Mantle’s Historic Jersey

HALL OF FAMER WORE GARMENT WHILE HITTING HIS RECORD-SETTING 17^TH AND 18^TH WORLD SERIES HOME RUNS

On Oct. 15, 1964, Mickey Mantle hit a three-run homer – the 18th and final World Series home run of his career.

It’s a record that spanned Mantle’s 12 World Series appearances, ending with the future Hall of Famer surpassing Babe Ruth’s mark of 15. It is, perhaps, a record that will never be broken.

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“Mantle helped the Yankees capture seven world titles, while slugging a record number of World Series homers,” says Heritage’s Director of Sports Auctions Chris Ivy. “It’s a feat that most likely will never be matched.”

The jersey Mantle (1931-1995) wore in games six and seven of the 1964 World Series, marking his 17th and 18th World Series home runs, is being offered at Heritage’s Summer Platinum Night Sports Collectibles Catalog Auction scheduled for Aug. 18-19, 2018. It’s expected to realize at least $750,000.

“While it goes without saying that any Mickey Mantle game-worn jersey is a treasure of American sports history,” Ivy says, “this remarkable example distinguishes itself within that rare and coveted breed for its link to the only surviving record from the Mick’s Hall of Fame resume.”

The garment, Ivy points out, survives in 100 percent original and unaltered condition, losing its sole point in the MEARS grade for a cracked button and minor soiling/staining. “While many, if not most, of the Major League jerseys repurposed for secondary wear were altered at the farm club level, this important artifact stands as a most welcome exception to that standard.”

Thanks, Mom

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An East Coast man who collected baseball cards in the 1950s is offering the cards to collectors – after being stored in a box for nearly 70 years in the family attic.

Among the cache: five 1952 Topps Mickey Mantles, all in superb condition.

One card, graded PSA 8.5 NM/MT+, is expected to sell for at least $1 million when it goes to auction Aug. 18-19. Two examples, graded PSA 7 NM and PSA 5 EX, are expected to realize at least $100,000 and $40,000, respectively, when they go to auction Nov. 15-16 (HA.com/50007a).

The true hero of this story is the collector’s mother, notes Forbes. Unlike millions of other moms, she didn’t throw away her son’s treasures. “His mother took the cards and put them away,” says Heritage Auctions consignment director Lee Iskowitz. “She later gave them back to him.” 

This story appears in the Fall 2018 edition of The Intelligent Collector magazine. Click here to subscribe to the print edition.