1954 Topps Hank Aaron vs 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle

[brian1961]

The 3:1 supply ratio is a moot point, this time. Mr. Aaron is a fine gentleman, a quiet man that quietly (without pyrotechnic gyrations of his voice and arms) passed the mighty Babe for lifetime home runs. His home fields were Milwaukee and Atlanta, great baseball towns both, yet even combined do not come close to generating what New York does, and what New York seems to have always done in the minds and hearts of baseball fandom.

There have been many good explanations why Hank's baseball cards do not reach the stratosphere as Mickey Mantle's do. In a nutshell, it comes down to DEMAND, not the supply factor. The demand for Mick overwhelms that for Henry, period.

I won't say much, save that when I collected as a youngster, and I would open my Topps wax and cello packs, I'm sure I smiled when I got Henry Aaron. On the other hand, when I got Mickey Mantle, I inhaled audibly, my eyes got huge, and a great, big smile grew on my face. I usually REMEMBERED the occasion when I got Mickey each year, but I don't recall any given time I got Hank Aaron. Guess it comes down to this----I like and respect Hank Aaron, but I love Mickey Mantle.

---Brian Powell

[Stonepony]

Again, well said Brian!

[ALR-bishop]

The number of people who collect the 52 set itself seems like a factor to me a s well. If you collect the set you need the card even if you are not a Mantle guy. (And in my case I needed both variations :-{ )

Which may be why his 61 Dice and 67 Stand Ups, although extremely scarce do not command even more money than they do when they come up

[KCRfan1]

Originally Posted by brian1961

The 3:1 supply ratio is a moot point, this time. Mr. Aaron is a fine gentleman, a quiet man that quietly (without pyrotechnic gyrations of his voice and arms) passed the mighty Babe for lifetime home runs. His home fields were Milwaukee and Atlanta, great baseball towns both, yet even combined do not come close to generating what New York does, and what New York seems to have always done in the minds and hearts of baseball fandom.

There have been many good explanations why Hank's baseball cards do not reach the stratosphere as Mickey Mantle's do. In a nutshell, it comes down to DEMAND, not the supply factor. The demand for Mick overwhelms that for Henry, period.

I won't say much, save that when I collected as a youngster, and I would open my Topps wax and cello packs, I'm sure I smiled when I got Henry Aaron. On the other hand, when I got Mickey Mantle, I inhaled audibly, my eyes got huge, and a great, big smile grew on my face. I usually REMEMBERED the occasion when I got Mickey each year, but I don't recall any given time I got Hank Aaron. Guess it comes down to this----I like and respect Hank Aaron, but I love Mickey Mantle.

---Brian Powell

Brian,

Do you believe the demand could shift to Aaron as a newer , collecting generation takes over?

I think it can happen, but not with my generation.

Aaron represents excellent value imo.

[rats60]

Originally Posted by KCRfan1

Brian,

Do you believe the demand could shift to Aaron as a newer , collecting generation takes over?

I think it can happen, but not with my generation.

Aaron represents excellent value imo.

No, people have been saying that about Willie Mays for ~30 years. In the early 80s, Mantle and Mays were priced about the same. Then Mantle got hot and his cards jumped in value. Instead of Mays closing the gap, it has just become greater as time has gone by.

I think values and popularity are now set for post war players. If Ted Williams and Willie Mays can't close the gap on Mantle, then Aaron won't either. Williams and Mays were the players we actually chased in the 60s. Aaron was a tier below them. I see no reason for that to ever change.

[KCRfan1]

rats60 I appreciate your insight!

[brian1961]

Originally Posted by KCRfan1

rats60 I appreciate your insight!

As do I.

You know, Lou, there are so many things to consider for the future, and likely more than a few surprises. The future generation is not that "in" to collecting baseball cards. PSA has kept its business strong with the robust business they're doing grading Pokemon cards. I have a nephew by marriage that makes his living buying and selling old video games from the late 20th century. He is a walking price guide of what these things are going for, so he can spot a "good buy" as soon as he sees one in the used game shops, which seem to be as prolific as the card shops of a quarter-century ago. Back then, dads got their kicks buying old baseball, football, and hockey cards they once had, or never got and wanted. They lived it up, while the far, far, far majority of their sons played video games, that did not need to be enjoyed with a dad present. Now those late 20th century boys are men earning good livings in their 30s, and WHAT DO THEY WANT?

Old video games, as you already guessed by this response. These collectors are dead serious, too. They want those old games they used to have, those that their parents could not afford to buy at the time, and those they never heard about that piques their fancy.

They've split apart into nuances exactly what an old game must have to be COMPLETE, to "one up" a fellow gaming collector----the condition of the game cartridge, if it has the original box it came in, if it has the game instruction manual, if it has the original flyer cards that came inside THAT GAME, and a real kicker---if it has the original game poster that came as a freebee with the game (referring to the few games that offered a free poster), that a kid could display in his room!!! They are happy as a clam, talking as they do about various rare games, and all the accoutrements that may be had. Their discussions mirror what we used to do, and we still do today.

As far as Mickey Mantle versus Hank Aaron?

"Who's that?"

Just sayin'.

So, enjoy collecting while you can. There will still be ferocious collectors of Hank and Mick down the road. However, from what I am seeing, there's not gonna be too many of them.

By the by, a generation ago, serious coin and stamp collectors were angry about all these young guys who were going stark raving mad about collecting baseball cards! Baseball cards? They should be collecting coins, or even stamps like us! How are we supposed to keep our beloved hobby going? Who's going to be around to pay world record prices for my great collection I painstakingly built and spent my adult life building? AH!!!!!!!!!!!!

The passing parade. ----Brian Powell

[KCRfan1]

Thanks Brian.

I'll have nightmares all night long now.....

[glynparson]

My daughter is 12 a lot of the boys in her class collect cards or collected cards when younger. Are they as passionate as we were some I would say yes absolutely. If you combine gaming cards I’d say more or as many buy trading cards as when I was a kid. I think video games is a growing future market as is action figures but that doesn’t mean cards have no future far from it.