Rookie Mantle card found in attic sold for $12.6M

[Hardline]

Heritage Auctions shocked the trading card world on July 26, when it listed a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card for sale. The card, which was given a grade of 9.5 from grader SGC and dubbed the “finest known example” of a 1952 Mantle, quickly became the thing of legend among collectors everywhere -- all of whom began to wonder how high the bidding would go for such an illustrious card.

https://www.mlb.com/news/1952-mickey-mantle-baseball-card-record-price

 

[fredp22]

Im sorry but I just dont get it. Its a picture of a sports figure on a piece of cardboard from a bubblegum company. Its yesterdays version of the NFT. I collected cards as a kid but lost interest at around age 10.
I thought this card was overpriced as a kid at around $1000, when this guy bought it at $50,000 or at today's price of 12.6 million.
I'm a little surprised because the collector card market collapsed in the 90's- why some avoided the collapse has me confused
art shows talent. this card is a poor picture. I see it the same as the beanie baby and tulip market
happy for the guy that got the money just cant understand why someone else would see this as a good investment but good luck to him
its the bigger fool theory on steroids.

 

[terra]

Im sorry but I just dont get it. Its a picture of a sports figure on a piece of cardboard from a bubblegum company. Its yesterdays version of the NFT. I collected cards as a kid but lost interest at around age 10.
I thought this card was overpriced as a kid at around $1000, when this guy bought it at $50,000 or at today's price of 12.6 million.
I'm a little surprised because the collector card market collapsed in the 90's- why some avoided the collapse has me confused
art shows talent. this card is a poor picture. I see it the same as the beanie baby and tulip market
happy for the guy that got the money just cant understand why someone else would see this as a good investment but good luck to him
its the bigger fool theory on steroids.

I agree that its just plain bizarre. But look at what rare coins fetch; stamps; etc. There are a lot of fools out there with way too much money.

 

[Robbieac]

I agree that its just plain bizarre. But look at what rare coins fetch; stamps; etc. There are a lot of fools out there with way too much money.

If the guy who bought it sells it for $20 or $30 million in a few years (highly probable)…is he still a fool?

All it is, is an investment. Probably safer than the stock market these days to be honest. It’s the same as rare coins. You’d be shocked at the quick profits I make buying and selling coins. There’s a lot of us “fools” who make a ton of money doing this sort of thing.

The rich don’t get richer. It’s the intelligent ones who get richer.

 

[kskboys]

Im sorry but I just dont get it. Its a picture of a sports figure on a piece of cardboard from a bubblegum company. Its yesterdays version of the NFT. I collected cards as a kid but lost interest at around age 10.
I thought this card was overpriced as a kid at around $1000, when this guy bought it at $50,000 or at today's price of 12.6 million.
I'm a little surprised because the collector card market collapsed in the 90's- why some avoided the collapse has me confused
art shows talent. this card is a poor picture. I see it the same as the beanie baby and tulip market
happy for the guy that got the money just cant understand why someone else would see this as a good investment but good luck to him
its the bigger fool theory on steroids.

Everyone wastes money. No exceptions. If someone has the bucks and this is what they want to spend it on, why should anyone care?

 

[DFWJC]

Everyone wastes money. No exceptions. If someone has the bucks and this is what they want to spend it on, why should anyone care?

It's not wasting money if they sell it for more than they pay for it.

 

[fredp22]

Everyone wastes money. No exceptions. If someone has the bucks and this is what they want to spend it on, why should anyone care?

dont and wish him the best but being in investments for over 40 years it just doesnt seem like a
prudent move for 12 million. if you had 12 million would you put it into a bubblegum card that cost the company .01 to make, has absolutely no other value, and was geared to kids 10 yo and under.

another thing it may be saying which is scary is this may be the real value of the US dollar

 

[kskboys]

It's not wasting money if they sell it for more than they pay for it.

Of course, but that's not my point. It's that person's business what he/she spends their money on.

 

[fredp22]

It's not wasting money if they sell it for more than they pay for it.

but your gambling on the resale market and the fact that there will be one- it has no real value. Its value is in the bigger fool theory only

 

[kskboys]

dont and wish him the best but being in investments for over 40 years just doesnt seem like a prudent move for 12 million. if you had 12 million would you put it into a bubblegum card that cost the company .01 to make, has absolutely no other value, and was geared to kids 10 yo and under.

another thing it may be saying which is scary is this may be the real value of the US dollar

Maybe he's just a huge fan w/ tons of money.

 

[DFWJC]

but your gambling on the resale market and the fact that there will be one- it has no real value. Its value is in the bigger fool theory only

Hey, I don't know about that card in particular. That's an over the top price.

But the value of in-demand cards in good shape has gone up for about 20 straight years.
The market is steady and reliable.

Now if someone pays triple the going rate, that's one thing. But if people just follow the market with no huge reach, they have had a steady, low-risk, investment for years now.
Whether we like it or not.

 

[Robbieac]

dont and wish him the best but being in investments for over 40 years it just doesnt seem like a
prudent move for 12 million. if you had 12 million would you put it into a bubblegum card that cost the company .01 to make, has absolutely no other value, and was geared to kids 10 yo and under.

another thing it may be saying which is scary is this may be the real value of the US dollar

If I were a billionaire, I wouldn’t have a problem at all making the $12 million investment. That’s practically just play money at that point.

 

[DFWJC]

Of course, but that's not my point. It's that person's business what he/she spends their money on.

True

 

[VaqueroTD]

As an investor, any of them.

But as a collector, I’d rather have the game used stuff.

Saw that Babe Ruth bat sold in the same auction for much less.

 

[Tabascocat]

There are only six of these cards in existence and will continue to gain value. I would buy it in a heartbeat!

 

[atlantacowboy]

Im sorry but I just dont get it. Its a picture of a sports figure on a piece of cardboard from a bubblegum company. Its yesterdays version of the NFT. I collected cards as a kid but lost interest at around age 10.
I thought this card was overpriced as a kid at around $1000, when this guy bought it at $50,000 or at today's price of 12.6 million.
I'm a little surprised because the collector card market collapsed in the 90's- why some avoided the collapse has me confused
art shows talent. this card is a poor picture. I see it the same as the beanie baby and tulip market
happy for the guy that got the money just cant understand why someone else would see this as a good investment but good luck to him
its the bigger fool theory on steroids.

The card market is thriving for rare cards. The 80's saw an overproduction of baseball cards as the hobby flourished. Football cards are huge now as are basketball cards b/c few collected them in the 70's and 80's.

 

[fredp22]

The card market is thriving for rare cards. The 80's saw an overproduction of baseball cards as the hobby flourished. Football cards are huge now as are basketball cards b/c few collected them in the 70's and 80's.

yeah I see the rarity part but same can be said for the extremely rare beanie babies or that 1 of a kind tulip. You have a rare picture of Mickey Mantle but like an NFT you can see/make pictures of the card on the computer. It has no other value. The stamp and coin market are also both getting soft and they work on the same premise.
one day I just see the rest of this market collapsing. Just like first time someone said "only 2 other of these beanie babies were ever made" and response was "who cares" he bigger fool market can turn on a dime.
I have nothing against this guy who made the money or guy that bought it but if you had 12 million would you spend it this way? very risky to me

 

[Robbieac]

yeah I see the rarity part but same can be said for the extremely rare beanie babies or that 1 of a kind tulip. You have a rare picture of Mickey Mantle but like an NFT you can see/make pictures of the card on the computer. It has no other value. The stamp and coin market are also both getting soft and they work on the same premise.
one day I just see the rest of this market collapsing. Just like first time someone said "only 2 other of these beanie babies were ever made" and response was "who cares" he bigger fool market can turn on a dime.
I have nothing against this guy who made the money or guy that bought it but if you had 12 million would you spend it this way? very risky to me

Where did you get the idea that the coin market is getting soft?

Coins are selling now for more than they ever have in history.

 

[fredp22]

Where did you get the idea that the coin market is getting soft?

Coins are selling now for more than they ever have in history.

I know the precious metals market is strong because premiums for silver and gold coins are comically high but is the numismatic market ( ex precious metals) strong?
I thought it was weak where the precious metal content was outweighing the rarity value. Ex- is same year CC Morgan still worth many multiples over a SF mint? For coins with no precious metal like buffalo nickle- is that strong? (asking not challenging you) ?

 

[Robbieac]

I know the precious metals market is strong because premiums for silver and gold coins are comically high but is the numismatic market ( ex precious metals) strong?
I thought it was weak where the precious metal content was outweighing the rarity value. Ex- is same year CC Morgan still worth many multiples over a SF mint? For coins with no precious metal like buffalo nickle- is that strong? (asking not challenging you) ?

I deal heavily in the world coin market, and the ancient coin market. I can tell you that those are as strong as ever. I’m not a US coin person, so I can’t speak specifically about them. But I would assume they are strong as well.

Of course, you’ve got to be wise with the coins that you buy and sell…….just like any investment. Prudence and good decisions are key.

I sell in the world/ancient coin market as a hobby (not my main job), and I am making about $2k in profit a week on average just from that arena. It’s definitely been a better investment strategy for me than the stock market.