Poor Condition???

A decision has been made. I am officially in pursuit of 1959 Topps. The set hits the sweet spot, both in terms of design and affordability. It's something a mere mortal can obtain, so long as he remains gainfully employed. Yes, it may take quite a few years, but that time spent will make me familiar with each card. New acquisitions will be savored, not devoured.

A big step forward was taken when I obtained this card.

1959 Topps #461 Mickey Mantle Baseball Thrills

This represents my first true vintage Mickey Mantle card, and it's one I've had my eye on for a long time. I think I caught an extremely lucky break, as the seller included the word "poor" in the item description. Look above. Does any part of that look to be poor to you? Aside from the off centering, this is a card you can be proud of. It's not going to be crowned queen of the prom, but it will hide a flask of peach schnapps in its garter and then make out with you behind the bleachers.

One aspect of this card that made it a risky endeavor was that there was no picture of the back of it in the listing. When I received it, I carefully turned it over, fully expecting a scorched earth scenario on the reverse, perhaps a few yellowed patches where tape had once been.
Voila.

That's just about as good as you can expect for the rear of a '59 Topps card. It's gloriously legible and contains the words "doggedly," "climaxed," and "portside." The militant grammarian in me takes issue with the misuse of an apostrophe in the final sentence, but I'll let it slide, just this once. And coming in right around $30, it feels good to knock one of the marquee cards off the list. I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.