Over the recent weekend, Heritage Auctions' Winter Sports Card Auction made headlines as it showcased a collection of rare and highly sought-after cards. The highlight of the auction was the sale of a premiere SGC graded 1916 M101-5 blank back Babe Ruth rookie card, which reached a stunning sale price of $630,000. With a rare rating of 5.5 by SGC and only seven other known examples within SGC's records, this card captured the attention of collectors worldwide.
The magnitude of the auction was reflected in the total sales, which surpassed $11.1 million. Seven items achieved sales of over $100,000, including the buyer's premium. One of the standout sales was a 1986-87 Fleer Michael Jordan rookie card, flawlessly graded PSA 10, which achieved the highest sale price for a Gem Mint PSA graded copy since September 2021.
The auction also featured an impressive assortment of vintage, unopened boxes. Notably, a 1965 Topps Baseball wax box containing cards from the second, third, and fourth series garnered significant attention. Authenticated by BBCE and originating from the collection of Adolph "Herky" Rupp Jr., this box fetched a remarkable price of $336,000. Rupp Jr., the descendant of renowned Kentucky basketball coach Adolph Rupp, also had a 1953 Topps Willie Mays card, graded PSA 8, which commanded $186,000.
Another highlight of the auction was the sale of unopened boxes from a recently discovered collection acquired towards the end of the previous year. A 1970 Topps Baseball 6th series cello box broke records with a sale price of $105,000, while a 1968 Topps Football 1st series 36-pack cello box set a new benchmark at $99,000. A 1973 Topps Baseball 3rd series 500-count vending box was also sold for $18,600. The initial offerings from this collection, tied to a former Topps employee, achieved a total of $284,455, with expectations of reaching seven figures as more items are sold in the coming months.
The auction also featured a remarkable selection of nearly two dozen vintage autographed cards, originally amassed by Mike Greenbaum. Among these, a 1949 Bowman Jackie Robinson card, graded 1.5 with an autograph grade of 8, led the pack with a sale price of $117,000. A similarly graded signed Roy Campanella card from the same set fetched $69,000.
Individual card sales were also notable, with a T206 Ty Cobb Green portrait, graded PSA 6 with a Piedmont advertising back, selling for $105,000. A 1958 Topps Mickey Mantle card, graded PSA 9, reached $80,533, while a 1962 Topps Manager's Dream card showcasing both Mantle and Mays sold for $75,000.
Complete sets were not overlooked in this auction. The highest-rated set of 1909-1912 Colgan's chips discs sold for $54,000, highlighting the demand for these unique and collectible items. The 16th ranked 1969-70 Topps Basketball set garnered $93,000, and an all-PSA 8 1952 Bowman baseball set was acquired for $84,000, further showcasing the diversity and value of the selections.
Heritage Auctions' Winter Sports Card Auction certainly made its mark in the world of card collecting. With record-breaking sales of iconic Babe Ruth and Michael Jordan cards, as well as the discovery of new collections, this auction demonstrated the enduring allure and investment potential of sports cards.
Source
Comments