Mickey Mantle is a regular in this space, and the discussion is often around his iconic Topps debut — the 1952 classic that’s practically synonymous with the hobby — or his 1951 Bowman, his true rookie card. But any card is a great card if it features Mantle.
Consider his 1963 Topps card.
Issued 60 years ago this spring, the card gives collectors a close-up view of The Magnificent Yankee (as Mantle was anointed by announcer Mel Allen). The pinstriped power hitter is gazing off to his right, that distinctive Yankee Stadium facade behind him. An inset photo in a circular frame gives us a view of the Bronx Bomber in a right-handed batting pose.
That spring, Mantle was suddenly 31 years old and had been playing through a variety of injuries. Yet he was still productive. The prior year, 1962, he was limited to
