A garage‑sale stumble in a dusty suburb turned into a $20,740 payday when a Micky Mantle snapshot, authenticated as a Type 2 print, was auctioned at Heritage’s Winter Sports Catalogue. The photo, tucked inside an oversized Topps card book, shows the rookie in his No. 6 uniform, bat in hand, and was the source image for the iconic 1951 Bowman rookie card.
The image captures a young Mantle at Arizona spring training, sleeves rolled up, bat belonging to teammate Joe Collins. Those details pin the moment to the very start of his Yankees tenure, before he’d earned the right to tweak his uniform or sign a deal with Hillerich & Bradsby. It’s a snapshot of a player who would later command the field and the market.
Heritage’s auction notes that the photograph had seen prior sales: a Type 1 original fetched $843,750 in 2024, setting a record for a sports photo. The current sale, a Type 2 print, is a step below that, but still impressive given its condition—light cracks, a few tears, yet still a direct link to the 1951 Bowman card.
Collectors are buzzing. The story shows that even a second‑generation print can command a high price if provenance and provenance‑linked lore align. Next, Heritage will unveil its 2026 catalog, promising more rare finds for those willing to hunt in the most unlikely spots.