An extensively photo-matched, researched and authenticated New York Yankees jersey worn by Mickey Mantle during the final season of his Hall of Fame career – truly one of the greatest Mantle-related pieces of memorabilia to ever surface in the hobby – will make its world auction premiere as part of Heritage Auction Galleries April 22-23 Signature® Sports Memorabilia Auction, live in Dallas and online via HA.com.

“This amazing jersey truly represents the find of a lifetime for collectors of top shelf baseball memorabilia,” said Chris Ivy, Director of Heritage Sports Collectibles. “Even more incredible is the fact that it sat in a private collection for more than three decades with the owner completely unaware of how important a piece it actually is.”

Consigned by a South Florida collector, who wishes to remain anonymous, the jersey found its way to the area after Mantle’s final game in pinstripes when the great slugger participated in a youth baseball camp in spring of 1969 not far from the Yankees’ training grounds. Mantle had just announced his retirement and wore this jersey for the last time as an instructor in the camp, gifting it to a lucky Little Leaguer at the close of the clinic.

“Given the fact that the jersey saw active duty in the spring of 1969, it could be justifiably billed as Mantle's last pinstripes,” said Ivy. “It’s also equally worthy of note that this jersey has been definitively photo-matched to the one Mick wore on the cover of the Mickey Mantle Day program distributed to more than 60,000 fans at Yankee Stadium on June 8, 1969, certainly one of the most famous photos of Mantle ever shot.”

“Now, in a magical moment, Mantle has once more surfaced to gift us with his immortal presence in the form of this long-hidden gamer,” Ivy continued. “It’s easily one of the most important and desirable Mantle artifacts ever to reach the public auction block.”

Consignors that want to be a part of this historic auction can still contact Heritage sports experts until Feb. 20 to consign material to the April auction. Call Chris Ivy at 800-872-6467, ext. 1319 for more details.