Prepare your wallets and rev up your Wi-Fi connections, esteemed sports card collectors and aficionados, because Miller & Miller Auctions is about to light up your virtual world with a nostalgia-filled showcase of legendary caliber. Taking place entirely online (because we all know how much sports fans adore tech gadgets nearly as much as they cherish trading cards), this June 22nd event is a delightful nod to the timeless elegance of pre-1980 sports memorabilia. Expect bidding fireworks as 235 lots of exceptional sports cards and storied artifacts come under the digital gavel.
Front and center in this parade of sporting legends is none other than Mickey Mantle, the veritable demigod of baseball card reverence. Trumpets might as well sound from the ether as the 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle rookie card makes its entrance. This card isn't just a piece of baseball history; it’s akin to the Holy Grail for any self-respecting baseball card collector. Even with the wear and tear typical of well-clung treasures, it still promises to stir a whirlwind of frantic bids, confidently estimated to sweep up between $40,000 and $50,000 CAD. The card gleams with a PSA grade of 2 Good, where its corners whisper tales of yore, while its edges and face still impress like Mantle's home runs.
The baseball offerings continue in style with a star-studded ensemble from the 1952 Topps series, notably the elusive “High Numbers” collection. Spanning from Mantle’s #311 to card #407, these select cards are the golden apples of the baseball card world. Despite the patina of history that's settled upon them, they command expected bids ranging from $3,000 to $5,000 CAD. It’s an exquisite window into a bygone era, and a slice of hobby lore for those daring to reach into their pockets to grab them.
Switching lanes from the crack of bats to the slap of pucks, we have the revered 1951 Parkhurst #66 Gordie Howe rookie card, expected to rouse some zealous bidding activity between $8,000 and $10,000 CAD. This PSA 3 Very Good card is not quite flawless; no museum casing for this battle-scarred hero. However, its very essence sings of its era, holding strong sway over collectors’ hearts with its sheer eye appeal, a testament to Howe’s enduring legacy on the ice.
Then enters Bobby Orr, the hockey virtuoso, represented by his 1966 Topps #35 rookie card. With a grading of KSA 6 Excellent-Near Mint, it teases both the aficionados and serious investors alike with its prospective auction value, anticipated to hover between $8,000 and $9,000 CAD. It’s more than just cardboard; it’s a slice of hockey’s golden age captured in minty brilliance.
Adding a splash of the unique is the lauded game-used, team-signed stick of hockey's tale-spun hero, Bill Barilko. This artifact, from the Toronto Maple Leafs' victory march during the 1951 Stanley Cup season, isn’t merely wood and lacquer; it’s a fragment of hockey’s heart and soul. Encompassed by Barilko’s number and autographs from his fellow players, it stakes a claim as a one-of-a-kind prize with valuation estimates at $3,000 to $5,000 CAD.
For those with a penchant for grandeur, an alluring shadow box displaying Parkhurst rookie cards of Maurice and Henri Richard awaits. These cards, alongside a signed Louisville Pro Flex stick, a puck, and bronze plaque, are poised in a magnificent tableau of Montreal Canadiens lore, estimated to exchange hands for $4,000 to $6,000 CAD.
The dazzling exhibition continues with a complete set of the elongated 1964-65 Topps “Tall Boys” hockey cards, featuring giants of the game like Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull, and Tim Horton. Well-preserved and vivid with history, this set demands attention, expected to claim $4,000 to $6,000 CAD.
Not to forget, the 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee uncut sheet offers 226 hockey cards, prominently showcasing an untouched #18 Wayne Gretzky rookie card. Despite its minor blemishes, this relic of the rink is destined to cut across collectors' hearts, with expectations set between $3,500 to $4,500 CAD.
Ben Pernfuss, the resolute Consignment Director at Miller & Miller, sets the stage for this storied auction with gusto. He notes it as a veritable hall of fame, open to bidders eager to clutch onto pivotal pieces from the 1951 Parkhurst and 1952 Topps sets, containing legends whose names echo across time and ice.
Those itching to partake in this digital dance of nostalgia can peruse the catalog on Miller & Miller’s website or dive into the bidding fray via LiveAuctioneers. Renowned across Canada as stewards of high-value collections, Miller & Miller are ever-prepared to handle these precious relics of our sporting past with the same devotion an athlete gives to their game.
So set your timers, sports fans, for an auction that promises its attendees more than memories; it offers history itself, ready to be grasped, held, and preserved as part of a coveted collection.
Mickey Mantle Rookie At Auction
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