This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/26/2009
Graded SGC 96 MINT 9. Not that questionable authenticity is a desirable trait among extremely high-end baseball cards, but the offered 1960 Topps example of Mickey Mantle is so incredibly clean and vibrant that it almost looks like a remastered reprint. 1 of just 4 examples in its prominent tier at SGC with none higher from well over 400 submissions, the offered specimen also displays a thoroughly MINT to MINT+ if not GEM MINT perimeter. The centering marginally favors the bottom border, but the primary catalyst for the opinion of MINT instead of GEM MINT appears to be some extremely minor traces of print to the left and right of Mickey's head. Countable on a single hand and probably not even perceptible in our high-res scan, I'd call these pixel-sized microdots "snow" if they were more pronounced, but as they are some other cliché would be more appropriate, something like "snow vapor" or "mist particles" or, to be completely accurate, "snow dust." Despite these nominal imperfections, what's most impressive about this high-end specimen is the absence of any other print. As most Mantle collectors know, the iconic 1960 Topps #350 is unusually prone to roller marks as well as to immoderate print in the susceptible red backdrop of the player cut-out. Importantly, this specimen shows no traces whatsoever of either imperfection. Instead, the overwhelming and unusually bold print impression is the first thing the admiring enthusiast encounters, and then he notices how perfectly sharp and near GEM MINT the perimeter appears, and then, if he's got very good eyes, he'll notice the aforementioned print. A borderline perfect example of one of The Mick's most popular Topps issues.