1952 Topps Mickey Mantle (Type 1)

The 1952 Mickey Mantle is widely considered the slugger's rookie card, despite Bowman printing the first official card of "The Mick" a year earlier.

Its rarity and iconic design make it among the most coveted cards ever printed, often ranking behind only T206 Honus Wagner in value.

Subtle variations in the design (including missing pixels) make for two versions of this card. In this instance (Type 1) the yellow coloring has bled into and beyond the bottom black area on the name plate.

Attributing to the card's mystique is its rarity. In the 60s, cases of the 1952 Topps set, including potentially thousands of Mantle cards, were sent packing down New York's Hudson River on a garbage barge.