Babe Ruth continued to prove he was the king on and off the field as his 1916 M101-5 Blank Back (Sporting News) Babe Ruth Rookie #151 PSA NM 7 baseball card sold for $552,000 to lead Heritage Auctions Sports Collectibles Auction which concluded Saturday night after extended bidding. The May 11-13 thee-day auction saw collectibles from the most historic names in sports sell for impressive values as the total price realized for the auction reached nearly $10 million.
Iconic baseball cards led the way with Mickey Mantle cards from the early 1950s capturing the attention of collectors. A 1956 Topps Mickey Mantle #135 PSA Gem Mint 10, one of only four known to exist, sold for $360,000 while Mantle’s 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle #253 PSA NM-MT 8 and his 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 PSA NM 7 each realized $168,000.
Two incredible Cracker Jack issue cards, a 1914 Cracker Jack Ty Cobb #30 PSA NM-MT 8 sold for $144,000, more than double its pre-auction estimate, and a 1915 Cracker Jack Joe Jackson #103 PSA NM-MT 8 realized $102,000 bringing the total realized value of the top six cards to $1.5 million.
The 1916 M101-5 Blank Back (Sporting News) Joe Jackson #86 PSA NM-MT 8 sold for more than double its pre-auction estimate fetching $84,000 which was the same price the 1933 Goudey Lou Gehrig #92 PSA NM-MT+ 8.5 realized. A 1907 Seamless Steel Tubes Post Card Ty Cobb Rookie that featured a Cobb handwritten and signed baseball-related message that was authenticated and encapsulated by PSA/DNA rocketed past its $10,000+ pre-auction estimate and sold for $84,000.
A trash to treasure garage sale under purchase 1976 Thurman Munson World Series Game Four Worn New York Yankees Jersey sold for $78,000 in its first appearance at auction. Bought in the tri-state area the jersey was worn by a band as a Halloween costume before being photo-matched and authenticated as game-worn during Game Four of the 1976 World Series.
Yankee legend Yogi Berra’s 1956 New York Yankees World Series Championship Rolex Gold Wristwatch Presented to Berra sold for $72,000 more than three times estimate and the jersey Hammerin’ Hank Aaron wore during his run to Ruth’s home run record a 1973 Hank Aaron Game Worn Atlanta Braves Jersey garnered for $60,000.
Two turn of the century baseball cards exceeded expectations as the 1902-11 W600 Sporting Life – Type 1 Napoleon Lajoie (Street) SGC 55 VG/EX+ 4.5 sold for $60,000 double its estimate and the 1909-11 E90-1 American Caramel Joe Jackson PSA VG 3 sold for $57,600, almost triple its estimate.
Mantle, Ruth and Lou Gehrig rounded out the highest earning collectibles for the auction as a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 PSA EX-MT 6, sold for $57,600 while a 1927-28 Babe Ruth & Lou Gehrig Dual-Signed Barnstorming Photograph, sold for $57,600 well over its $40,000 estimate and a NM-MT 1940-42 Babe Ruth Single Signed Baseball sold for $55,200.
Additional auction highlights include but are not limited to:
- 1926 Walter Hagen PGA Championship Gold Medal, sold for $52,800
- 1910 Philadelphia Athletics World Championship Award Pin Presented to Outfielder Bristol Lord, sold for $48,000
- 1888-89 N173 Old Judge Cabinet Ed Delahanty (#123-3) SGC 30 Good 2, sold for $48,000
- 2000 Playoff Contenders Championship Rookie Ticket-Autograph Tom Brady #144 PSA NM-MT 8 – #016/100, sold for $20,400
- 1887 Chicago Amateur Baseball League Championship Silver Presentational Bat, sold for $22,800
- 1912 World Series Game Five Full Ticket, sold for $20,400
- Early 1930’s Babe Ruth Signed Photograph, PSA/DNA Mint 9, sold for $18,000
- 1944 Herb Pennock Single Signed Baseball, sold for $16,800
- 1933 NFL Championship Game Program, sold for $9,000
