Mickey Mantle pin: Is it vintage or is it a reproduction?
 

Now that I'm collecting pins, I'm trying to avoid the many reproductions and fantasy pins that can be found all over eBay. I feel good about most of my pins, but this one I just picked up has me skeptical. With all my other PM10s, the backs are rusted, but not on this one. Can somebody here tell me if this is vintage, a fantasy piece or a reproduction? It's listed in the Muchinsky book as a vintage pin. Thanks, Chris

I'd lean towards reproduction of a vintage pin.

Hi Chris,
Its a real one. Not all pins have the union logo stamped on the back. It takes years to figure out what is good and what is repro. There was a good find of that pin a few years back so there are many out there now. Yours is a nice clean version of it. NOW if you can find the yellow version of it thats a very rare item! Doesnt come up very often! Here are my Mantles.. Good luck in your hunt!

I’ll defer to Al. It wasn’t the lack of the union bug, but rather the shiny back, that threw me.

Understandable Rob!:)

Thanks so much Al! Your response made my day. I thought for sure I'd fallen for a fake ...

No problem Chris yes you do have to be careful now with (Pinzplus) wrecking the pin collecting world! In my opinion.... Here is one to be careful with the Mickey Mantle Theresa Brewer pin. I have never seen a real one without the union logo on it. It has been reproed some repros are good some are poor. There are ones with red letters instead of black and if you look close as I said the real ones have the union logo but also on the rim a real one will have the bat wrap around to the back... That tiny little piece! Enjoy collecting but when you have a question feel free to ask there are some very good people here to ask!