Trading Trout for Mantle - My Biggest Trade Yet!

Last year, I was on a kick to discover various parts of the hobby, one of which included PSA graded rookies of the newer guys. On April 8th, 2019, I got in a card that I just couldn't get out of my head: A 2011 Topps Update Mike Trout Diamond Anniversary PSA 10. Like many, I have several "I wish I didn't sell" Mike Trout horror stories, and worried I was buying at its peak, but thought it still had quite a bit of room to grow - I was right!

Eventually, I sold all my modern PSA stuff, except for the Trout, because it was doing very well.

Recently, I decided to trade/sell my Trout, because it just didn't fit in with what I was passionate about. A week or so ago, I started talking to someone who had a '52 Topps Mantle, and I was talking to him about trading it for one of my Cracker Jack Cobbs. He wasn't interested, and in an off the cuff remark, I mentioned my Trout. As it turns out, that intrigued him!

This is what came in: I had to give up my Trout plus quite a bit of cash. This is probably the nicest "1" I've ever seen of Mantle (seriously - check what is out there...it is crazy!)



The corners, color and clarity are all amazing, with the centering being acceptable. The paper loss on the white border in the bottom left largely accounts for the low grade. Now that's my kind of "1"! As a bonus, the back is super clean, too. (not that I care about backs all that much - ha!)

The Trout was a super card - maybe *the* card of this generation. While it may have leveled off, it very well could hit $10,000 and beyond, which - to those of you who have one, I'm rooting for that to happen! I'm just happy I was able to do well with it and hop off the Trout train at the right time to pick up this beauty. As crazy as it is, the deal was completed exactly one year to the day of when I got the Trout in! I already had a '52 Topps Mantle up until last year before I sold it. While it was an amazing card, the eye appeal of this one is just absolutely off the charts - a true pleasure to look/stare at, which is what I really look for in any cardboard. This marks the biggest trade I have ever done, and is everything I love about this hobby!

A while back, I created the graph below, and interestingly enough, this card is the exception to the rule for me. I was happy to do the deal and looking forward to it coming in, but my excitement for this card skyrocketed once I had it in hand ... I guess that's when you know you have the right piece for your collection! Not that it will stay here forever by any means, but while it is here, I will happily enjoy it for however long it is in my care.

Great 1 of a GREAT one!

Make that trade all day every day. You win


Sent from my iPhone using Freedom Card Board mobile app

That Mantle's a winner for sure !

I couldn't do it like you, I have a hard time giving up anything I obtain, but I enjoy reading about your shifts in direction. It is interesting to think that your 1 may sell for less than some much uglier 2 or 3 grades simply because of that paper loss. I know there are people in the buy the card not the grade camp, but many more are probably in the buy the grade camp. Some card people can be real fickle. I have a '56 Clemente with similar border paper loss. it bothered me at first, but not enough to spend the money to buy a suitable replacement when I had a pretty nice looking card to begin with.

Thank you guys!

mrmopar said:

I couldn't do it like you, I have a hard time giving up anything I obtain, but I enjoy reading about your shifts in direction. It is interesting to think that your 1 may sell for less than some much uglier 2 or 3 grades simply because of that paper loss. I know there are people in the buy the card not the grade camp, but many more are probably in the buy the grade camp. Some card people can be real fickle. I have a '56 Clemente with similar border paper loss. it bothered me at first, but not enough to spend the money to buy a suitable replacement when I had a pretty nice looking card to begin with.

Click to expand...

I think the Canseco sell off really made selling other cards super easy for me. Sometimes right after the deal it can sting a bit because I miss the cards, but in the end, I have always been overly happy with the results ... especially when I start buying up other things, but with more discipline and knowledge than before. Hunting, doing deals, etc. is the best for me!

I agree with you on the paper loss - it can look better (and cost much less) than a card a few grades higher, but I am thankful for the paper loss otherwise it wouldn't be in my collection!

The Commerce Comet > The Millville Meteor

Austin said:

The Commerce Comet > The Millville Meteor

Click to expand...

I never made that connection before ... cool!

I can only imagine that it could get harder to part with better, more expensive pieces. However, I can also see how cashing out has it's appeal too, especially with high end stuff.

I have always been a scrounger, loved to spend hours thumbing through dime boxes and enjoyed the thrill of that hunt much more than buying expensive singles.
I also have never done this for profit, which makes it harder to let go of things I grow attached to personally.

I've said it before and I'll repeat it here again though, that Goodwin Brouthers is a late collection dream card of mine. I say late collection because I only discovered it as something I would want to own in the somewhat recent past. The set itself was exceptional for it's time and Brouthers represents his time Brooklyn to me if I were to obtain one, although I am not sure what team he was on at the time w/o going back and looking it up. It checks off several boxes for me as a key card I would love to own, but the price has scared me away from ever trying.

mouschi said:

Thank you guys!



I think the Canseco sell off really made selling other cards super easy for me. Sometimes right after the deal it can sting a bit because I miss the cards, but in the end, I have always been overly happy with the results ... especially when I start buying up other things, but with more discipline and knowledge than before. Hunting, doing deals, etc. is the best for me!

I agree with you on the paper loss - it can look better (and cost much less) than a card a few grades higher, but I am thankful for the paper loss otherwise it wouldn't be in my collection!

Click to expand...

mrmopar said:

I can only imagine that it could get harder to part with better, more expensive pieces. However, I can also see how cashing out has it's appeal too, especially with high end stuff.

I have always been a scrounger, loved to spend hours thumbing through dime boxes and enjoyed the thrill of that hunt much more than buying expensive singles.
I also have never done this for profit, which makes it harder to let go of things I grow attached to personally.

I've said it before and I'll repeat it here again though, that Goodwin Brouthers is a late collection dream card of mine. I say late collection because I only discovered it as something I would want to own in the somewhat recent past. The set itself was exceptional for it's time and Brouthers represents his time Brooklyn to me if I were to obtain one, although I am not sure what team he was on at the time w/o going back and looking it up. It checks off several boxes for me as a key card I would love to own, but the price has scared me away from ever trying.

Click to expand...

I *LOVE* Brouthers (pronounced Broothers). Did you know that he killed someone in a collision at home plate (not a pro game)? He contemplated not coming back to the game, and seemed to be a gentle guy...but baseball's first true slugger by many accounts. There is a book about him that I hope to read sometime. His Goodwin is out there on ebay in a few places for 3k or so I think ... you should be able to find a nice presenting, low grade version for under 1k if you keep an eye out.