Getting Rich with Cards?

If you were going to invest your money into baseball cards, which cards should you buy?

www.baseballcardinvestment.com

In a recent post, by the Baseball Card Investment, a site that specializes in researching collectibles as investments, the website informs us that if was one high quality card to invest in, it would the be the Mickey Mantle card. There is a reason why this Hall of Fame inductee commands such attention within the investing community:  collectability. Mickey Mantle is not only very well known but also a retired player from a long time ago. As time passes, fewer and fewer Mickey Mantle cards will be available.

The article also states that there are three main reasons why Mickey Mantle is one of the baseball players to invest in. The first reason is “Mantle spent his entire career in a big market, New York”. Definitely a great point to mention. Mantle needed baseball enthusiasts to not only enjoy his skill in baseball but also his modesty and the way he dealt with such a large city counting on him to hit multiple home runs.

The second reason why Mantle is such an iconic star is because “he was a prolific slugger”. Not only could he make the ball soar high into the sky, but he also was able to “come through with a home run in the bottom of the ninth inning, with his team down by a run”. Having this kind of star player on your team was historically beneficial as Mantle brought the Yankees to the World Series.

Finally, the third reason is because “his ability to perform well in front of a national audience”. His talent definitely didn't just shine down on him at practice, but also shined on him when his hit meant if the Yankees were going to win or not. Later in the article it states that this trait made him the “blue chip player” and was assumed that he was needed for every game to win.

In regards to what exact years are the most in demand years is pretty easy to see. As the price increases, the desirability of the card also increases. The Baseball Card Investment team states that the best years to buy are: 1952 Topps, 1951 Bowman, 1953 Topps, 1969 Topps.

I have seen every one of these cards at card shows or on the internet and the prices are very steep. The least expensive 1969 Mantle that Topps makes, as recommended, ranges in price from just under $100 and max out at almost $500. The most expensive Mickey Mantle card to buy is the 1952 Topps. From the price of $4500, for a card in “poor” condition, to a mint Mantle that will cost you $280,000+.

In conclusion, hopefully you can see that buying a Mickey Mantle card is a good investment.

FUTURE RESEARCH: What factors should collectors focus when deciding what cards to buy?