A rare 1951 photograph of baseball legend Mickey Mantle, which later became the basis for his iconic 1952 Topps card, has sold privately for a record $3 million. The photograph was purchased by sports memorabilia collector Ron Firman in a private treaty transaction facilitated by Hunt Auctions. The image, classified as a PSA Type I photograph, was taken just weeks before Mantle made his major-league debut with the New York Yankees. Hunt Auctions announced the sale and described the photograph as one of only a small number of known PSA Type I examples. The record transaction has drawn attention to the value of original photographs connected to historically significant sports collectibles.
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