1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311

Great early signature on an iconic card that rarely comes up for sale signed. But the surface issues and centering have to factor in if evaluating eye appeal.

I think the auto - clean, legible, and in pen - offsets any other condition issues. Good image, presents higher than a 1.5. Yes, there are some surface issues and the centering isn't perfect, but when you first look at the card, all eyes are on the signature. It is a beauty.

Love the old auto but the surface and off centering brings down the appeal

nice auto and decent but not perfect location. Image and colors are strong but the paper loss is noticeable as you look close to it. Off centered and color discoloration on borders and edges

This card, like any signed 52T Mantle, presents a unique case--in that the significance of the piece really does trump all other concerns, unless the eye appeal was deeply problematic. It's like a Wagner or Ruth Rookie in that regard— in fact, a signed 52T Mantle is rarer than either of those icons by a significant degree. Only 21 exist, compared to over 40 Wagners and well over 100 Ruth RCs. Here, we are looking at one of only two "playing days" signed 52T Micks, out of a mere 21 signed examples total. This specimen is the earliest signed, with a late 1952 or 1953 signature. By October 1953 he had already abandoned the 'M's used on this autograph. The scuffing and centering are obvious eye appeal issues, and I'd prefer the auto off his body, in the blue to the right-- but these concerns are trivial on this monumental piece. Some cards, eye appeal has to take a back seat to sheer historical significance, and this is one such instance--though, again, the eye appeal is certainly solid for a signed 1952T Mick. A joy to behold and could stare at this card for hours. This is simply a card that transcends third party opinions, eye appeal opinions, and really is in its own unique category.