Graded NM-MT 8 by PSA. Hall of Famer. This is Mickey Mantle's most esteemed Rookie Card, and a scarcer "High Number" in its release. Among more than 1,750 examples holdered by PSA, fewer than three dozen copies of this universally coveted card have achieved that grading service's unqualified NM-MT 8 assessment, and just fourteen of its counterparts have been awarded a higher, unqualified tier.

This is Topps' first depiction of Mickey Mantle. Although the Yankee legend had been immortalized the year before by the Brooklyn gum company's rival, Bowman, the "Giant Size" 1952 Topps commemorative carried an undeniable, special mystique. The flagship subject in '52 Topps' much-awaited final series (which was in fact chock-full of popular Yankees, Dodgers and Giants players), the Mantle card has endured to enjoy reverence among multiple, succeeding generations of collectors.

The piece's aesthetic attributes help to explain its decades-long "hold" on enthusiasts' emotions. The slugger's confident smile, those distinctive pinstripes, a bright, azure-blue background complemented by yellow in the bat and logo surround ... these comprise an irresistible combination of exhilarating elements. And they're a fitting visual tribute to a beloved sports figure.

All of these features combine most effectively in a truly high-grade example, as seen here. Only in the finest specimens of this card do the item's physical details coalesce with the early Mantle's remarkable evocative pull to yield a truly irresistible, magnetic collectible. The offered piece is clearly one of the collecting industry's finest, and it thus inspires only the most positive feelings within any hobbyist who views it.

Thoroughly befitting this '52 Mantle's exceedingly favorable grade assignment, its focus, color, centering, and border whiteness reflect the highest-imaginable quality. Also present is a sparkling luster that – in comparison to this piece – would likely be conspicuously diminished on similarly graded but visually lesser examples. The card's reverse-side printing is clear and crisp.

Over the past few years, the news media have been diligent in reporting the steady and consistent, but nonetheless dramatic trend toward rising prices for this treasured collectible in the highest grades. Four years ago – a lengthy interval in the progress of an important piece that's the subject of such active, persistent interest – this exact card fetched nearly $700,000 at auction. Just a year later, a PSA MINT 9 copy brought $2.88 million dollars, and that same example sold in mid-January, 2021 for $5.2 million. That buyer has received and turned down offers of almost double that since then. In June, 2021 a PSA 8 Mantle set an auction record at $2.12 Million.

Very seldom does this trophy gum card appear with all virtues in manufactured excellence, degree of preservation and harmonious eye-appeal so beautifully fulfilled. Here is a simply magnificent collectible, in resplendent Near Mint to Mint condition.