Mickey Mantle Rookie Card Value And Rarity: Topps vs Bowman
Compare and Discuss Value (Prices), Rarity, and Historical Importance of the 1951 Bowman and 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle cards
Mickey Mantle baseball cards are some the most sought-after collectibles in the world of sports cards. As a legendary figure in baseball, Mantle's cards hold significant value and are always in high demand. Mickey's rookie card is considered the "Holy Grail" for most collectors. There is some debate about which card is actually his rookie card- 1951 Bowman or 1952 Topps. At first glance the answer seems obvious; one card is from 1951 and the other is from a year later. But there is more nuance to it than that. To get a better understanding we must take a look at the card landscape at the time these cards were released.
1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle #253
1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311
1951 Bowman Vs. 1952 Topps; which is Mickey Mantle's true rookie?
During the 1950s there were two major players in the card market: Bowman and Topps. In 1951, Bowman was the established brand. They had been printing card sets since 1948. Topps attempted a small set in 1951, but felt their product could challenge Bowman for card supremacy. In the spring of 1952, Topps released a set of 407 cards, printed on higher quality stock. The size of the card was significantly larger than Bowman's, and each card contained beautiful artwork with vibrant colors. Kids loved the innovations that Topps made, and Topps started outselling Bowman. This continued for several years, and by 1956, Bowman was out of business.
There is also another layer to the 1952 Topps set. During the 50s and 60s, Topps would release different series throughout the year. For example, in the spring of 1952, Topps released series 1, which contained the first 80 cards in the set. Subsequent series were released as the year went on. The last series in the set, series 6 (known as the "high number series"), was released in the fall. By this time of the year, football season started and kids started to lose interest in baseball cards. Series 6 did not sell well, and many cases of inventory were returned to Topps. Topps tried to sell the cases for deep discounts but by 1960 there were still some 300-500 cases of series 6 left in their warehouse. Room was needed in the warehouse so executives ordered the cases be disposed of. Cases were loaded onto a barge and dumped into the Hudson River. Included in this "high number" series 6 were many legends including first year Topps cards of Mickey Mantle, Jackie Robinson, Ed Matthews, and Roy Campanella!
You are probably wondering why all this is important. The generation which fell in love with Mickey Mantle also developed a deep love for Topps cards. As the Bowman brand faded away, kids continued to collect Topps into the 60s and beyond. This connection to Topps created "brand loyalty". The 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card has long been considered the holy grail of collecting. It features one of the games most popular players, a beautiful image with vibrant artwork, Mantle's first Topps card, and the mystique associated with 1952 Topps high numbers. While the 1951 Bowman card is his true rookie card, most collectors still prefer his Topps "rookie". Auction prices clearly reflect that preference, as 1952 Topps cards regularly sell for 3x the value of 1951 Bowman cards in the same grade (see price guide below). In fact, in 2022 a 1952 Topps Mantle graded 9.5 by SGC sold for $12.6 million dollars, making it the most expensive sports card ever sold. The Bowman rookie is still quite desirable and valuable, but 1952 Topps is the king.
1951 Bowman & 1952 Topps Price Guide and Rarity
1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311
The 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 is valuable in any grade, and prices in every grade have consistently increased over time. This card is not uncommon to find, as PSA reports over 2000 copies graded, and SGC shows almost 700, but the mystique makes it one of the most valuable cards of all time. Even extremely low grade copies sell for $25,000 or more. Mid grade copies bring over $100,000, and many with nice centering or eye appeal sell for more. As mentioned above, an SGC 9.5 sold at auction in 2022 for $12.6 million and set a record for most expensive sports card ever sold.
PSA price guide for 1952 Topps
1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle #253
The 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle #253 is also quite valuable in any grade and is always in high demand. A quick look at the population report shows that PSA has graded over 2,750 copies and SGC has slabbed over 950. There could be some cards that were crossed over between companies, but it appears that the 1952 Topps card is rarer than the 1951 Bowman card. Low grade examples sell for around $10,000, whereas mid grade examples will fetch $20,000 to $50,000. This card is definitely one of the more valuable 1950's cards and a must for any Mickey Mantle or rookie card collector. Based on prices though, the Topps #311 card is in higher demand and more valuable.
PSA price guide for 1951 Bowman
