Mr. Mint

The 1991 Topps Sweepstakes Winner Of 40 Sets From 40 Years Of Topps Baseball

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For their 1991 release, Topps randomly packed every card from every complete set produced by Topps over the last 40 years in 1991 retail packs, including the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card – though technically, the pricey and oversized cards were a redemption. On top of the instant-win cards, they also offered an anniversary sweepstakes, where they gave out complete sets from all 40 years to 40 winners. But the grand prize was all 40 sets from 40 years of Topps Baseball to a single winner! 

The “incredible consumer prizes” were detailed to dealers on Topps’ sell sheets.

Topps then highlighted the instant-win prizes on their boxes, packs, and posters to collectors.

Jack Glenn won the grand prize but ended up selling all the cards, including the 1952 Mantle, to Mr. Mint Alan Rosen for $34k.

Rosen wrote in his book True Mint that even though Topps advertised the cards as being worth a lot more, their grades were only Vg to Ex.

The Copeland Collection 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle

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The following scan is from Sotheby’s March 1991 catalog that featured James Copeland’s incredible collection.

Apart from its scope, the collection was known for every item’s superb condition and quality, including his 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle.

Sotheby’s described the card as being in mint condition, coming from Alan “Mr. Mint” Rosen’s 1952 Topps discovery of cards, and being the best of the Mantle cards from this discovery (the finest copy known to exist).

Interestingly, in August 2022, Heritage sold the “Finest Known Example” 1952 Topps Mantle for $12.6M, and it was accompanied by a letter from Rosen, dated June 17th, 1991, to the consignor explaining that this copy was the nicest one…