A No. 7 New York Yankees jersey of MLB legend Mickey Mantle dating back to his final season in 1968 is set for an auction price estimated to be $3 million. Next month, bidders are anticipated to fiercely compete for a slice of baseball history that carries an autographed by the legend himself.
The Mickey Mantle jersey was worn by the Yankees legend throughout the 1968 season, a year marked by then 36-year-old slugger’s modest performance of only 18 home runs and a dip in his career batting average below the .300 mark.
Despite Mickey Mantle’s relatively subdued performance in his 18th and last season with the New York Yankees, the dirt-stained jersey is poised to attract intense bidding competition, as indicated by Dallas-based Heritage Auctions.
Chris Ivy, the sports director at Heritage Auctions, underscored the prestige associated with adding a game-used Mickey Mantle bat or jersey to a collection of premier items. He highlighted the rarity of the opportunity to possess an all-original Mickey Mantle jersey, estimating that fewer than 10 such jerseys are presently in circulation.
This specific gray flannel uniform, featured in Heritage Auctions’ Spring Sports Catalog Auction, boasts a personal inscription from the legend to one of the Yankees’ bat boys, Bill Hoganich, along with Mantle’s name chain-stitched on the inside of the collar.
The auction has already drawn four bids, with the highest bid currently standing at $960,000, inclusive of the buyer’s premium.
In 2022, another autographed 1968 Mickey Mantle jersey, worn by the baseball legend while hitting his second-to-last home run, fetched nearly $2.2 million. However, it was a 1958 Mickey Mantle jersey that holds the highest record. It was auctioned off for $4.68 million in 2023.
Among other notable memorabilia up for auction is the bat Mickey Mantle wielded to slam a grand slam in Game 5 of the 1953 World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers, a series clinched by the Yankees the following day. The iconic bat is anticipated to fetch at least $400,000, according to the auction house’s estimates.
Mickey Mantle’s memorabilia continues to fetch big
Mickey Mantle’s enduring legacy in baseball continues to reach remarkable heights, even over fifty years after his retirement, with memorabilia associated with the iconic player consistently setting new auction records.
Various items linked to the Yankees legend, ranging from cards and photographs to uniforms, consistently fetch unprecedented prices at baseball memorabilia auctions.
Recently, a Mickey Mantle photograph fetched $843,750 at Heritage Auctions, establishing a new record for such an item. Nonetheless, this sale is overshadowed by the staggering $3,192,000 achieved by a 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle baseball card just two years prior. In 2023, A Mickey Mantle baseball card in impeccable condition achieved a remarkable sale price of $12.6 million.
Presently, a game-worn Mickey Mantle jersey takes center stage in the online Goldin 100 auction, which commenced on April 19 and will conclude on June 1.
The jersey, anticipated to command a seven-figure sum, was worn by Mickey Mantle, the switch-hitting center fielder for the New York Yankees, on July 23, 1957, during the sole cycle of his career, where he accomplished a single, double, triple, and home run in the same game. The home run he struck that memorable day soared an impressive 465 feet, earning a headline in the Herald Tribune that exclaimed, “Almost Out of the Stadium.”
Adorned with the iconic Yankees pinstripes, the jersey boasts the intertwined NY logo on the right chest and Mickey Mantle’s revered number 7 on the back. Furthermore, Mantle’s name is scripted alongside the numbers 7 and 57, commemorating the year the jersey was worn.
In the 1957 season, Mickey Mantle earned the title of American League Most Valuable Player, guiding the Yankees to the pennant, although they narrowly missed clinching the World Series championship.
Mickey Mantle, renowned as the first switch-hitter to achieve a cycle, amassed an impressive total of 536 home runs throughout his illustrious career, which unfolded from 1951 to 1968, all with the Yankees. His standout year occurred in 1956 when the Yankees secured both the pennant and the World Series, while the Yankees legend clinched the Triple Crown by leading the league in batting average (.353), home runs (52), and runs batted in (130).
Ken Goldin, the founder and CEO of Goldin, highlighted the scarcity of original 1950s jerseys, particularly those worn by such an iconic figure in baseball. He emphasized, “This jersey not only comes directly from Mickey Mantle’s own back but also marks one of the most significant moments in his career.”
This Mickey Mantle jersey is prominently featured as part of the Goldin 100, showcasing 50 of the most rare and sought-after items in sports, film, and pop culture, including baseball cards, comic books, and memorabilia. Goldin, the official auction partner of the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association and the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum, stands as a global leader in collectibles, memorabilia, and trading card auctions.
Rare rookie Mickey Mantle photo
Heritage also has a Type 1 photo of Mickey Mantle showing when he was a young and relatively unknown player from Oklahoma before he ascended to the status of “The Mick.”
According to Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA), a Type 1 photo is described as a first-generation photograph developed from the original negative within two years of its capture.
The Mickey Mantle Type 1 photo was carefully preserved in a brown envelope, sealed within a Ziploc bag, and stored in a cedar chest. It has never been previously auctioned.
In the photo, the Yankees legend is seen wearing the number 6, a jersey he only sported during his rookie season before transitioning to the iconic number 7. The photo originates from the collection of former St. Louis Browns pitcher Jack Kramer, who clinched the third game of the 1944 World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals but ended his career as Mickey Mantle’s teammate with the 1951 Yankees.
Following Kramer’s passing, the photo was uncovered in an unassuming brown envelope labeled “Pictures of the 1952 New York Yankees, all individuals.”
The Mickey Mantle photograph, alongside others featuring Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, Phil Rizzuto, and Kramer himself, was captured by Yankees team photographer Bob Olen.
Another photo from the Kramer collection, a headshot of the legend from his 1951 rookie season, fetched $20,615 at auction.
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