Mickey Mantle Card Sells for $5.2M, Shatters $3.9M Record Set by Mike Trout Card

An iconic Mickey Mantle card has set a new record for the most expensive baseball card to ever be sold at auction.

According to TMZ Sports, Dope CBD founder Rob Gough recently purchased a 1952 Topps Mantle card graded mint-9 by PSA through auction site PWCC.

The Mantle card broke the record previously set by a 2009 Bowman autographed rookie card of Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout, which was graded a 9 with an autograph grade of 10. That card sold for $3.9 million in August.

Regardless of grade, the 1952 Mantle card is highly sought after for several reasons, including the fact that it was the first year Topps produced baseball cards. Even though Mantle's rookie card was a 1951 Bowman, the 1952 Topps card tends to get talked about far more.

Aside from that, Mantle is one of the greatest players of all time. The powerful switch hitter spent his entire 18-year MLB career in pinstripes as a member of the New York Yankees.

The late Hall of Famer hit .298 with 536 home runs and 1,509 RBI during his career and was a 20-time All-Star, three-time MVP and seven-time World Series champion. He also won a batting title, a Gold Glove and a Triple Crown for good measure.

Per TMZ Sports, the Mantle card purchased by Gough is one of only "a few" known to be in existence with such a strong grade.

That specific card has been sold before as well, going for $2.88 million at auction in 2018. By flipping the card two years later, the seller made a profit of over $2 million.

Card values are going through the roof with collecting becoming more popular during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mantle cards, especially the 1952 Topps, have always been hugely valuable, and his most recognizable card is now the new gold standard when it comes to baseball card collecting.