Description

1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle Rookie #253 PSA VG-EX 4. While it's unlikely that this older sibling will ever supplant the 1952 Topps #311 as the hobby's most coveted Mantle cardboard, we've always had a soft spot in our heart for this second-place finisher, both for its production during the Mick's actual rookie season and the bold style of the 1951 Bowman issue itself. Look closely and you'll see that a number "6" on the back of Mantle's road grey gamer, not the Lucky Seven that he'd wear all the way to Monument Park. General handling and storage wear is the story here, the corners slightly rounded and slight surface wear to the bold and perfectly registered obverse image. The reverse appears clean, without a wax or gum stains. A rock-solid mid-grade representation of one of the most important baseball cards of the post-war era.