Mickey Mantle
1951 Bowman · #253
Mickey Mantle #253 (Base #253, PSA 9): last verified sale $3,192,000 on Jan 8, 2022 (Memory Lane). Not enough verified sales in the last 90 days for a market price. Source: CardVolume, cardvolume.com/sports/baseball/1951-bowman-mickey-mantle-253/, as of Sep 27, 2026.
Mickey Mantle #253 (Base #253, PSA 8 (OC)): last verified sale $79,300 on Jul 10, 2026 (Heritage Auctions). Not enough verified sales in the last 90 days for a market price. Source: CardVolume, cardvolume.com/sports/baseball/1951-bowman-mickey-mantle-253/, as of Sep 27, 2026.
Mickey Mantle #253 (Base #253, PSA 7): last verified sale $100,650 on Jul 11, 2026 (Heritage Auctions). Not enough verified sales in the last 90 days for a market price. Source: CardVolume, cardvolume.com/sports/baseball/1951-bowman-mickey-mantle-253/, as of Sep 27, 2026.
Mickey Mantle #253 (Base #253, PSA 5): last verified sale $48,000 on Aug 18, 2026 (eBay). Not enough verified sales in the last 90 days for a market price. Source: CardVolume, cardvolume.com/sports/baseball/1951-bowman-mickey-mantle-253/, as of Sep 27, 2026.
Mickey Mantle #253 (Base #253, PSA 4): last verified sale $15,100 on Jun 16, 2025 (eBay). Not enough verified sales in the last 90 days for a market price. Source: CardVolume, cardvolume.com/sports/baseball/1951-bowman-mickey-mantle-253/, as of Sep 27, 2026.
Mickey Mantle #253 (Base #253, PSA 3): last verified sale $14,999 on Sep 16, 2025 (eBay). Not enough verified sales in the last 90 days for a market price. Source: CardVolume, cardvolume.com/sports/baseball/1951-bowman-mickey-mantle-253/, as of Sep 27, 2026.
Mickey Mantle #253 (Base #253, PSA 2): last verified sale $14,400 on Aug 30, 2025 (eBay). Not enough verified sales in the last 90 days for a market price. Source: CardVolume, cardvolume.com/sports/baseball/1951-bowman-mickey-mantle-253/, as of Sep 27, 2026.
Mickey Mantle #253 (Base #253, PSA 1.5): last verified sale $9,800 on Jan 30, 2026 (eBay). Not enough verified sales in the last 90 days for a market price. Source: CardVolume, cardvolume.com/sports/baseball/1951-bowman-mickey-mantle-253/, as of Sep 27, 2026.
Mickey Mantle #253 (Base #253, PSA 1.5 (MC)): last verified sale $7,156 on Aug 4, 2025 (eBay). Not enough verified sales in the last 90 days for a market price. Source: CardVolume, cardvolume.com/sports/baseball/1951-bowman-mickey-mantle-253/, as of Sep 27, 2026.
Mickey Mantle #253 (Base #253, PSA 1): last verified sale $6,766 on Aug 26, 2025 (eBay). Not enough verified sales in the last 90 days for a market price. Source: CardVolume, cardvolume.com/sports/baseball/1951-bowman-mickey-mantle-253/, as of Sep 27, 2026.
Mickey Mantle #253 (Base #253, PSA Authentic): last verified sale $5,395 on Aug 17, 2025 (eBay). Not enough verified sales in the last 90 days for a market price. Source: CardVolume, cardvolume.com/sports/baseball/1951-bowman-mickey-mantle-253/, as of Sep 27, 2026.
Mickey Mantle #253 (Base #253, SGC 4): last verified sale $12,449 on Jan 11, 2025 (Memory Lane). Not enough verified sales in the last 90 days for a market price. Source: CardVolume, cardvolume.com/sports/baseball/1951-bowman-mickey-mantle-253/, as of Sep 27, 2026.
Values as of Sep 27, 2026 in USD. Market price = median of at least 5 qualifying sales of this exact version and grade in the last 90 days. Methodology
Key facts
- CardVolume lists 18 verified sales of the 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle #253 as of September 27, 2026.
- No grade has the 5 verified sales in 90 days needed for a market price; the most recent verified sale was $48,000 for a Base #253 PSA 5 on August 18, 2026 at eBay.
- The highest verified sale on record is $3,192,000 for a Base #253 PSA 9 on January 8, 2022 at Memory Lane.
Updated · Only verified or cross-checked sales count · How we verify · Data: Markdown, JSON
Sales history
| Date | Version | Grade | Price | Venue | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 18, 2026 | Base #253 | PSA 5 · cert 99200614 | $48,000 | eBay best offer Lot 307046311257 | Cross-checked | Open |
| Aug 16, 2026 | Base #253 | PSA 5 · cert 30318184 | $47,500 | Robert Edward Auctions fixed Lot marketplace-5969 | Excluded | Open |
| Jul 24, 2026 | Base #253 | PSA 5 · cert 17959372 | $38,400 incl. buyer's premium | Fanatics Collect auction Lot July PA Lot 211 | Verified | Open |
| Jul 11, 2026 | Base #253 | PSA 7 · cert 50006610 | $100,650 incl. buyer's premium | Heritage Auctions auction PSA cert sales-history page lists this Heritage PSA 7 sale. | Cross-checked | Open |
| Jul 10, 2026 | Base #253 | PSA 5 · cert 07016264 | $46,360 incl. buyer's premium | Heritage Auctions auction Lot 80331. 22% BP | Cross-checked | Open |
| Jul 10, 2026 | Base #253 | PSA 8 (OC) | $79,300 incl. buyer's premium | Heritage Auctions auction Heritage lot page shows 22% buyer's premium schedule. | Cross-checked | Open |
| May 15, 2026 | Base #253 | PSA 5 · cert 22342866 | $34,160 incl. buyer's premium | Heritage Auctions auction Lot 80291. 22% BP | Cross-checked | Open |
| Jan 30, 2026 | Base #253 | PSA 1.5 · cert 135466851 | $9,800 hammer, excl. premium | eBay auction PSA Auction Prices Realized entry; eBay auction. | Cross-checked | Open |
| Sep 16, 2025 | Base #253 | PSA 3 · cert 19216944 | $14,999 | eBay auction Lot 365852422756 | Cross-checked | Open |
| Aug 30, 2025 | Base #253 | PSA 2 · cert 96374410 | $14,400 | eBay auction Lot 116745135983 | Cross-checked | Open |
| Aug 26, 2025 | Base #253 | PSA 1 · cert 23690335 | $6,766 | eBay auction Lot 177339110261 | Cross-checked | Open |
| Aug 17, 2025 | Base #253 | PSA Authentic · cert 76236437 | $5,395 | eBay auction Lot 365788526103 | Cross-checked | Open |
| Aug 4, 2025 | Base #253 | PSA 1.5 (MC) · cert 22751336 | $7,156 | eBay auction Lot 277281541500 | Cross-checked | Open |
| Jun 16, 2025 | Base #253 | PSA 4 · cert 40473141 | $15,100 | eBay auction Lot 146627617852 | Cross-checked | Open |
| Mar 25, 2025 | Base #253 | PSA 3 · cert 52304087 | $14,655 | eBay auction Lot 187040728012 | Cross-checked | Open |
| Jan 11, 2025 | Base #253 | SGC 4 | $12,449 | Memory Lane auction Lot 124 | Cross-checked | Open |
| Nov 9, 2024 | Base #253 | PSA 4 · cert 95118856 | $15,100 | eBay auction Lot 135336976011 | Cross-checked | Open |
| Sep 27, 2024 | Base #253 | PSA 4 · cert 40027797 | $11,600 | eBay auction Lot 226361210705 | Cross-checked | Open |
| Jan 8, 2022 | Base #253 | PSA 9 · cert 07102558 | $3,192,000 incl. buyer's premium | Memory Lane auction Lot 1. Reported as a record for this grade | Cross-checked | Open |
| Jun 5, 2021 | Base #253 | PSA 8 | $342,379 incl. buyer's premium | SCP Auctions auction SCP page states sold price includes BP. | Excluded | Open |
Verified: an editor or automated check confirmed the figure on the source page. Cross-checked: an independent second research pass reopened the source and confirmed it. Reported: cited by research but not re-checked; never used in metrics. 2 sales were excluded (reasons on hover). Asking prices are never listed here.
Price chart
Base #253 · PSA 9
Fewer than two qualifying sales for PSA 9; no chart.
Base #253 · PSA 8 (OC)
Fewer than two qualifying sales for PSA 8 (OC); no chart.
Base #253 · PSA 7
Fewer than two qualifying sales for PSA 7; no chart.
Base #253 · PSA 5
Base #253 · PSA 4
Base #253 · PSA 3
Base #253 · PSA 2
Fewer than two qualifying sales for PSA 2; no chart.
Base #253 · PSA 1.5
Fewer than two qualifying sales for PSA 1.5; no chart.
Base #253 · PSA 1.5 (MC)
Fewer than two qualifying sales for PSA 1.5 (MC); no chart.
Base #253 · PSA 1
Fewer than two qualifying sales for PSA 1; no chart.
Base #253 · PSA Authentic
Fewer than two qualifying sales for PSA Authentic; no chart.
Base #253 · SGC 4
Fewer than two qualifying sales for SGC 4; no chart.
Graded population
| Version | Grader | Grade | Count | As of | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base #253 | PSA | 10 | 1 | Sep 26, 2026 | Open |
| Base #253 | PSA | 9 | 9 | Sep 26, 2026 | Open |
| Base #253 | PSA | 8 | 53 | Sep 26, 2026 | Open |
Population counts copies graded by one company in one grade. It is not a print run and it grows with every submission. Why population is not print run
Grading math for this card
Prefilled with the latest qualifying sale for each grade where one exists. Replace any value with your own. We never suggest what grade your copy will get.
Formula from Grading: condition, uncertainty, and economics: grading pays only if your honest chance of the high grade exceeds (raw net + cost − other-outcome net) ÷ (high-grade net − other-outcome net). The 13% fee is an editable assumption, not a quoted tariff.
About Mickey Mantle
The 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle #253 is Mantle’s rookie card and a postwar baseball flagship. Collectors search for it because it predates the 1952 Topps Mantle and has large grade premiums in high condition.
Why this card matters
Verified factThe 1951 Bowman #253 is Mantle’s rookie card, not the later 1952 Topps card that often dominates mainstream discussion. PSA CardFacts lists the card separately and shows a condition census topped by one PSA 10 and multiple PSA 9 examples as opened on 2026-09-26. Heritage’s 2026 PSA 8 (OC) lot also frames the card around Mantle’s age-19 rookie season with the Yankees, which is the central reason collectors search for this exact issue. [1][2]
Identifying the exact version
AnalysisIdentify the card as 1951 Bowman #253 Mickey Mantle. Do not merge it with 1952 Topps #311, 1952 Bowman, reprints, or later Mantle issues. The qualifier matters: a PSA 8 (OC) is not the same comparison as an unqualified PSA 8. Record the grader, grade, qualifier, cert, and visible front/back condition. For raw copies, authentication is especially important because the card is widely known and frequently searched by non-specialists. [1][2][3]
What moves the price between versions and grades
AnalysisGrade, qualifier, and eye appeal drive the largest differences. PSA CardFacts showed a PSA 10 population of 1 and PSA 9 population of 9 as opened on 2026-09-26, while recent lower-grade sales sit in a very different market band. The 2026 Heritage PSA 8 (OC) sale at $79,300 should not be treated as an unqualified PSA 8 comp because the qualifier is part of the grade identity. [1][2][4]
Authenticity checks
Verified factCompare against official references; use multiple checks; do not use destructive tests; copied cert numbers exist. For Mantle #253, verify card number, Bowman back, image registration, paper aging, dimensions, and slab label. Check PSA cert details and compare the actual card images to the seller’s photos. PSA warns that cert verification does not eliminate risk because counterfeit grading inserts can reuse real certification numbers from public sources. [3][5]
What people get wrong about this card
Based on the claims our guides decline to adopt: Risk and strategy · Case studies and corrections
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle #253 his rookie card?
How much did the PSA 8 (OC) 1951 Bowman Mantle sell for in 2026?
How much did a PSA 8 1951 Bowman Mantle sell for at SCP?
How many PSA 10 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle cards exist?
Should I compare a PSA 7 to a PSA 8 (OC)?
What is the recent PSA 7 sale evidence?
Sources
- 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle #253 — PSA CardFacts (accessed Sep 26, 2026)
- 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle #253 PSA NM-MT 8 (OC) — Heritage Auctions (accessed Sep 26, 2026)
- PSA Grading Standards — PSA (accessed Sep 26, 2026)
- Cert Verification 30499776 — PSA (accessed Sep 26, 2026)
- PSA Cert Verification — PSA (accessed Sep 26, 2026)
- 1951 Bowman #253 Mickey Mantle Rookie - PSA NM-MT 8 — SCP Auctions (accessed Sep 26, 2026)
Not yet established
- PSA CardFacts displayed population counts but did not expose a separate population snapshot date.
- No official Bowman production-run source was found.
Research: Codex research pass (live web) · automated source checks · independent cross-check · generated Sep 26, 2026 · reviewed by CardVolume editorial (owner-approved) on Sep 27, 2026 · updated Sep 27, 2026. Found an error? Report it.