I was born in the late 70’s, from Boston, loving the Red Sox and hating the Yankees. Yet when I got back into the hobby a couple years ago the first cards I chased where Mantle cards. Starting acquiring them before Ted Williams cards. At this point I have all the Mantle base Topps cards from 56-69 and Ted 54-58 and I’d still go after a 53 Topps Mantle before a similarly priced Ted Williams 54 Bowman or Play Ball card (minus the rookie card).

I don’t seem to have a bias against teams I root against when collecting. I’m primarily a hof collector and hof trumps team affiliation. For whatever reason Mantle is the iconic player to collect and I wanted in.

My first two years of playing/learning about baseball was Mantle's last two years playing. Even in his twilight, only a shadow of his glory years, even a young kid could see that he was something special, and that every time he came up to bat, anything could happen. Later, with the internet and the ability to see and purchase old film of games, my understanding and appreciation of his abilities grew. I believe, several years from now, somebody on this board will be looking back at when they were a young kid and saying the same thing about Mike Trout.

I collect Mantle only insofar as I collect sets in which he appears. Grew up a Cardinals fan. Was fortunate to attend the 64 World Series and so did see him play in person. It was memorable for me because the Cards won, and sad because Musial had retired after the 1963 season.

One of my favorite Topps cards is the 1965 card (134 I think) purporting to show Mantle hitting a "clutch" home run but " in reality" shows him missing on a Gibson fast ball.

I never seen him play because I was born the year after he stopped playing. I have never collected him because he is by far the most over rated player in the history of sports. His cards/memorabilia are also the most overpriced stuff in the hobby.

I equate Mantle to PSA, far from the best but for some insane reason people pay the most for them. Marketing is some amazing stuff. :eek::D

When you consider all the walks, his numbers are pretty damn good. Bill James ranked him 6th all time. Plus he was the perfect storm: 50s in New York, Yankees, white, switch-hitter, the power/speed thing, the overcoming injuries thing, and all that duende.

Are you in New York? It definitely wasn't like that in the Midwest. I vividly remember going to a show and suddenly everyone was wanting Mantle cards and before that there was very little difference.

Los Angeles back then. Definitely a big premium on Mantle cards. And someone here must have that first Beckett/Eckes price guide. I think I got it for my birthday when I was 10 around 1980. It would be a good way to test our memories.

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Never saw him play. Neither did my brother or cousins.

We all collect him with great passion.

And much like Bryce Harper's dad, I have already passed along the legend of Mantle to my son. In fact he is presently urging me to sell my CJ Shoeless and Cobb to make another bid on a key Mantle piece. Problem is that still won't help, LOL!

With Mantle, it is about way more than stats. The sum is greater than the parts.

I have it

1956 Mantle 11 Mays 10
1957 Mantle 12 Mays 11
1958 Mantle 9.5 Mays 9
1959 Mantle 7 Mays 7
1960 Mantle 6 Mays 6
1961 Mantle 6 Mays 6
1962 Mantle 6 Mays 6
1963 Mantle 6 Mays 6

There also could be a regional bias. I am in more of National League area, so Mays was held high regard. I remember people questioning why Mays cards weren't worth more, you still hear that today. As time went by a small gap developed between the two, but it was definitely an overnight explosion in Mantle that created a larger difference that seems to grow larger every year.

WAR by year
Year. Mays Mantle
1954 10.6. 6.9
1955. 9.1. 9.6
1956. 7.6. 11.3
1957. 8.3. 11.3
1958. 10.3. 8.7
1959. 7.8. 6.6
1960. 9.5. 6.3
1961. 8.7. 10.5
1962. 10.5. 5.9
1963. 10.6. 2.9
1964. 11.0. 4.8
1965. 11.2. 1.8
1966. 9.0. 3.6

I think this really explains a lot. If you were following baseball in 1955-58, you would probably feel Mantle was slightly better than Mays. If you were following baseball in 1959 and after, you would think Mays was a lot better Mantle. In our neighborhood there were enough 1959 Topps cards available that both my brother and I were able to put together complete sets, but a lot less 1958s and very few 1957s or earlier. I just grew up in an era when Mantle was after his peak and even the oldest kids in our area never saw Mantle in his prime. There definitely seems to be a mystique associated with him playing for the Yankees. It certainly isn't in his numbers.

My Great Uncle Sam was an avid Yankee and Mantle fan while I was growing up but I really never knew that until it was too late.
My Father, who also has limited stories/knowledge due to the distance between them (Pontiac Michigan and Southern Ontario) has told me some stories that my Great Aunt Eileen has shared with him about my Uncle Sam's obsession.

It's unfortunate the age gap was so huge that I never got the opportunity to talk about Mickey Mantle, the Yankees, or baseball in general with him. What I'd give for that opportunity today! :)