I believe so and I think the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle tops that list. You may be saying right now “John, how can one of the hobbies most expensive, most iconic cards be overrated?” I understand the dilemma but let me explain my point of view.
I'm not writing this article to crap on the Mantle card, it's iconic indeed. A wonderful part of hobby history even 71 years after the fact. Full transparency I've never owned one and would love to if if an affordable opportunity arose.
I'm a rookie card guy so for me the 1951 Bowman especially comparatively at the price levels is something I would rather have first in my PC. Yes the 1952 mantle starts the 6th series and is a high number but it's also a triple printed high number comparative to others in the series. It's also not necessarily condition sensitive as let's say the number one card Andy Pafko or the last card and fellow High number Hall of Famer Eddie Mathews. Damn you rubber bands!! However 71 years can take its toll on all cards even in between ones. Speaking of the Mathews, a quick check of a pop report will show thousands less Mantles than Mathews and to me that illustrates how underrated that card may actually be.
Let's stay on the year 1952, Dan-Dee and Berk Ross both produced beautiful Mickey Mantle cards at 1/6th of the levels of the iconic Topps card; a quick walk around a major large show easily illustrate that. Again please don't take this as an attack piece on the 1952 Topps Mantle, it is not. I'm writing it only to illustrate that in my humble opinion I feel it's slightly overrated. That being said I would love to own one, although unless I win the mega millions I would just have to write articles about it.
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