The New York Times crossword puzzle is one of the most popular daily puzzles in America, with millions attempting to solve it each day. One of the clues that frequently appears in sports-themed puzzles is “Big name in baseball cards.” The answer, of course, is Mickey Mantle.

Mickey Mantle had a legendary career playing for the New York Yankees from 1951 to 1968. In that span, he won three American League MVP awards and was named an All-Star for 16 consecutive seasons. Perhaps even more impressive than his on-field accomplishments was Mantle’s popularity and cultural impact as one of the first true sports superstars.

Mantle’s baseball cards from his playing days are among the most valuable in the collectibles market. Ever since he retired in 1968, collectors and investors have sought out Mantle’s rookie card from 1952 Topps or other vintage cards featuring the “Commerce Comet.” Prices for high-grade Mantle cards have steadily increased over the decades.

In the early 1990s, a near-perfect condition 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle rookie card sold for $50,000, setting a new record. By 2000, an ungraded Mantle rookie traded privately for over $100,000. The card’s value truly exploded in the 2010s. In 2011, a PSA Gem Mint 10 Mantle rookie sold for $231,000 at auction. Just two years later, another PSA 10 example broke the $500,000 barrier in a private sale.

In 2021, a new ceiling was set when Heritage Auctions sold a PSA NM-MT 8 Mickey Mantle 1952 Topps rookie for $5.2 million, making it the most valuable baseball card ever sold. The card’s price was driven up by intense competition between three anonymous bidders. Even well-worn lower-grade Mantle rookies from the 1950s now sell for six figures. No other player’s rookie card comes close to Mantle’s in terms of all-time price appreciation and demand.

There are a few key factors that have led the Mickey Mantle rookie card to achieve such iconic status and value over decades. First is simply Mantle’s legendary playing career and his status as one of the greatest switch-hitters in baseball history. He was an enormously popular player who helped the Yankees dominate the 1950s and 1960s. Second is the card’s scarcity and condition. The 1952 Topps set had a small print run, and high-grade Mantle rookies are exceptionally rare to find intact after 70 years.

Third, Mantle’s card was one of the earliest post-war baseball cards, capturing him at the very start of his career just before his breakout 1953 season. This adds to its historical significance. The card is also highly aesthetic, with its bright colors and photo showing a young Mantle smiling in his Yankees uniform. Collectors appreciate its classic design and photo quality. Finally, Mantle’s card was at the forefront of the spike in collectibles speculation during the late 1980s and 1990s bull market that drove initial high prices.

All of these factors combined have made Mickey Mantle’s rookie card the true blue chip of the baseball card world. Even casual collectors recognize Mantle’s name and iconic status in the hobby. No other player resonates quite like the “Commerce Comet” when it comes to the collectibles market. That is why Mantle’s cards, and especially his pioneering 1952 Topps rookie, continue appearing as a clue for the “Big name in baseball cards” in crossword puzzles decades after his playing days ended. For better or worse, Mickey Mantle is synonymous with the high-stakes world of vintage sports memorabilia collecting.

In conclusion, Mickey Mantle blazed a trail on the baseball diamond and also in the collectibles industry. His rookie card from 1952 Topps has come to symbolize the holy grail for set builders and investors due to its rarity, condition challenges, historical context, and attachment to one of the true legends of America’s pastime. As long as the New York Times crossword continues to be a daily diversion, Mantle’s name is likely to keep appearing as the answer for “Big name in baseball cards.” His plastic relics from a bygone era will always be linked to the early development of sports memorabilia as a mainstream hobby and lucrative business.