1956 Topps #135 Mickey Mantle
1956 Topps #135 Mickey Mantle
Mickey Mantle's Triple Crown card (.353, 52 HR, 130 RBI) and the key to the set - his last Topps card rendered in artwork rather than a photograph.
About Mickey Mantle
Signed by Yankees scout Tom Greenwade out of Commerce, Oklahoma in 1949, Mickey Mantle tore through the minors — winning a .383 batting title at Class-C Joplin in 1950 — before debuting with New York in 1951. A switch-hitting center fielder, he spent his entire 18-year career (1951-1968) in pinstripes, and 1956 was his masterpiece: he captured the Triple Crown by leading the majors with a .353 average, 52 home runs, and 130 RBI, earning his first (and a unanimous) AL MVP and becoming the only switch-hitter ever to win the honor. A 20-time All-Star and three-time MVP (1956, 1957, 1962), Mantle finished with a .298 average, 536 home runs, 2,415 hits, and 1,509 RBI. He anchored seven World Series champions across 12 Fall Classic appearances and still holds Series records with 18 home runs and 40 RBI. Nicknamed "The Commerce Comet" for his Oklahoma hometown (and simply "The Mick"), he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1974 on the first ballot. This is the marquee card of the 1956 set — Mantle's Triple Crown card and his last Topps issue rendered in artwork rather than a photograph, found with both scarcer white and common gray back-stock.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference
Variations & how to tell them apart
White Back / Gray Back Series 1 & 2 (cards 1-180)
Every card #1-180 exists with the reverse printed on white/cream card stock OR on gray card stock. Cards #181-340 are gray-back only. The scarcity FLIPS at #100: on cards 1-100 the gray back is slightly scarcer (a modest premium); on cards 101-180 the gray backs are far more common (about 12-15 to 1), so the WHITE back is the scarce, premium variation - often +50% or more, and disproportionately so in high grade, since the white-stock cards tend to be more brittle.
- White Back: Printed on white/cream card stock. The standard/common look on cards 1-100; the SCARCE, premium variation on cards 101-180.
- Gray Back: Printed on gray card stock. The scarcer variation on cards 1-100 (modest premium); the common look on cards 101-180; the ONLY back on cards 181-340.
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 11,760 | 7 | 44 | 468 | 872 | 1,351 | 1,701 | 7,115 | 202 |
| SGC | 4,382 | 0 | 11 | 57 | 150 | 198 | 400 | 3,070 | 496 |
PSA by variation: Gray Back 10,611 · White Back 1,149
SGC by variation: Gray Back 3,741 · White Back 641
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-06-30. Half-grades fold down (8.5→8); totals are summed across each grader's listed variations.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1956 Topps Mickey Mantle card?
It is card #135 of 340 in the 1956 Topps set - Topps' first set after buying out rival Bowman, and one of the most attractive issues in the hobby. It pictures the New York Yankees player.
Why is the 1956 Topps Mickey Mantle so important?
It captures Mantle's 1956 Triple Crown season (.353, 52 HR, 130 RBI) and is the key to the set - and the last Topps Mantle rendered in artwork rather than a photograph. (His true rookie is the 1951 Bowman; his first Topps is 1952.)
Does the 1956 Topps Mickey Mantle have back variations?
Yes. Every card #1-180 exists with the reverse printed on white/cream card stock OR on gray card stock. Cards #181-340 are gray-back only. The scarcity FLIPS at #100: on cards 1-100 the gray back is slightly scarcer (a modest premium); on cards 101-180 the gray backs are far more common (about 12-15 to 1), so the WHITE back is the scarce, premium variation - often +50% or more, and disproportionately so in high grade, since the white-stock cards tend to be more brittle.
Is the 1956 Topps Mickey Mantle valuable?
Value depends on grade and (where it applies) the back or front variation. Use the links above to check current T206 Cards inventory and live eBay listings.
Sources: Trading Card Database, Baseball-Reference, BaseballCardPedia, PSA & SGC population reports, and Baseball-Almanac. Card data, images & population compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-07-01.