The Winter Sports Card Auction held by Heritage Auctions recently witnessed an event of historic proportions. The highlight of the auction was the sale of a premier SGC graded 1916 M101-5 blank back Babe Ruth rookie card, which fetched an astounding $630,000. This particular card, with a rating of 5.5 by SGC, is a rarity, with only seven other known examples in SGC's records. The auction itself was a monumental success, generating over $11.1 million in total sales, with seven items each surpassing $100,000 (including buyer's premium). Notably, a Gem Mint PSA graded copy of the 1986-87 Fleer Michael Jordan rookie card achieved the highest sale price for a PSA 10 Gem Mint graded card since September 2021.
The Winter Sports Card Auction showcased an impressive collection of vintage, still-sealed boxes, with one of the highlights being a 1965 Topps Baseball wax box containing cards from the second, third, and fourth series. This box, originating from the collection of Adolph "Herky" Rupp Jr., was auctioned off for an impressive $336,000 after being authenticated by BBCE. Rupp Jr. was the descendant of the legendary Kentucky basketball coach, Adolph Rupp. His collection also included a 1953 Topps Willie Mays card, graded PSA 8, which fetched a price of $186,000.
In addition to these remarkable items, the auction also featured the sale of several unopened boxes from a recently discovered collection acquired towards the end of the previous year. Among these, a 1970 Topps Baseball 6th series cello box set a new record with a sale price of $105,000, a 1968 Topps Football 1st series 36-pack cello box reached $99,000, and a 1973 Topps Baseball 3rd series 500-count vending box was sold for $18,600. The initial offerings from this collection, tied to a former Topps employee, fetched a total of $284,455, with expectations of reaching seven figures as more items from the collection are sold in the coming months.
The Winter Sports Card Auction also featured nearly two dozen vintage autographed cards, originally amassed by Mike Greenbaum. These cards garnered significant interest from collectors. A standout item was a 1949 Bowman Jackie Robinson card, graded 1.5 with an autograph grade of 8, which fetched a remarkable $117,000. A similarly graded signed Roy Campanella card from the same set was sold for $69,000.
Several individual cards also attracted attention and high bids during the auction. A T206 Ty Cobb Green portrait card, graded PSA 6 with a Piedmont advertising back, sold for an impressive $105,000. A 1958 Topps Mickey Mantle card, graded PSA 9, reached a sales price of $80,533. Another notable sale was for a 1962 Topps Manager's Dream card featuring both Mantle and Mays, which was sold for $75,000.
In addition to individual cards, complete sets were also offered at the Winter Sports Card Auction. The highest-rated set of 1909-1912 Colgan's chips discs sold for a significant $54,000. The 16th ranked 1969-70 Topps Basketball set garnered $93,000, while an all-PSA 8 1952 Bowman baseball set was acquired for $84,000. These sales highlighted the diversity and value of the selections available at the auction.
The Winter Sports Card Auction at Heritage Auctions proved to be a historic event, with rare and valuable sports cards, autographed cards, still-sealed boxes, and complete sets attracting passionate collectors and fetching record-breaking prices. The auction not only showcased the enduring popularity of these collectibles but also reaffirmed the market's enthusiasm for iconic figures like Babe Ruth and Michael Jordan.
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