There are some auction houses that get a reputation for supplying great products that serve a certain niche for the collecting community. Collect Auctions’ specialty is quickly becoming unopened vending boxes that cross all of the major sports. For Collect Auctions’ upcoming sale, those vending boxes are back, along with a long list of high-end collectibles that will be part of the bidding that is live now and ends Aug. 11. For Collect Auctions’ summer sale, the headline item is a lot containing three vending boxes of 1971 Topps Baseball featuring Series 2, Series 3 and Series 4, which aside from being opened strictly for photos, haven’t been touched by human hands since the Topps folks packed them.
“Out of all the auctions I have put together, I feel this one has the best content,” said Steve Bloedow of Collect Auctions. “My East Coast trip really paid off, and I picked up a lot of great, unique stuff, then followed it up with a lot more great items sent in the traditional way.”
There will be plenty of other basketball, football and hockey vending boxes in the sale as well.
The vending boxes are just some of the highlights in the auction. Another interesting specimen is a 1960s Cooper Tires die-cut advertising sign, which is more rare than the square version. And speaking of rare, a 1955 Duke Snider Armour Coin has surfaced in a new color that wasn’t known to exist.
“The Snider coin is a real wild card,” Bloedow said. “Armour Coin collectors are a devoted bunch and this is something they haven’t seen. I’ve heard of one other gold coin known to exist, but it wasn’t a player near Snider’s caliber and I wasn’t able to confirm that one even existed.”
Another niche Collect Auctions has filled nicely is signed complete sets. This auction will feature a 1982 Donruss Baseball complete, signed set, filled with Hall of Famers. There’s also a 1956 Topps Baseball signed partial set with Aaron and Warren Spahn.
Also look for a Hall of Famer multi-signed bat that includes 65 signatures. Some of the names on the bat are Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Sandy Koufax, Hank Aaron and Willie Mays.
Speaking of signed items, this auction has a selection of signed 1968 Sports Illustrated posters that include Aaron, Reggie Jackson, Bob Gibson, Willie McCovey, Al Kaline, Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito and more.
Vintage baseball cards are the staple of every sports auction, and Collect Auctions will feature many high-grade singles and complete sets of 1911 T201 Mecca Double Folders, Topps sets from 1954-57 and 1958 Hires Root Beer.
This auction also includes a big selection of signed HOF Plaque Postcards that lists everyone from Paul Waner, Pie Traynor and Rogers Hornsby to Ed Walsh, Jimmie Foxx and Dave Bancroft.
A Ted Williams game-used bat from his time in the military, a Carl Yastrzemski 1965-68 signed and used bat, Mike Schmidt 1973-75 game-used bat, Joe Medwick game-worn Cardinals Old-Timeers game jersey and Robin Roberts game-worn Phillies uniform highlight the baseball game-used portion of the sale.
Finally, one of the most unique lots is a Super Bowl XL MVP Opus signed by 35 living NFL MVPs.
For more information on this auction, call (888) 463-3063 or visit www.collectauctions.com to see the lineup.
