52 Topps Mantle help
 

Let me start by saying this isn't my card and I am not looking to buy it. A friend came into possession of a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle and is debating on sending it in to be graded. Neither of us has much experience in vintage cardboard so I figured I would post some pics here and see if it is even worth sending in. Any feedback appreciated.[IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200529/a5b6b692948fb6446a4576d17c46b360.jpg[/IMG][IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200529/b4df0c7c3b8a94ee7abdeef8163d45ac.jpg[/IMG][IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200529/2c9c83db6eb8111c25fb523d829b78b3.jpg[/IMG][IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200529/b7fddba8ca53e5badd61169309a5593f.jpg[/IMG][IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200529/f8a96a8c1439c04ecf552d9d825f5f20.jpg[/IMG][IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200529/d1e54d112f3bbf9197d9b1c5df940267.jpg[/IMG][IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200529/5a2b2b920475f98d395ceef566062f00.jpg[/IMG][IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200529/07d099c01941aa862fbd2c8939988deb.jpg[/IMG]

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For that iconic and much counterfeited card, ABSOLUTELY send it!

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Those corners are pretty perfectly rounded...

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[QUOTE=SGC300ier;15970831]Those corners are pretty perfectly rounded...

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk[/QUOTE]That was the biggest red flag to me as well

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[QUOTE=bbnut;15970816]For that iconic and much counterfeited card, ABSOLUTELY send it!

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk[/QUOTE]I think it is fake and he is on the fence. Trying to find some reasoning to back up my claim other than the corners being equally rounded and the fact it's not a card you just find

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Buy some raw commons from the 1952 Topps set (including a high number or two (#311-407)) from an online retailer and feel them and compare to the Mantle. Use a 10x or 20x loop and see the print dot patterns. Smell them and feel their edges. See how the edge wear and corner wear look and scrape them up a little and see what the interior paper looks like.

[QUOTE=rob80;15970855]I think it is fake and he is on the fence. Trying to find some reasoning to back up my claim other than the corners being equally rounded and the fact it's not a card you just find

Sent from my HD1925 using Tapatalk[/QUOTE]Yeah, I saw those corners, too. That's why I told him to send it in. Maybe I should have said to him "if it's too good to be true, it probably is."

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HOW did he acquire it?


just the one card? no bueno

[QUOTE=rob80;15970842]That was the biggest red flag to me as well

Sent from my HD1925 using Tapatalk[/QUOTE]It looks like a beat up card, which I think is the intention here. I'm not an expert by any means, but my assumption is based on the corners alone being so rounded that it is indeed counterfeit. I could be 100% wrong.

That being said IF it was a real card regardless of condition, yes you would want to get it graded.



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[url]https://allvintagecards.com/how-to-spot-fake-1952-topps-mantle/[/url]

Looks like a type two to me, but I'm no expert...I just searched and found that page and compared their list to the photos above. The black spots on the bat...the black line along the top border...the missing pixel in the background....the lack of black line at the bottom of the yellow box on the front...

If it's a fake, it looks like a good fake.

good luck!

Save your $$. Type II counterfeit.

The first image is the one in the OP.
The second image is from a high resolution scan of a PSA 7.

There are dot patterns in the first image that should not be there.
Note the areas inside the red boxes. Also look at dot patterns in other places, especially the black rule square frame around the Yankees logo. Many discrepencies are present.

I don't know the differences between type 1 and type 2 versions, but additional dot patterns lead me to believe it's a reproduction.

Hope that helps.

[IMG]https://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/3/9/0/4/2/5/webimg/1059436527_o.jpg[/IMG][IMG]https://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/3/9/0/4/2/5/webimg/1059436525_o.jpg[/IMG]

What is a beat up 52 Mantle worth?

[QUOTE=JWBlue;15971199]What is a beat up 52 Mantle worth?[/QUOTE]A low eye appeal beat up "1" is probably 10k at least...

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[QUOTE=corndog;15971169]The first image is the one in the OP.
The second image is from a high resolution scan of a PSA 7.

There are dot patterns in the first image that should not be there.
Note the areas inside the red boxes. Also look at dot patterns in other places, especially the black rule square frame around the Yankees logo. Many discrepencies are present.

I don't know the differences between type 1 and type 2 versions, but additional dot patterns lead me to believe it's a reproduction.

Hope that helps.

[IMG]https://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/3/9/0/4/2/5/webimg/1059436527_o.jpg[/IMG][IMG]https://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/3/9/0/4/2/5/webimg/1059436525_o.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE]

You actually referenced an Authentic Type I in your authentic example and the shading is different in between the two especially in the areas you referenced.

Save your money. 100% Fake. Color, registration, and card texture all look off.

Don't like it.

Compare it side by side with another 1952 Topps. Most fakes are obvious compared to a real card. Thickness, feel, gloss, and weight are extremely tough to fake. Or if you can't make that comparison, offer to pay for grading before purchase. Gambling $60 or whatever versus $12K. Any legit seller would take that offer in a heartbeat. Just make sure the seller won't take the card to the open market once graded if legit.

And now that I look at the pics, it's obviously fake. See the black lines, such as around the Yankees logo? They should be solid black under any level of magnification. Here, the OP's card breaks down into dots under maybe 3x zoom. Compare to sbfinley's post.

... there are 2 types

"Topps issued two versions of the #311 Mickey Mantle card in its 1952 Topps set. There are several variations between the two cards and we highlight these differences below. If you’re in the market for a ’52 Mantle, then you should definitely get up to speed on the two different cards."

[URL="https://allvintagecards.com/how-to-spot-fake-1952-topps-mantle/"]https://allvintagecards.com/how-to-spot-fake-1952-topps-mantle/[/URL]

psa
 

[QUOTE=smapdi;15974847]Compare it side by side with another 1952 Topps. Most fakes are obvious compared to a real card. Thickness, feel, gloss, and weight are extremely tough to fake. Or if you can't make that comparison, offer to pay for grading before purchase. Gambling $60 or whatever versus $12K. Any legit seller would take that offer in a heartbeat. Just make sure the seller won't take the card to the open market once graded if legit.

And now that I look at the pics, it's obviously fake. See the black lines, such as around the Yankees logo? They should be solid black under any level of magnification. Here, the OP's card breaks down into dots under maybe 3x zoom. Compare to sbfinley's post.[/QUOTE]

It will cost $500 to grade this at PSA.

[QUOTE=frenchquarter;15974965]It will cost $500 to grade this at PSA.[/QUOTE]

Will it still cost the $500 even if it's deemed fake?

[QUOTE=smapdi;15974847] And now that I look at the pics, it's obviously fake. See the black lines, such as around the Yankees logo? They should be solid black under any level of magnification. [/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Foo3112;15972772]Save your money. 100% Fake. Color, registration, and card texture all look off.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=MOONBASE1;15972899]Don't like it.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=corndog;15971169]I don't know the differences between type 1 and type 2 versions, but additional dot patterns lead me to believe it's a reproduction. [/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=sbfinley;15971110]Save your $$. Type II counterfeit.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=SGC300ier;15971023]It looks like a beat up card, which I think is the intention here. I'm not an expert by any means, but my assumption is based on the corners alone being so rounded that it is indeed counterfeit. I could be 100% wrong.[/QUOTE]


[SIZE="5"][B][COLOR="Red"]OP -- Please do not listen to the people in this thread.[/COLOR] [/B][/SIZE]


The card you posted is [B]100% real[/B]. Do not be thrown off by the wear on the corners. The card only appears unnaturally yellow due to the incandescent lighting. If you send that card in for grading I guarantee it comes back authentic.

I also own a type II Mantle. For anyone who doubts the card is real, here are some side-by-side images with mine. It's a 100% match, right down to the dot matrix pattern.

[IMG]https://i.imgur.com/N217gfe.png[/IMG]

Hopefully the dot matrix pattern is visible enough in the photos I posted, but in case it's not, here's a closeup of one area showing that the pattern matches on both cards. Again, not the easiest thing to illustrate...

[IMG]https://i.imgur.com/q6biKb1m.png[/IMG]

One last point -- for all the people who focused in on the corners and concluded the card must be fake -- while I agree that uniformly rounded corners can be a cause for concern, it's far from a reliable indicator of authenticity.

Here's a great example of an authentic vintage card with uniformly rounded corners:

[IMG]https://i.imgur.com/yfBKhrFl.png[/IMG]

[QUOTE=pete2345;15975115]Will it still cost the $500 even if it's deemed fake?[/QUOTE]
Contact them in advance. I have read some online posters state that PSA agreed to downgrade the submission level if their card was counterfeit.