When describing the overuse of the term "iconic" to describe baseball cards the 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle is typically the first example given. "Iconic" is used so often to describe cards that it no longer effectively describes this one easily the most popular and significant postwar baseball card and one that is so often the face of our entire hobby. While virtually every hobbyist can recognize a 1952 Mantle with a single glance it is the near-instant recognition among people outside the hobby that makes this card so important. It is a card that virtually anyone with even a passing knowledge of baseball would be pleased to own. It is an object of desire among hobbyists casual investors and collectors of Americana alike. Despite the lack of scarcity it is an example of a card where supply will never ever outpace demand. This particular example is an interesting one. Graded VG-EX 4 by Beckett the primary flaw is related to top-to-bottom centering. The image quality is clean and crisp a bold vivid blue. Corner wear is consistent with the grade. The centering becomes less of an issue when considering overall eye appeal - this card is often found off-centered from left-to-right with the great majority of examples falling into the "distracting" category. Such is not the case with this example as the L-R centering is nearly perfect. The result is a symmetry that renders the top-to-bottom issue far less noticeable. A 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle remains one of those baseball cards that transcends the hobby. Still one of baseball's most widely-recognized names Mickey Mantle remains one of the most revered figures in sports and despite not being his official "rookie" card the 1952 card is certainly his most popular and desirable. Completing the 1952 Topps set remains a monumental collecting achievement primarily due to the difficulty of obtaining the more scarce high number cards but mostly due to this card - postwar collecting's greatest treasure.