Extraordinarily rare piece, measuring approximately 6" x 8" and featuring an embossed color photo of Mickey Mantle with a faux wood frame. This piece was advertised on the wrappers of high-number 1963 Topps cards as a "mask," and is particularly scarce today. This example appears in outstanding condition, and comes with a cellophane wrapping that we believe to be its original wrapper (though the plaque can be removed, as evidenced by the photo). EX condition with a slight bit of wear, although the item has retained its original color and has been stored in the plastic wrapper, thus is clean.  An outstanding piece.

Please note the following additional information presented to us by an astute and very knowledgeable hobbyist: the listing in the Standard Catalog which describes this item opens "Advertised as a 'mask' on high-number 1963 Topps wax wrappers, this is actually a plastic plaque." However, there is a dearth of actual evidence to support this conclusion.  The wax wrapper advertisement alluded to in the Catalog has, to our knowledge, never been discovered.  Further, a 2022 post on the Topps Archive blog written by our friend and former Love of the Game Auctions copywriter David Hornish states that the plaque "Cannot be tied to 1963, bears no evidence of being a Topps product, is not a mask, and cannot be attributed to any known premium offer from any Topps pack or insert in 1963 or any other year."  You can read his posts about the plaque here: http://www.thetoppsarchives.com/search/label/1963%20Topps%20Mickey%20Mantle%20Mask?m=0

The fact remains that this information came to the Standard Catalog somehow. We have nothing but respect for the yeoman's work done by Bob Lemke in assembling and editing the Catalog, and we stand in awe of his hobby knowledge.  However, this bit of information seems to have snuck into the Standard Catalog without evidential support, or at least any documentation that survives in publicly available reference tools. Unfortunately, Bob is no longer with us to answer the question.

Regardless, the piece remains scarce and desirable, an interesting, well-made collectible featuring the era's most widely-collected player. It remains to be seen what would happen to values should the true manufacturer of this piece ever be discovered - whether it is Topps or (seemingly likely) some other entity. Still in remarkable condition, a tremendous Mantle-related item.