This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/17/2020
Unlike selecting the single-most important Mantle card, this section requires a lot more thought and it is sure to generate much more debate. There are countless Mantle cards that one could argue are ones to watch in the future. Do you prefer condition rarities like any of the Stahl-Meyer Mantles from the mid-1950s or the sheer scarcity of a nearly impossible card like the 1961 Topps Dice Game test issue? Well, I have narrowed it down to one card that neatly sums up Mantle’s career, while sprinkling in a rarity twist. All of Mantle’s career stats can be seen on his 1969 Topps #500 finale, but there is a variation to his already-popular last card. The 1969 Topps White Letter Mantle was produced in limited quantities, along with several other players in the set. Instead of printing the player’s last name in yellow, it was done with white lettering. Was this a simple error at the factory or was it the product of something more sinister, perhaps a ploy to sell more packs? A seemingly “random” error that just happened to impact Mantle on his final Topps card? We’ll never know for sure, but the variation left us with one of the great Mantle cards to collect, one that seems appropriate for the magnitude of Mantle. It was the equivalent to a walk-off home run to end a hobby career. Comes with a Gotta Have Rock & Roll™ Certificate of Authenticity.