WSJ: Mantle Autographs Not Rare, But Collectors Don’t Care

“I consider the following my outstanding experience at Yankee Stadium...”

“He was one of the greatest ballplayers ever. He was the man. If you’re into baseball, Mickey Mantle was one of the first names you ever learned.”

According to Mr. Sandground of Beckett, an authentic baseball signed by Mr. Mantle on the “sweet spot” between the laces can sell for anywhere between $250 and $400, depending on the condition. A ball with a notation—where he wrote No. 7 or MVP, for example—can fetch even more. “Mantle was a bit of a loose cannon in his day,” he says. “He hit the town, was a bit of a drinker. I’ve seen some balls with notations that are a little blue in color, rude, funny.”

Signed...*Mickey Mantle

*The All-American Boy