As we monitor Sunday's auction of a Type 1 Mickey Mantle photo from 1951, which could fetch a record price at Heritage Auctions, the "cllct 10" counts down the 10 top recorded public sales in history:
Believed to be the only example of this Type 1 image in the world, PSA/DNA authenticator Henry Yee described it as "the single most important football Type I photo in the hobby.” It sold in December 2023 at Goldin.
9. 1948 Jackie Robinson image used for 1949 Bowman card: $204,000
Providing the source image for Robinson’s second-year card, this Type 1 photo sold in February 2021 at Heritage. This gem would normally lead the way for any Type 1 image in an auction despite the fact it shared the catalogue with an earlier Robinson image as well as a Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig photograph — both of which appear later on this list.
8. 1909 Ty Cobb stealing third: $204,000
Unlike most of the other entries on the list, this image is not known for its later use on an iconic baseball card, but rather due to the fame of the photo itself. Dubbed “the most famous photograph of the legendary Ty Cobb that exists” in Heritage’s November 2022 lot description, the image was captured by legendary baseball photographer Charles Conlon.
7. 1947 Jackie Robinson image used for 1948 Leaf rookie card: $360,000
6. 1927 Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig signed photograph: $390,000
Not only does this Type 1 image date to the 1927 Yankees, one of the game’s most memorable and dominant teams, it features two of the greatest players in the annals of baseball. Additionally, the image, which sold in February 2021 at Heritage, is signed by both players and assigned an autograph grade of PSA/DNA 9.
5. 1910 Ty Cobb stealing third: $390,000
Sold at Robert Edward Auctions in December 2020, almost two years prior to the 2022 sale of another comparable example at Heritage (No. 7 on this list), the image was presented as just the second confirmed example to be authenticated by PSA.
4. 1907 Ty Cobb image used for multiple cards (including the T206): $396,000
From the Ty Cobb collection, Heritage sold this Type 1 in August 2019. Attributed to Carl Horner, the same photographer responsible for the image that would inspire the T206 Honus Wagner, no other example has appeared in public auction records in the 21st century.
3. 1915 Babe Ruth rookie-era image: $468,000
Featuring one of the earliest images of baseball’s most impactful player, this Ruth photo, which was sold in February 2023 at Heritage, marks a moment in the early days of America’s pastime nearly impossible to top.
2. 1910-12 Ty Cobb image used for 1914-15 Cracker Jack card: $516,000
Presented in remarkable condition with respect to its age, this Type 1 sold by Heritage in August 2022 represents the pinnacle of publicly available sales data for Type 1 photos. Tied to a vintage grail card and featuring one of the greatest players of his generation, this image cemented Cobb’s dominance as a leader in Type 1 photography.
1. 1951 Mickey Mantle image used for 1951 Bowman Rookie card: $843,750
One of four original images known to exist, the inclusion of Mantle’s No. 6 jersey in the photograph dates it to the prior half of Mantle’s rookie season, as he switched to his now-iconic No. 7 after his return from a minor-league stint in August 1951.
There have been at least three private sales reported to exceed $200,000:
A "Cobb stealing third" photo sold for $250,000 in 2015, a 1952 Mantle image used on his 1952 Topps card fetched $375,000, and another copy of the 1951 Mantle image used for his Bowman rookie went for $1 million.
Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct. You can follow him on X at @Will__Stern.