Mickey Mantle’s ‘most iconic post-war card in the world’ sells for record $12.6MILLION – making it the most expensive sports item of ALL-TIME!

• Yankees legend Mickey Mantle’s 1952 Topps card sold for $12.6m on Saturday
• It obliterated the record of $7.25m set by a Honus Wagner card earlier this month
• The 9.5-grade card had already reached bids above $7m two weeks ago 
• Mantle played 18 seasons with NY and is considered one the greatest of all-time

 There is a new clubhouse leader in the sports memorabilia world.

A card of New York Yankees legend Mickey Mantle has sold for an astonishing $12.6million, making it the most expensive sports item ever at auction.

It destroyed the previously held record by over $5m, set earlier this month for a T206 Honus Wagner graded SGC 2. 

The 1952 Mickey Mantle card has broken the record for most expensive sports item ever

Before Heritage Auctions kicked off the bidding on July 25, it was speculated the Mantle relic could fetch upwards of $10m. 

Just two weeks ago the 9.5-grade 1952 Topps card had already hit $6.35m – $7.62m with Buyer’s Premium.

‘This card is arguably the finest-condition example of the most iconic post-war card in the world,’ Chris Ivy, Heritage’s director of sports auctions, said via a statement. 

‘That grade, plus the fact it has documented provenance from the most storied find in hobby history, puts this card in a category of its own.’ 

Mantle was a legend of baseball and played all 18 seasons of his career with the Yankees

The 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle No. 311 is one of the most legendary baseball cards of all time and is often referred to as the slugger’s rookie card, although it is, in fact, not, as it was released the year after he made his debut for the New York Yankees. 

This specific example has been dubbed ‘The Rosen Find’ as it was found among 5,500 cards that included 75 1952 Mantles purchased by collector Alan Rosen during the 1980s. 

It is the ‘finest’ of the pack according to Rosen, who was arguably the leading expert in old sports cards during his lifetime, and was officially graded this summer with a pristine 9.5 via SGC.

Collector Alan Rosen, who found the card in the 1980s, dubbed it the ‘finest example’

In 1991, he sold the card to Anthony Giordano for $50,000, briefly making it the world’s most expensive. 

Now it has reclaimed the title in style as bidding closed Saturday. Until now, Giordano had spent decades rejecting multi-million dollar offers for the sporting artefact.  

Mantle was a legend of the game and played all 18 seasons of his career with the Yankees.

Rosen sold the 1952 Topps card to Anthony Giordano in 1991 for a then-record of $50,000U

The switch-hitting center fielder is viewed as one of the greatest offensive weapons from the position. 

He won seven World Series titles, was a three-time AL MVP and was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 1974, the first year he was eligible. 

During the 1956 and 1957 seasons, Mantle won back-to-back MVP awards, smashing 52 and 34 home runs, and hitting .353 and .365 respectively. 

‘The Commerce Comet’ finished his career with 2,415 hits, 536 home runs and a .298 batting average.

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