Add another to his estimable list of records and achievements: Mickey Mantle is now the face of the most valuable Type 1 photo ever sold at auction. On April 7,Heritage Auctions sold for $843,750 the photo of the New York Yankee legend used to make a trio of Mantles baseball cards, including his 1951 Bowman rookie card. Mantle hammers the previous record of $516,000 set by Ty Cobb on Aug. 27, 2022, when Heritage sold the photo used for the Georgia Peachs 1914-15 Cracker Jack card for $516,000. According to Professional Sports Authenticator, there are just four known examples of the iconic image used for Mantles rookie card. This photo sold for more than any of Mantles 1951 Bowmans except for a PSA Mint 9 that realized $3,192,000 in 2022. What I love most about the Type 1 photos is their proximity to history, says Heritage Auctions Executive Vice President Joe Maddalena. This isnt just any Mickey Mantle photo: Its the one that has become emblematic of his ascension from rookie to legend, when he was just the fresh-faced kid from Oklahoma who wasnt yet The Mick, a Hall of Famer, a legend. Im thrilled collectors now see Type 1 photos for what they are: artwork to be collected, cherished, coveted. The photo, which served as the centerpiece ofHeritages Photo Legends Type 1 Showcase Auction, is among the most defining of The Commerce Comets career: Mantle wearing No. 6, with a bat perched on his right shoulder as he stares into the distance as though awaiting a pitchers delivery. This same image, colorized but otherwise barely altered, was used not only for Mantles first baseball card but also his 1952 Berk Ross card, by which time hed famously become No. 7 on the legendary roster, and his 1953 Topps offering. The photo came from the collection of the late Jack Kramer, a big-league pitcher who won Game 3 of the 1944 World Series as a St. Louis Brown and finished his career as one of Mantles teammates on the 51 Yankees. It was found among his keepsakes in a plain brown envelope bearing the New York Yankees logo, Yankee Stadiums Bronx address and a handwritten note: Pictures of 1952 New York Yanks all individuals. Inside was an original, freshly printed set of 8-by-10 glossy black-and-white photos featuring members of the 1951 Yankees. They were taken by the teams photographer, Bob Olen. Kramer was there alongside the legendary likes of Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra, Phil Rizzuto and a 19-year-old kid from Oklahoma named Mantle. That photo of Mantle is considered one of the true grails of Type 1 collecting, according to PSA, which defines a Type I photo as a 1st generation photograph, developed from the original negative, during the period (within approximately two years of when the picture was taken). This photo remained in that brown envelope for decades, sealed in a Ziploc bag and stored in a cedar chest. It had never been available at auction. Another Mantle photo from Kramers collection was also a smash hit in the auction:his 1951 rookie headshot, which realized $20,625. For additional information, visit www.HA.com.