Mickey Mantle 1952 Topps card appears on eBay platform

The Search for the Hottest Sports Trading Cards of 2026

We’ve finally wrapped up our quest to identify the most sought-after sports trading cards for 2026.

A few months back, Topps revealed that its 2026 Series 1 baseball release would feature a rare redemption card for a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle. Recently, a redemption list has surfaced on its website.

In an announcement from February 10, Topps clarified that the coveted original cards—part of a celebration marking 75 years of baseball card history—wouldn’t be included in the typical packs, as preserving their condition is a priority.

In light of this, Topps reiterated on its Facebook page, “Just to clarify, actual cards won’t be put in packs. Instead, one fortunate collector will discover a redemption card that allows them to claim the historic original.”

A Topps representative also confirmed that the card listing’s legality was acknowledged, although the company had only recently learned about its removal.

For avid collectors, this chase is akin to playing the lottery—with winning odds estimated at about 1 in 40 million packs. This odds estimation has been reported by various sources.

As of last night, the highest bid for the listings stood at $54,000 for 14 cards, but that figure is likely to rise further.

The 1952 Mantle card is widely regarded as one of the most treasured in sports card history. A professional sports certifier has even called it “without a doubt, the most important baseball card in the entire industry.”

This significance primarily derives from Mantle’s Hall of Fame career with the Yankees, its placement in Topps’ inaugural flagship series, and the rarity of the original cards—many of which were discarded into the Hudson River after mass overprinting.

While Topps guarantees collectors a graded version of the card, even lower-grade original copies command staggering prices.

For instance, a 1952 Mantle card graded 1 sold for $35,000 this past April, and not long before that, a PSA 4 card fetched a jaw-dropping $132,000.

Just a few years ago, a 1952 Mantle grading nearly perfect at 9.5 by SGC was sold for an astounding $12.5 million. Additionally, a card rated a 9 by PSA sold for $5.2 million the year prior.

“Based on our evaluations, this is undoubtedly the best-looking 1952 Topps Mantle PSA 9 known to exist,” said Jesse Craig, directing business development for PWCC Marketplace, during the sale announcement at that time.