Tracking 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle Sales: A Late-2025 Snapshot Collectors Can Use
The 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle (#311) sits at the center of the vintage card market for one reason: it is the card that most collectors, even outside baseball, instantly recognize. Mantle had other playing-era cards and earlier issues, but the 1952 Topps is the hobby’s best-known postwar centerpiece. It is a high-number card in a landmark set, it has the look that defined Topps for decades, and it features a player whose career and myth have only grown with time.
In late 2025, multiple public sales on eBay provided fresh data points across low to mid grades, including PSA 1 through PSA 4 and an SGC 2 example. The results underline an important theme for collectors: the 1952 Mantle is not priced only by grade. Eye appeal, holder era, centering, and buyer confidence in the listing can move a sale dramatically, even when two cards share the same numeric grade.
Why the 1952 Topps Mantle matters
The 1952 Topps set is widely considered the first modern, flagship-style Topps baseball release. Its large format, painted-style portraits, bright color, and statistical backs became the template. Mantle’s card is #311, part of the high-number series that is notoriously tougher than the early run because of how the product was distributed and handled. That scarcity factor helps explain why even heavily worn examples remain expensive and highly chased.
Mantle is also the right kind of player for an iconic card. He was a switch-hitting superstar with immense power, the face of Yankee baseball in the 1950s and early 1960s, and a player whose peak seasons and postseason resume remain elite. He won three MVP awards, was a 20-time All-Star, and helped the Yankees to seven World Series titles. Even collectors who focus on prewar, football, or basketball tend to know the 1952 Topps Mantle because it functions as a cross-collectible symbol of the entire hobby.
Recent eBay sales: what moved and when
Below is a recap of reported eBay sold listings from the draft notes provided. These are not adjusted for any behind-the-scenes price changes beyond what was stated in the listing, such as “best offer accepted.” They do, however, show a useful range of realized prices and the market’s sensitivity to listing quality and eye appeal.
- Dec 31, 2025 - 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 PSA 4 VG-EX - $21,855 (auction, 100 bids), located in Hong Kong.
- Dec 25, 2025 - 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 PSA 1 - “Undergraded?” note in title - $59,999.95 (best offer accepted), located in the United States.
- Dec 21, 2025 - 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 PSA 3 - $71,100 (auction, 83 bids), located in the United States.
- Dec 18, 2025 - 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 PSA 1 (PSA Vault listing) - $27,721 (auction, 44 bids), located in the United States.
- Dec 1, 2025 - 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 PSA 1 PR “High Number” - $34,658 (auction, 60 bids), located in the United States.
- Nov 30, 2025 - 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 SGC 2 - $45,055 (auction, 71 bids), located in the United States.
- Nov 27, 2025 - 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 PSA 3 - $79,500 (best offer accepted), located in the United States.
- Nov 3, 2025 - 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 PSA 4 VG-EX (PSA Vault listing) - $40,200 (auction, 56 bids), located in China.
- Oct 31, 2025 - 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 PSA 2.5 - $64,999.99 (best offer accepted), located in the United States.
- Oct 17, 2025 - 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 PSA 3 - $76,500 (best offer accepted), located in the United States.
For context from the same time window, a separate 1952 Topps high-number rookie also drew attention: a 1952 Topps #407 Ed Mathews PSA 8 sold on Jan 2, 2026 for $25,000 (best offer accepted). That sale is not a Mantle comp, but it is a reminder that the 1952 high-number run is a deep pool of demand, with condition rarity driving significant premiums.
PSA 1: big spread, same number on the label
Three PSA 1 sales in the notes show how wide the range can be for the lowest numeric grade. One PSA 1 sold at $27,721 (Dec 18, 2025), another at $34,658 (Dec 1, 2025), and a third PSA 1 reportedly closed at $59,999.95 on a best offer accepted basis (Dec 25, 2025). That is a massive range for a single grade tier.
Collectors should read that spread as a market signal, not as noise. The 1952 Mantle is notorious for “good-looking low grades.” A PSA 1 can be a card with significant paper loss, a major crease, trimming concerns that did not result in an “Authentic” label, or severe back damage. It can also be a card that presents clean from the front but has a major back issue, writing, or a flaw that drags the grade down. That is why listing photos, description clarity, and seller trust matter so much.
Also worth noting: two of the PSA 1 sales were auctions with heavy bidding, while the highest reported PSA 1 number came via best offer accepted. Best offer results can reflect a negotiated price that may be higher or lower than what would have happened in a pure auction. It also may reflect a buyer placing a premium on eye appeal, or on the belief that the card could cross to a higher grade. “Undergraded” language is common in these listings, and collectors should treat it cautiously. The best approach is to evaluate the card as-is and decide what you would pay if the grade never changes.
PSA 3: strong prices and consistent demand
PSA 3 is a popular sweet spot for the 1952 Mantle because it can still present well while staying below the cost of higher mid-grades. In this batch, PSA 3 examples reportedly sold at $76,500 (Oct 17, 2025, best offer accepted), $79,500 (Nov 27, 2025, best offer accepted), and $71,100 (Dec 21, 2025, auction).
The auction result at $71,100 is a useful anchor because it reflects open bidding and a clear final price. The higher two numbers were best offer accepted, which can sometimes skew above a typical auction close if two motivated buyers are focused on a specific copy. Within PSA 3, centering and surface quality are often decisive. A centered card with strong color and a clean portrait can look better than the grade suggests, while a card with heavy creasing across Mantle’s face or a badly faded print can feel like a bargain only until it arrives.
PSA 4: two very different outcomes
The PSA 4 results in the notes show an even more dramatic split: $40,200 (Nov 3, 2025, auction) versus $21,855 (Dec 31, 2025, auction). Both are labeled PSA VG-EX 4, yet the realized prices are not close.
There are several plausible, collector-relevant reasons this can happen without assuming anything unusual. First is eye appeal. Centering is a constant issue for the 1952 Mantle, and a well-centered PSA 4 can compete visually with higher grades. Second is market visibility. A listing from a major platform presence, including a vault-style offering, can increase bidder confidence and participation. Third is timing and audience. Late-December listings can draw international buyers and year-end discretionary money, but they can also run into holiday distractions and fewer bidders online at the right moment. Finally, shipping location and perceived transaction friction can matter at this price level, even when buyers are willing to pay for the right copy.
For collectors, the takeaway is simple: do not price the 1952 Mantle strictly by grade. Price it by grade plus eye appeal and buyer confidence factors.
SGC 2: a notable mid-low grade benchmark
An SGC 2 example reportedly sold for $45,055 on Nov 30, 2025 (auction, 71 bids). SGC has become a major player in vintage grading, and for some collectors the SGC holder is a feature, not a compromise. The SGC 2 sale also provides a useful reference point when comparing PSA 1 and PSA 3 pricing, though cross-company comparisons should always be made with the specific card’s look in mind.
What collectors should watch when tracking sales
- Eye appeal within the grade - Centering, color, and the presence of major creases often matter more than a one-grade difference.
- Auction versus best offer - Auctions show open-market clearing prices. Best offer accepted numbers can represent private negotiation dynamics.
- Holder notes and credibility signals - Vault listings, authentication language, and strong seller histories can change bidder participation.
- International location and shipping - At five-figure levels, buyers may adjust bids for shipping complexity, duties, and return logistics.
- Population and liquidity by grade - The 1952 Mantle trades frequently relative to other vintage keys, but the best-looking examples can still command significant premiums.
Mantle’s legacy and why demand stays global
Mickey Mantle remains a foundational name for collectors because his story fits the larger story of baseball’s golden age. He combined rare tools with a spotlight that few athletes could handle. He played in New York, played for winners, and produced in October. His 1950s and early 1960s cards, especially Topps issues, are collected on multiple levels: as high-end investments, as set registry targets, and as cultural artifacts tied to a specific era of American sports.
The 1952 Topps #311 is the flagship of that demand. For collectors tracking the market, late-2025 sales show that the card continues to draw deep bidding and big negotiated numbers across low to mid grades. The most useful lesson from this snapshot is that the label is only the starting point. The card itself, how it looks, and how confidently it can be bought and sold are what ultimately set the price.
