‘Most Expensive Baseball Card In History’ Sells For $18 Million

A Mickey Mantle baseball card has sold for AU$18.3 million – setting a new record for the most valuable sports collectible in the world.

If you used to collect baseball cards when you were a kid, you may be sitting on an untapped gold mine. A 1952 Mickey Mantle baseball card has just sold for US$12.6 million (which is roughly $18.3 million in Australian dollars), according to CNN.

The baseball card sold at auction over the weekend and is now the most valuable sports collectible in the world. The previous record for the most valuable baseball card was a rare Honus Wagner, which sold for US$6.6 million last year – almost half of what this Mickey Mantle went for.

And the previous record for any item of sports memorabilia was Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ jersey; which was sold for US$9.3 million earlier this year.

This rare Honus Wagner previously held the record for most valuable baseball card. Image Credit: Robert Edward Auctions

This record-breaking card is from Mantle’s rookie season and was produced by the collectable company Topps. And yes, the card is relatively rare but the reason the card went for over $12 million is likely because it was extremely well-preserved.

The card was graded “Mint+ 9.5” by the Sportscard Guaranty Corporation and Anthony Giordano who bought it in 1991 for US$50,000 has looked after it for the last thirty years. Although, Giordano admitted he believes the card’s current condition is a “miracle”.

“It bears the finest qualities any 1952 Topps can possess: perfect centering, registration and four sharp corners. That this Mantle rookie card remained in this condition for 70 years is a true miracle.”
Anthony Giordano

So, if you did collect baseball cards back in the day, call your mum and pray that she not only kept them but also protected them over the years… They just might be your ticket to earning eight figures.