Acquired April 30, 2015

This was the first Mickey Mantle card I ever bought. After going through a tough time and rebuilding my career, I visited the Sportsroom in Beaverton, Oregon, and picked up this card as a reminder that anything is possible. As a kid, I never imagined I’d own a Mickey Mantle card, and now I had one!

It became a symbol of confidence and personal growth. I hope the next owner feels the same inspiration I did. The 1961 set has always stood out to me—beautifully designed and a great year for Mickey Mantle’s mighty home runs!

Acquired June 19, 2018

This was by far the most I had ever spent on a collectible. I found this card on eBay, listed as a PSA 8(OC), but the seller’s photos were so blurry that most buyers probably thought it was fake. I had been watching it for weeks and was nervous to spend that kind of money, but like my first Mickey Mantle card, I saw it as a confidence booster—and I only saw upside in its value (which turned out to be true!).

When it arrived, I immediately cracked it out of the PSA case, put it in a One-Touch, and took it with me around the world for various TV show meetings. I called it Dumbo’s Feather because it gave me confidence during a challenging time. Learning about Mickey Mantle’s struggles and the obstacles he overcame made me believe I could do the same—and I did.

Since then, I’ve been offered 10 times what I originally paid for it. When I first created the M1NT G1 Case, this was the card I most wanted to see inside. It looks even better in person. I can't wait to hear the reaction of the person who finds it in this Quest, and I hope it inspires them to achieve great things, just as it did for me.

This is my all-time favorite Mickey Mantle card. The 1957 Topps set is perfect in every way—stunning photography, a timeless design, and the first to feature the modern trading card size.

Acquired January 22, 2021

By coincidence, I bought this card on the same day Hank Aaron passed away.

I got it to mark a major milestone—the day I secured my biggest single financial deal with a private equity firm, making it possible to fund M1NT’s founding.

Though the card is off-center, it has some of the sharpest corners I’ve ever seen on this issue. I cracked it out of a PSA 8(OC) slab. I’ve always had a thing for PSA 8(OC)s—maybe because I prioritize sharp corners, great surface, and vibrant colors over perfect centering.

This was Mickey Mantle’s last standard-issue card, and I absolutely love it.

Acquired April 6, 2021

I picked up this card at a shop in San Diego before heading to Del Mar to visit my family.

That day, my brother-in-law, Ryan, gave me some great feedback on my long-term plans for M1NT. It was a day filled with good conversations and quality time with family, and I left feeling more optimistic than ever about the future.