1959 Topps

Mickey Mantle’s 1958 Topps Contract Extension: A Hobby Treasure

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A true piece of hobby history! Mickey Mantle’s 1958 Topps contract extension—signed by Mantle, Frank Scott, and Sy Berger!

The scan above is from Mastro’s November 1999 Fine Sports Millenium Auction, where it sold for $4,119. Here’s the complete item description:

A truly unique document released from the Topps archives over a decade ago. This is the actual contract extension signed by the 26-year-old superstar, giving Topps the right to produce baseball cards with the Mick’s image in 1959. The standard one-page contract extension is typewritten on Topps Chewing Gum stationery and is dated Oct. 1, 1958. It basically states that Mickey Mantle and Topps agree to extend their original agreement dated April 1, 1957, and that all the same terms and conditions apply (meaning he probably got five dollars and a toaster!). Signed boldly in blue ballpoint pen by Mickey Mantle, accepted by Topps executive Sy Berger, and witnessed by Mickey’s agent, Frank Scott. Accompanied by a letter from Guernsey’s, the auctioneers who originally sold the Topps archive. An important document linking the King of Baseball Cards to his maker.

When Guernsey’s auctioned it off as lot BB462 in 1989, they described it as a “Topps extended contract of exclusive 1957 agreement, signed by Mantle on 10/1/58.” It sold for $1,300 ($1,430 with the 10% Buyers Premium).

Guernsey’s also sold the “original exclusive contract signed between Mantle and Topps, 4/1/57, binding for years 1958-60.” Reading the extension, I think the pictured contract just extended the agreement into 1961, and wasn’t about giving Topps the right to produce Mantle’s card in 1959 as Mastro wrote, but, I’m not a lawyer!

Guernsey’s sold 11 different lots of Mantle contacts and checks in their famous Topps Auction; the one I’d most like to see is the original Bowman contract for the 1951 baseball season that Mantle signed on 4/17/1951!

Happy Collecting!

Billy Martin’s Final Topps Contract As A Yankee Player: A One-of-a-Kind Piece of History

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Here’s a cool piece of hobby history, dating back to Mastro & Steinbach’s August 1997 Fine Sports Auctions Catalog; Billy Martin’s 1957 Topps Baseball Card Contract and Check!

I wish I had a better picture because it’s a wonderful piece from which I’d like to learn more, but I can’t make out the text; it’s a true one-of-one! Here’s the description:

Official one-page contract between Topps Chewing Gum and Alfred (Billy) Martin for the right to produce a Billy Martin card for Topps 1957, 58, and 59 baseball card sets. Dated July 20, 1956, and signed by Sy Berger (Topps, Inc.) and Billy Martin, the contract displays several folds and peripheral wear, with Near Mint to Mint signatures of both Berger and Martin. Accompanying the contract is a Topps check for $5 (made payable to Martin) as deposit toward Martin’s $125 compensation due each season for the use of his photograph. Check exhibits several light folds and an insignificant staple mark, endorsed on back by Martin (NR-MT to MT signature) and cashed through the New York Yankees account. Martin’s final Topps contract as a New York Yankee!

Here’s an example of Martin’s 1957 Topps baseball card from its PSA CardFacts page.

Happy Collecting!

An Eye-Catching 1959 Topps Baseball Uncut Sheet

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Here’s a really cool item that I ran across in Mastro’s March 2000 catalog: a 66-card uncut sheet of 1959 Topps Baseball cards, including Hank Aaron, Orlando Cepeda, Frank and Brooks Robinson, White Ford, and Don Drysdale!

Here’s the complete auction description:

An uncut sheet of 66 cards including Hank Aaron, Orlando Cepeda, Frank and Brooks Robinson, Whitey Ford, Don Drysdale and three multiple player cards. Of course, uncut sheets of early Topps cards are rarely seen, and are highly valued in conditions amenable to framing. The bright colors on this sheet here make it particularly eye-catching and tend to make the moderate stains inconspicuous that affect the top row of cards (including Aaron). As one might expect, the sheet has several creases, most visble across cards of Orlando Cepeda and Clem Labine, and across Moe Drabowski and Bill Mazeroski. The four corners have creases and wear, and a tear cuts into the Smoky Burgess card. Overall, the sharp photography and spyglass design serve to make this Very Good condition uncut sheet a very attractive candidate for framing and proud display
Minimum Bid $400

I don’t think any of the following is the exact same 66-card partial sheet that Mastro sold, but Huggins and Scott sold one with the same format in May 2017 for $450 and another in November 2017 for $750.

And REA sold this one in the Spring of 2021 for $630.

REA also sold this 5th Series 1959 Topps production sheet in the Spring of 2014 for $10,073. Notice the 66-card series was repeated twice; it’s believed the other half of a full 264-card sheet would be identical to this 1st slit.

For more, there’s a great thread on the Net54 Forums on 1959 Topps Uncut Sheets. And don’t forget to check out The Uncut Sheet Archive, too!

Happy collecting!

36 1959 Topps Football Cello Packs

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PSA has slabbed 141 1959 Topps Football Cello Packs; I have to presume a few of them are crossovers from when Mastro sold this lot of 36 GAI-graded 2nd-Series examples in August 2004.

The Global Authentication encapsulated slabs included seven Mint 9s, two NM-MT 8.5s, two NM-MT 8s, 19 NM+ 7.5s, and six NM 7s. A bunch of stars were visible on the top or bottom, including Kramer, Mitchell, Parker, Jones, Tittle, Robustelli, Lebaron, and Taylor.

The lot also included the fully intact display box, advertised as in Ex/Mt condition.

These days, most individually PSA-slabbed 1959 Topps Football cello packs have settled at a base price of ~$1500 (despite their high pop) but can sell for much more with stars showing or a touch less if they’re in rough shape.

Check out The Unopened Archive for more!

A 1959 Topps #564 Mickey Mantle All-Star PSA 10

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Here’s a card you’re not going to see very often because there are only two 1959 Topps #564 Mickey Mantle All-Star PSA 10 cards in the Pop Report.

When Sotheby’s auctioned this one off in June 2005, it was the only example to earn PSA’s highest grade of Gem Mint 10. Looking at the certification verification information on PSA’s site, it looks like it’s still in the same case, and it’s also not part of any current PSA Registry Sets. And apologies for the jump at the bottom of the scan; that’s how it’s printed in the catalog.

Any guesses as to what it would sell for? Also, if you have a clue about where the other Gem Mint 10 is, let me know; I haven’t found any public sales for either one. Happy collecting!