This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/11/2019
At 33 years old in 1965, Yankees fans were just starting to get the realization that "The Commerce Comet" is indeed a mere mortal with Mick's numbers dropping off to just 19 home runs and, more concerning, a lowly .255 batting average. Perhaps that's why Mantle changed up the image for his 1966 Topps card and posed in a left-handed stance this time. An important characteristic of this particular specimen is the immaculate sharpness of its background, amplifying the cavernous dark shadows of old Yankee Stadium. The top left corner, in particular, is close to GEM MINT flawlessness with the other three endpoints easily reach MINT status. The reverse is every bit as impressive as well, a gleaming white canvas with deep, clean pigments of black and salmon laid upon it, clearly and concisely laying out the iconic resume of The Mick over his then 15 years of major league service and touting his mind-boggling 18 career World Series homers in a cartoon to the right of his nameplate. Currently, only one finer example exists out of over 9,000 submissions to PSA, and the difference can only be negligible compared to the sheer awesomeness offered here.