In the ever-evolving world of sports cards, there seem to be thousands upon thousands of transactions happening daily. Anyone new to the hobby or unfamiliar with it may not be aware of the highest sale of a sports card to date. For those of you that may be in this category, you may be thinking of the different players who hold this record sale. Michael Jordan? Tom Brady? Christiano Ronaldo? Maybe someone younger who is dominating like Shoei Ohtani or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander? None of these athletes are correct, and no sports card sale tops that of this player: Mickey Mantle
Mickey Mantle’s iconic 1952 Topps card, also known as “The Finest Example”, currently holds the record for the highest sports card sale of all time, selling for $12.6 million at Heritage Auction in 2022. This specific card has a 9.5 grade from SGC, while a PSA 9 version sold for $5.2 million back in 2021. At the time, this card surpassed Honus Wagner's T-206 card, which sold privately for $7.25 million.
Mantle's legendary career ended with a long list of accolades: 20x All-Star, 3x MVP, 7x World Series champion, Triple Crown winner, Gold Glove recipient, Batting Title holder, and a Major League Player of the Year. Needless to say, his historic card sale reflects his dominance on the diamond.
It would be naive to think that this record will be upheld for the rest of time. The sports card industry is growing by the day and there are collectors and investors who are willing to take a chance on special cards. Athletes like Shohei, Judge, Burrow, Mahomes, Edwards, and Jokic could all see record setting auction prices in the coming years. As for now, Mantle holds the record for being on top of the hobby at a $12.6 million price tag.