Mickey Mantle 1952 Topps 1-of-1 Card Auctions for Over $470K to Set MLB NFT Record

Topps Timeless announced Friday that a 1-of-1 NFT of New York Yankees legend Mickey Mantle's 1952 Topps rookie card made history at auction.

The NFT, which was auctioned on OpenSea, sold for $470,711.50. That makes it the highest-priced baseball NFT ever sold, the second-highest-priced sports NFT ever sold on OpenSea and the third-highest-priced sports NFT ever sold anywhere.

Topps Digital Sports and Entertainment vice president and general manager Tobin Lent said the following regarding the sale:

"The excitement and prestige surrounding the Topps 1952 Mickey Mantle card cannot be overstated, and we're honored to see that legacy continued with this next evolution throughout the auction conclusion and value expressed by all interested bidders. One passionate fan and collector now has this piece of sports history, unique to their digital collection and sure to be highly prized for generations to come."

The auction was held in partnership with Major League Baseball and Mantle's estate, and it became the first MLB NFT ever to be auctioned on OpenSea.

It should come as little surprise that the Mantle NFT fetched such a hefty price since the 1952 Topps Mantle rookie card is among the most highly sought after cards in the history of baseball and sports cards in general.

Last year, a PSA 9 graded 1952 Topps Mantle rookie card sold for $5.2 million, making it the most-expensive sports card to ever sell at the time.

Mantle is among the most iconic baseball players of all time, as he was a 20-time All-Star, seven-time World Series champion and three-time American League MVP during his 18-year career with the Yanks.

All told, the Hall of Famer hit .298 with 536 home runs, 1,509 RBI and 1,676 runs scored in 2,401 regular-season games.

He also hit .257 with 18 homers and 40 RBI in 65 playoff contests, including 12 trips to the World Series.

While it has been 54 years since his retirement and nearly 27 years since his death, Mantle remains one of the standard-bearers in the world of sports cards and collectibles.