Rally Investors Buy Out Shares of Mickey Mantle’s Home – WorthPoint

The world of fractional investing is not new to sports memorabilia. More often, companies offer the opportunity to group-invest in a baseball card or game-used equipment. This new offering by Rally is much different, as shares of the childhood home of Mickey Mantle became available today.

For the exceedingly low price of $7, investors purchased shares of the Mantle house in Commerce, Oklahoma—the “single earliest Mickey Mantle artifact,” says Rally. The platform assigned a market cap value of $329,000 with 47,000 shares available in the initial offer for this historic real estate sale. As of the time of publication, the initial public offering (IPO) was completed in a few hours with 1,353 investors.

Fractional Breakdown

Fractional investing is similar to what happens in the stock market. A capped number of shares or offered stakes in a piece are available to the public. Though certainly not limited to one share per investor, most will not take more than a small percentage of an offering.

Unlike a stock market share’s IPO, the investment isn’t made available with the ultimate goal of a long-term game. More often, a card or other piece of memorabilia will be offered up with the intent to sell quickly and give the investors the opportunity for a quick cash out.

Such is the case with this Mickey Mantle house. While the aforementioned initial pricing sat just below $330,000, the goal will be to sell for a much higher value.

In its description, Rally explained the sale process following the IPO. “Once the Initial Offering is complete, you’ll have the opportunity to vote on proposals for the property curated by Rally, and submit your own proposals to be voted on by investors,” the company stated in its listing. “Each ownership share represents 1 vote, giving you the power to decide the future of the Mantle House and potentially drive dividends.”

This is far from Rally’s first foray into the fractional investment marketplace. Other sports lots include a Joe DiMaggio rookie card, a 2003 Panini Ronaldo rookie card, and a full uniform worn by Michael Jordan. Other areas include cars, books, video games, and spirits.

This Old House

This 319 South Quincy Street bungalow is 672 square feet with two bedrooms and one bathroom. The home’s façade has some wear and tear, while the sidewalk has significant damage. Although the house includes some original furniture, the property itself is not much of an attraction to a home shopper, be they a first-time buyer, empty nester, or something in between. Consider this instead—the ultimate collectible for a die-hard fan of the New York Yankees legend.

The house could perhaps become a Mickey Mantle museum for the right collector while a second, more livable space is erected on the nearly 10,000 square acre land. Rally alludes to the potential in Commerce:

“The town of Commerce, Oklahoma, is poised for significant growth, with major attractions like the $2 billion American Heartland Theme Park and Resort, set to provide 4,000 jobs, and the Three Ponies RV Park, covering 230 acres with amenities like a dinner theatre and amphitheater,” the ad stated.

Many people don’t recall that Mantle’s home in Commerce was actually his second house. Just a couple months after the young Mick’s birthday, his family left his birthplace in Spavinaw, Oklahoma, with his dad finding work in the lucrative zinc mining industry.

The younger Mantle grew to become the city’s most heralded athlete even before he made his biggest impression with the New York Yankees. In 1952—the same year that Topps produced the famed Mickey Mantle baseball card, which remains the highest-selling sports memorabilia item—the Commerce Comet was recognized by his hometown with a parade and formal reception.

Visiting Your Investment

Rally didn’t include whether investors will be able to stay in their partially owned home once the offering is complete. However, the platform will give shareholders the opportunity to vote on proposals for the property and determine its future.

Forbes writer Amanda Lauren talked about fractional real estate in September 2023 and denoted that the properties can make some income for their investors. “Some fractional homeownership agreements allow owners to list their time on short-term marketplaces like VRBO or AirBnb,” she wrote. “So, these properties can also produce income.”

So does that mean, in theory, you can lodge in your investment?

“Fractional ownership in real estate offers a mix of affordability and flexibility for individuals looking for a vacation home or pied-à-terre,” John Walkup, co-founder of UrbanDigs, told Lauren for her article. “On the upside, it is usually much cheaper than owning and maintaining a home outright, making it a more cost-effective choice for those unwilling to shoulder the entire financial burden of homeownership for a home they will not use on an extended basis.”

At one point or another, Rally will get such a query, and the prospect can become pretty lucrative. Imagine, if you will, playing catch with your kid in the same field where Mick tossed a ball with his dad or sorting through baseball cards in his one-time bedroom. Indeed, this would be an experience that any Yankee fan would cherish.

Shares were sold out in mere hours on Rally’s platform, as many sought to capitalize on the home run of an opportunity. According to Rally, with the IPO complete, bid/ask trading will begin after a cooling period, and investors will have the opportunity to sell their shares or add to their positions. Voting on the future of the home will take place afterward.

With or without the possibility of stepping into the historic house, owning a piece of baseball Americana is a worthy investment.

Jon Waldman is a Winnipeg-based writer. He has written for Beckett, Go GTS, Canadian Sports Collector, and several other hobby outlets over his two decades in the hobby. His experience also includes two books on sports cards and memorabilia. Connect with Jon on Twitter at @jonwaldman.

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