Though it’s been 58 years since Mickey Mantle played his final Major League Baseball game and 31 years since he passed away at age 63, sports collectibles related to his image and likeness are still generating serious money.
This time, his 1951 PSA Type I non-autographed photo sold for $3 million in a private sale brokered by Hunt Auctions. First-generation photos, known as PSA Type I images, are developed from the negative within two years of when the picture was originally taken.
The $3 million sale price more than doubled the previous record for a signed sports photo. Hunt and Christie’s sold the previous record holder, an autographed photo of “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, for $1.47 million in 2021.
The Image that Inspired an Iconic Sports Card
Hunt Auctions elaborated that a photographer captured the non-autographed Mickey Mantle photo on March 5, 1951, in Phoenix, Arizona. While the photographer originally intended it for a local news release, it became the image for the legendary Topps 1952 Mantle card.
Heritage Auctions sold an SGC MT 9.5 version of that card for $12.6 million in August 2022. At the time, it was the most expensive sports memorabilia sold at auction, beating the $7.25 million price of an SGC 2 T206 Honus Wagner card at a private sale in the same month.
Last September 25, a PSA 5.5 version of the 1952 Topps Mantle Card sold for $408,000 (including buyer’s premium) at a Fanatics Collect Premier Auction.
However, in August 2025, Heritage sold a 1-of-1 2007-08 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Dual Logoman Autographs card featuring Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant for $12,932,000. When accounting for inflation, though, the 1952 Topps Mantle card ($13,862,292) is pricier than the Jordan/Bryant autographed 1-of-1 ($13,272,207).
Mickey Mantle played his entire MLB career with the New York Yankees, splitting his time as a center fielder and as a first baseman. Throughout his stint with the Yankees, he won seven World Series titles and three American League Most Valuable Player awards.
Mantle is also a 20-time MLB All-Star and a one-time Gold Glove awardee. He won the 1956 Triple Crown, batting .353 with 52 home runs and 130 RBIs.
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