Lovely migrade example with stronger-than-average centering for this card a notoriously difficult card to find without a severe centering issue. The card boasts a clean surface but softer corners that are consistent with the VG/EX grade despite extraordinary eye appeal. It would not be easy to find a more attractive VG/EX specimen. The 1952 Topps Mantle is an iconic card; the most valuable Mantle called his "rookie" card so frequently that SGC actually notates the card as such on their grading labels. The mystique of that card all its myths and legends have caused the "true" rookie card of Mantle to be overlooked in past years. Recently however the 1951 Bowman card has begun to get its proper recognition with high-grade examples routinely topping six figures at auction and midgrade specimens reaching into the five-figure range. Well-centered examples command a premium moreso with this card than others from the same set simply because it is so often found with a severe centering defect. While top-to-bottom centering on this example is slightly off overall this is hardly distracting particularly because the color and image clarity is so strong. An outstanding midgrade Mantle rookie one of the most important of all postwar baseball cards.