1952 Topps Mantle; Worth It In Any Condition?

[HappyJack41]

Originally Posted by MattyC

It all depends whom you talk to. I am 38 and my collecting friends are younger-- and we are all paying top dollar for the 1952 Mantle when a real pretty one surfaces. To desire and love the card, one doesn't have to be a boomer. Kids who grew up in the 1980's see it as an iconic piece for a collection. The dream card. Whereas the Wagner is not attainable. Those kids who grew up in the 80s will be competing for the nice ones for decades to come, even as the boomers phase out. Bottom line, there is a whole generation just entering prime earning years who look up to that card as much as the boomers did. Barring vagaries of the economy, I'd bet that anyone inclined to schadenfreude regarding this card will be waiting over a quarter century.

I too am in my mid to late 30's and highly value the likes of many past greats that I obviously never saw play. I most definitely believe all Mantle cards will continue to gain small premiums, however further down the road, I truly don't believe they will sustain these stratospheric price levels for many more years to come. There is a little bit of a bubble going on right now with this card and it will eventually level out over time.

That doesn't mean that just anybody will be able to buy a nice copy, but as the TRUE driving force (baby boomer gen) behind the card's value over the past 30 years starts to age and move on, so will the overall value. There just simply isn't enough 25-40 year olds out there today right now with both the money AND the demand to keep this going another 20-30 years at these prices. Yes a small handful of serious Mantle collectors can keep prices fairly high, but I believe what we're seeing now is sort of a topping out phase before the bubble eventually (and it will) bursts over the next decade. Currently it's a seller's market and for buyer's, it's a HORRIBLE time to decide you "need" to have a 1952 Mantle lol.