a position he would play full-time for the Yankees until 1965 when he was moved to left field. Mantle ultimately played 18 seasons in the major leagues, all for the Yankees, where he tallied three MVPs, seven World Series rings, and a Triple Crown, among other accolades. Mantle symbolized the American dream, making the improbable journey from Oklahoma's dust bowl to New York's Yankee Stadium, where he followed in the footsteps of legends Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Joe DiMaggio.

The Nelson Brothers Collection

Step into a world where cherished childhood memories and the spirit of sports come alive. Join us on a remarkable journey through baseball cards, joyfully collected by Mark and the late Washburn Nelson, during their childhood growing up in the Northern Minnesota town of International Falls. This extraordinary collection holds not only memories of their early sports heroes but also serves as a heartfelt tribute to the memory and enduring passion of Washburn, who passed away in the fall of 2021.

The Nelson Brothers Collection encapsulates the essence of sportsmanship, perseverance, and the bond of brotherhood. We express our gratitude to Mark and the Nelson family for graciously sharing this remarkable legacy with the collecting world. Their commitment to preserving the spirit of sports and honoring Washburn's memory shines through in every card, igniting a sense of warmth and nostalgia within collectors and fans alike. Together, we celebrate the enduring power of sports and the indelible mark left by the Nelson brothers.

NOTE: If a bid is placed within one minute of the closing time of a lot, five additional minutes will be added to the designated closing time for that lot. This process will repeat until no new bids are placed in the final minute of a lot. Please note that the extension of one lot’s closing time does not affect other lots’ closing times. A detailed explanation of the Timed auction format can be found here.

Property from The Nelson Brothers Collection

This lot is located in Chicago.