Auction Name: 2025 December 19 - 21 Winter Sports Catalog Auction

Lot Number: 80554

Shortcut to Lot: HA.com/50081*80554

1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle Rookie #253 PSA VG-EX 4. Mickey Mantle was the longtime starting center fielder for the New York Yankees during the team's glory years from the 1950s to '60s. In his 18 years of service to the ballclub, Mantle led the Bronx Bombers to 12 American League pennants and seven World Series championships. And it all started in 1951, his rookie season, when he played side-by-side with the "Yankee Clipper" himself, Joe DiMaggio. The soon-to-be-retiring Joe DiMaggio was the veteran center fielder with Mantle learning the ropes by playing in right. In their only season together, Joe D. and The Mick helped the Yankees win yet another Fall Classic.

Over his first three seasons in the Major Leagues, Mantle helped the Yankees capture three consecutive World Series titles. The individual accomplishments he recorded throughout his MLB career were no less impressive: 536 home runs, 153 steals, 72 triples and 1,509 runs batted in. Securing three AL MVP awards (1956, '57 and '62) along with the prestigious Triple Crown in '56 were cherries on top, with Mickey's well-deserved induction into Cooperstown taking place in 1974.

Presented is a middle-grade example of "The Mick's" always sought-after 1951 Bowman rookie card. Although it doesn't seem to ring up the same kind of headlines that his 1952 Topps #311 generates, the '51 Bowman issue is in fact his true, official rookie card. The horizontally designed card front utilizes a majestic image of the power-hitting Mantle striking his best batter's pose during Spring Training activities. The offered example of card #253 from the historic '51 Bowman set is found in Very Good-Excellent condition with light and bright colors, good registration, clean white borders, decent centering and a pristine reverse. Graded PSA VG-EX 4.

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