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

Lot Number: 81178

Shortcut to Lot: HA.com/50081*81178

Period-Signed 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 PSA Fair 1.5 Auto 8 - From The Golden Age Collection The 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 stands as one of the most important cards ever produced, commonly regarded as the centerpiece of post-war baseball card collecting. It occupies the lead-off spot in the high-number series of the '52 Topps set-a run that was released late in the season and saw limited distribution, with the bulk of the series ultimately destroyed when they couldn't make it to market on time. This scarcity, combined with Mantle's rapid ascent in the Yankees lineup and the importance of the 1952 Topps issue, has elevated the #311 to iconic status among collectors.

Although not Mantle's true rookie card, it is widely considered his most desirable, due to its placement in Topps' first full set and its role in launching what would become a cornerstone brand in the hobby. Examples routinely command strong prices--the Heritage sale at $12.6 million of an ultra-high-grade example in August 2022 stood as the world record for all trading cards until a few months ago--and specimens across the condition spectrum are fiercely pursued, reflecting the enduring demand for this legendary card.

Adding an autograph to this card naturally amplifies its appeal exponentially, but when that signature can be traced back to the origin - Mantle's second year in the majors and the production year of the card - it crosses the threshold into grail territory. Mantle's autograph in 1952 had not yet taken on the flowing, polished look that collectors recognize from the 1960s through the 1990s. Early in his career, his signature was more compact, with distinct letter formations that changed significantly shortly afterwards--you'll see a considerable difference on 1954 Yankees team balls, for instance, as the first sign of the famous "fins" at the front leg of each letter "M" emerged.

Autographs from this brief rookie-era window are extremely difficult to source, and we are aware of no other such examples applied to the #311 card. This early-career signature ties the artifact even more closely to the moment in baseball history it represents, creating a rare convergence of card and autograph provenance. For advanced collectors, that combination makes this an exceptional crossover collectible-one that captures Mantle not only at the outset of his Hall of Fame career, but also at a moment before his signature, like his legend, had fully evolved. Graded PSA Fair 1.5 Auto 8.

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