Hardly an expert but here's my thoughts
1)Not really rare. It's a doubleprint after all. Although either of the two versions would be just as common as any other 52 high number.
2)I'm not sure, I'm a good deal too young. Since it was only his second year it probably wasn't a big deal when it came out.
3)I don't know about Iconic, that has developed over time. Probably it grew along with Mantles image as an iconic player.
4)It was certainly a big deal by the late 70's, and from what the guys whose shop I hung out at back then said, it had been a pretty big deal for some time, at least since the late 60's
5)It will probably settle into slow but steady growth, like the Wagner.
6)I had a number of chances to pick one up. But it was always more than I was willing to spend. Always in that odd area where I could wreck the card budget and buy a crummy one, but a really nice one was always way too much. Although the gap has gotten much bigger the last decade or so.
Steve B
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