1953 Topps #82 Mickey Mantle Signed & Centered PSA 4 Card with PSA/DNA Auto

  
Offered here is, in the words of Heritage Auctions, The Finest Signed 1953 Topps Mickey Mantle. Screen shots of the Heritage description of this card are attached in the listing photos. A 1953T Mantle with this centering alone is hard to find- adding a beautiful signature from the icon himself takes it to another level of rarity.

In fact, a signed 1953T Mantle is twice as rare as a high grade copy. There are only 49 signed 1953 Topps Mantles in the PSA Pop Report, as compared to 94 unsigned PSA 8s, 4 PSA 8.5s, 10 PSA 9s, and 2 PSA 10s. Diving deeper into the pop data, of the 49 signed copies, just 21 of those feature his auto on a numerically graded card. Now, looking into those 21 examples that are signed on a numerically graded card, only 4 have a higher card grade than this PSA 4 (one 4.5, two 5s, and one 5.5).

Yet when it comes to signed vintage cards, overall eye appeal matters most. That is determined by the interplay of all the elements- auto quality, auto placement, the card's centering, etc.

Card grade is rendered moot if the card is poorly centered or the auto faded. Sure enough, research online and on VCP confirms one of the 5s is terribly OC with a small auto, and the 5.5 has an auto so faded that it is barely visible. Then there is where this card stands among all signed early Mantle cards. Whether it be due to a heavily creased or off-centered card, or a poorly placed or faded auto, the vast majority of early signed Mantle cards fall well short of the eye appeal of this example. With trimmed and beat-up signed 52T and 51B Mantles now commanding 200k and higher, the finest signed example of his next most desirable card, a piece whose eye appeal bests that of likely all signed 51Bs and 52Ts, is surely right behind.

This card was graded before the dual-grading era, as evidenced by the old-generation flip/sticker. This item is in the category "Sports Mem, Cards & Fan Shop\Sports Trading Cards\Trading Card Singles". The seller is "mattianc" and is located in this country: US. This item can be shipped to United States.

• League: Major League (MLB)
• Autographed: Yes
• Set: 1953 Topps
• Signed By: Mickey Mantle
• Autograph Format: Hard Signed
• Certification Number: 50089629
• Player/Athlete: Mickey Mantle
• Grade: 4
• Year Manufactured: 1953
• Vintage: Yes
• Graded: Yes
• Type: Sports Trading Card
• Sport: Baseball
• Autograph Authentication Number: 50089629
• Card Name: Mickey Mantle
• Autograph Authentication: Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA)
• Manufacturer: Topps
• Professional Grader: Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA)
• Team: New York Yankees
• Season: 1953