Manufacturer: Bowman
Set: 1950 Bowman Baseball ➡️
Player Name: Don Mueller
Position/Team: Outfield for Giants
Card #: 221
Card Size: 2-1/16” x 2-1/2”
Card Value Snapshot: Raw/Ungraded: $8 | Grade 7: $65
⬇️ See More Pricing Data Below
Don “Mandrake the Magician” Mueller was one of the most remarkable contact hitters and premier bat-control artists of the post-war era.
A vital cog in the powerhouse New York Giants teams of the 1950s, Mueller was renowned for his uncanny ability to put the ball in play. Operating with a choked-up grip and a smooth, left-handed stroke, he specialized in “hitting the ball where it was pitched”—frequently driving outside pitches directly through the hole between first and second base. A two-time All-Star and a World Series Champion, Mueller remains etched in baseball lore for his role in some of the most dramatic pennant races in history.
Mueller earned his famous nickname, “Mandrake the Magician,” because he seemingly used a magic wand instead of a baseball bat. He rarely struck out, routinely confounding opposing pitchers who tried to blow fastballs past him.
His bat control reached a historic peak during the 1954 season, a career masterpiece.
The Hit King: Mueller led the National League with 212 hits—becoming the first Giant to eclipse the 200-hit mark since Jo-Jo Moore in 1937.
The Batting Race: He locked horns in a legendary, season-long batting title race with teammate Willie Mays and Brooklyn’s Duke Snider. Mueller finished with a blistering .342 batting average, narrowly finishing as the runner-up to Mays (.345).
The Uncanny Eye: Across 676 plate appearances that season, Mueller struck out an astonishingly low 17 times.
Teams Played For: New York Giants (1948–1957), Chicago White Sox (1958–1959).
Career Totals: 1,245 games, 1,292 hits, 65 strikeoutless streaks, and a .296 lifetime batting average.
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Pricing Data For This Rookie Card
Tracking the current market value for the 1950 Bowman Don Mueller Card #221. Below, find updated pricing data for ungraded (raw) copies, as well as verified PSA graded sales trends collected from secondary marketplaces.
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Raw/Ungraded: $8
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Grade 5: $40
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Grade 6: -
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Grade 7: $65
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Grade 8: $185
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Grade 9: $610
Data Updated: July 2026
➡️ See All 1950 Bowman Rookie Card Prices
Pricing data includes raw card price & some graded card value estimates.
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Did You Know? Mueller was a driving force during the Giants’ historic late-summer comeback to catch the Brooklyn Dodgers. In the definitive 9th inning of the 1951 tiebreaker game, Mueller singled to put runners on first and third. Tragically, while sliding into third base on the subsequent play, he severely fractured his ankle. He was carried off the field on a stretcher just moments before Bobby Thomson stepped to the plate and launched the “Shot Heard ‘Round the World.”
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