A Mickey Mantle baseball card owned by former Alabama football standout Evan Mathis had not set a record for the highest price paid for a baseball card when the bidding closed on Thursday night. Predictions had been that it would.

But it didn't come cheap for the unidentified winning bidder in Heritage Auction's Spring Sports Card Catalog Auction.

The winning bid was $2.88 million for card No. 311 from the Topps' 1952 set, the second-highest price paid for a baseball card. But Heritage Auctions had predicted before the bidding that the price for the Mantle card could reach $3.5 million.

The highest price paid for a baseball card is $3.12 million for a 1910 Honus Wagner in 2016.

The 1952 Topps set is regarded as the first modern baseball card set and includes Mantle's rookie card.

The condition of the card on the auction block received a Professional Sports Authenticator grade of 9 (out of 10). Only six Mantle cards from the 1952 set have earned a PSA 9 rating, considered mint, and three have gotten a PSA 10.

The previous mint 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card to hit public auction 12 years ago went for $282,588.

Mathis has said one of his reasons for selling the card was to buy a "dream home" for his wife and three daughters in Tennessee.

An All-State football player in 1999, as well as a state wrestling champion and track and field standout, for Homewood, Mathis was a four-year starter in Alabama's offensive line. He joined the NFL as a third-round draft choice of the Carolina Panthers in 2005.

Mathis played for the Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals and Miami Dolphins before being recognized as one of the NFL's top linemen while with the Philadelphia Eagles. Mathis was selected for the Pro Bowl in 2013 and 2014, and he earned All-Pro recognition in 2013.

Mathis started at left guard for the Denver Broncos as they won Super Bowl 50 to cap the 2015 season.

Mathis' final season with the Arizona Cardinals was limited to four games by injuries in 2016.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @AMarkG1.