I am biting my lip extra hard not to be sarcastic. So you're generous enough you'd force yourself to pay the "book price" for a nice 1963 JELL-O Mickey Mantle? If you can only hear your voice, my friend. Really? You'd finally ante up enough and make your Washingtons blink for five minutes to pay book value for a nice '63 JELL-O? If this scenario was a line waiting to get into Yankee Stadium to see Mickey Mantle play, you'd be back in the line 5 miles away!
I admit in all humility I'm out of the buying ball game at today's prices. Nevertheless, precisely the same supply, demand, economic, mental, and emotional factors were at play 25 years ago when I was a "Mantle Maniac".
If I may be so bold to divulge a bit of my strategy; regardless of the fact eBay, and major and minor auction houses present us with virtual LIVE scans and picture images of a mega plethora of Mickey Mantle items, when it comes to the beautiful, scarce, and/or rare Mantle items---based upon surviving specimens and / or profound condition rarities, the astute Mickey Mantle connoisseur must take on the persona of the male Bengal Tiger---AND ATTACK WITH EVERYTHING THEY'VE GOT! In other words, there were phrases used with such choice, difficult Mickey Mantles.
To wit:
"THE PRICE IS OPEN TO NEGOTIATION"
"THE PRICE GUIDE GOES OUT THE WINDOW!"
"YOU CAN THROW THE PRICE GUIDE AWAY ON THIS ONE!"
"WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY LIES BEFORE YOU, DON'T YOU DARE TRY TO PLAY THE SMART ASS POKER PLAYER! The owner's liable to get ticked off and not sell that rare Mantle for you for ANY price."
You act like a gracious gentleman, mind your manners (hopefully you have some---hopefully!) and express humble gratitude to the owner for his deeming you worthy of owning such a rare Mantle, and then, "How would you like your money---cash, bank draft, or a stack of US Postal Money Orders?"
For example, when I purchased my long-wanted 1954 Stahl-Meyer Franks Mickey Mantle from Bill Mastro, he would not come down on his price, which was 4X book. Did I wait for him to come down?
And lose it to one of the many other Mantle collectors who would've licked their chops to get their hands on that monster of a Mantle?
NO WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!
He gave me two months to come up with the dough. I turned many cards in my collection into just the one dream card. He kept his word. I kept mine.
Was it worth it when I unwrapped his package?
You better believe it, and I still have this Mickey----26 years later. One of the most breathtaking Mickey Mantles on the face of Planet Earth.
Well, bro, in the end, the opportunity to get certain Mickey Mantles falls into the categories:
RARE, SELDOM OPPORTUNITY
CHANCE OF A LIFETIME
My Stahl-Meyer Franks was a chance of a lifetime.
So, when you find a Mantle you like, don't you dare Scotch the rare opportunity just because you're such a cheapskate! As a hungry Bengal Tiger on the prowl, you better pounce when you can.
Think about it. Think real hard and ponder this matter. For so many of us Mantle connoisseurs, our most cherished pieces are the non-mainstream. The good 'ol vanilla and chocolate Topps and Bowmans are terrific in every sense. But my favorites at Baskin-Robbins 31 Flavors were Black Raspberry and Jamocha Almond Fudge.
I sincerely hope your hunt proves successful for a 1963 JELL-O Mickey, but you better re-think your MODUS OPERANDI, bub. For what it's worth, you should also hunt down fantasy card maker Bob Lemke. Earlier this year, he created a fantasy 1963 JELL-O Black Raspberry box with a gorgeous variant photo of Mickey Mantle. He used the dazzling shot taken of No. 7 for JELL-O's large in-store advertising placard. Worth every Washington I spent on that exquisite piece, and it didn't cost many bucks, either.
Take care.
----Brian Powell