Topps, a division of Fanatics Collectibles, a physical and digital trading card company, has announced the auction of a 1-of-1 Topps 1952 Mickey Mantle Card NFT as part of a Topps Timeless NFT Series. Fans have an opportunity to own the next evolution of the collectible with the first Topps NFT auction on the OpenSea platform. 

“Throughout Topps’ rich history, and especially over the last few years, several iconic baseball cards have been designated as holy grails to the collecting community,” says Tobin Lent, vice president and general manager, Topps Digital Sports & Entertainment, The Topps Company. “With our Topps Timeless Series, we now bring these historic cards to the blockchain as NFTs that can be owned forever and passed down for generations. The Topps 1952 Mickey Mantle card continues to be one of the most coveted baseball cards of all time, and we’re excited for one passionate fan to be able to add this monumental piece of sports history to their digital collection.” 

Presented in cooperation with Major League Baseball and the Mantle Estate, the NFT is the first featured collectible in the Topps Timeless Series, a new collection celebrating the company’s baseball cards through 1-of-1 NFT collectibles.  

“This card has been part of my father’s legacy for 70 years and it is amazing to see its continued impact with collectors and baseball fans around the world,” Danny and David Mantle, sons of Mickey Mantle, say in a joint statement. “We are very pleased to share this piece of history with Topps in a new and exciting way through NFTs.” 

The NFT will be minted as an ERC-721 token and is a recreation of the classic Topps baseball card, complete with video of historical imagery and memorabilia that showcase Mickey Mantle’s legacy. The 1952 Mickey Mantle NFT Auction is live on the OpenSea and ends March 4 at 1pm EST. Any bid placed in the last 10 minutes will extend the auction by an additional 10 minutes. The winner of the auction will also have the opportunity to have a 30-minute video interview with Mickey Mantle’s sons, Danny and David Mantle.