Over the weekend, Heritage Auctions' Winter Sports Card Auction made waves in the collecting world. The star of the show was a premiere SGC graded 1916 M101-5 blank back Babe Ruth rookie card, which fetched an astonishing sale price of $630,000. This particular card, rated 5.5 by SGC, is incredibly rare with only seven other examples known within SGC's records. The auction itself was a historic event, accumulating over $11.1 million in total sales. Among the highlights were seven items that sold for over $100,000, including the buyer's premium. Notably, a 1986-87 Fleer Michael Jordan rookie card, graded PSA 10, achieved the highest sale price for a Gem Mint PSA graded copy since September 2021.
One of the show's standout attractions was a collection of vintage, still-sealed boxes. Of particular interest was a 1965 Topps Baseball wax box containing cards from the second, third, and fourth series. The box, which came from the collection of Adolph "Herky" Rupp Jr., sold for an impressive $336,000 after being authenticated by BBCE. Rupp Jr. was the descendant of the renowned Kentucky basketball coach, Adolph Rupp. The collection also featured a 1953 Topps Willie Mays card, graded PSA 8, which commanded a price of $186,000.
The auction also included the sale of several unopened boxes from a recently discovered collection acquired at the end of the previous year. These boxes sparked intense bidding and broke records. A 1970 Topps Baseball 6th series cello box sold for an astounding $105,000, a 1968 Topps Football 1st series 36-pack cello box set a new benchmark at $99,000, and a 1973 Topps Baseball 3rd series 500-count vending box fetched $18,600. The initial offerings from this collection, associated with a former Topps employee, totaled $284,455, with expectations of reaching seven figures as more items are sold in future auctions.
The auction also featured nearly two dozen vintage autographed cards, originally amassed by Mike Greenbaum, which generated significant interest. A standout among these was a 1949 Bowman Jackie Robinson card, graded 1.5 with an autograph grade of 8, which 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 also made an impact at the auction. A T206 Ty Cobb Green portrait, graded PSA 6 and featuring a Piedmont advertising back, sold for $105,000. A 1958 Topps Mickey Mantle card, graded PSA 9, reached an impressive $80,533, while a 1962 Topps Manager's Dream card, showcasing both Mantle and Mays, sold for $75,000.
Complete sets were not left behind in the auction's lineup. The highest-rated set of 1909-1912 Colgan's chips discs sold for $54,000. 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. These sales highlighted the auction's diversity and the value collectors placed on these sets.
In conclusion, the Heritage Auctions' Winter Sports Card Auction made history with its extraordinary sales. The rare Babe Ruth rookie card and pristine Michael Jordan rookie card were the stars of the show, leading to record-breaking prices. The auction also featured remarkable unopened boxes, vintage autographed cards, and complete sets that attracted collectors from all corners of the market. It is a testament to the enduring popularity and value of sports cards in the collecting community.
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