Once again proving the hobby maxim that high-end collectibles are generally impervious to poor economic conditions elsewhere, Mile High Card Company allayed many doubts and fears within the hobby with the overwhelming results of its recent March 25th auction. With sales totaling $2.603 million, and with the recent dissolving of the industry’s largest firm, Mile High finds itself in a familiar position, confidently poised at the summit of the high-end auction scene. In terms of expertise, customer service, reliability, and, most importantly, results, Mile High stands strong and resolute, a full mile ahead (indeed above) the competition.
KEY SCARCITIES
Results for key scarcities from the company’s most recent event indicate an ever-increasing demand for elusive, high-grade material. A PSA 8 NM/MT 1933 Delong example of Lou Gehrig chimed in at $32,410, while a PSA 8 NM/MT example of Lou’s increasingly popular 1934 Goudey #37 recorded a final sales price of $14,864. Cardboard collectibles of another pinstriped hero, Mickey Mantle, also performed well, with a PSA 7 NM example of The Mick’s 1951 Bowman rookie reaching $9,829 and a PSA 8 NM/MT example of his 1953 Topps issue bringing $14,738.
HIGH-GRADE SCARCITIES
Leading the way in Mile High’s vast selection of low-population, high-grade GEMS, a PSA 10 GEM MINT example of Sandy Koufax’s second-year 1956 Topps issue reached $49,019, while a PSA 10 GEM MINT example of Willie Mays’ 1963 Topps issue, the only one of its kind, brought a bewildering $30,860, and a PSA 10 GEM MINT example of Ernie Banks’ challenging 1971 Topps issue, also a Pop 1, brought an impressive $12,773. High-grade examples from the 1951 Bowman Baseball issue performed particularly well, with PSA 9 MINT examples of Gil Hodges bringing $13,112, Tommy Byrne bringing $4,141, Gene Mauch brining $4,593, Carl Erskine bringing $2,397, and nearly a dozen PSA 9 MINT 1951 Bowman commons bringing anywhere from $1,195 to $1,618. Other notable, low-pop, high-grade sales included the following:
• 1909 T204 Ramly Bobby Wallace PSA 7 $7,383
• 1953 Parkhurst #1 Harry Lumley PSA 8 $3,076
• 1954 Topps Hockey #1 Dick Gamble PSA 8 $3,450
• 1954 Topps Hockey #58 Terry Sawchuck PSA 8.5 $5,824
• 1956 Topps #154 Dave Pope Gray Back PSA 10 $4,204
• 1956 Topps #2 Warren Giles Gray Back PSA 9 $6,316
• 1956 Topps #339 Rance Pless PSA 9 $5,513
• 1957 Topps Football #119 Bart Starr PSA 8 $3,285
• 1959 Topps #270 Gil Hodges PSA 10 $6,223
• 1959 Topps #20 Duke Snider PSA 10 $5,824
• 1959 Topps #450 Eddie Mathews PSA 9 $7,754
• 1962 Topps Football #28 Jim Brown PSA 8.5 $2,714
• 1963 Topps #380 Ernie Banks PSA 9 $3,285
• 1964 Topps Hockey #91 Eric Nesterenko PSA 9 $3,420
• 1966 Topps #490 Bobby Richardson PSA 10 $2,591
TANTALIZING TOBACCO
High-grade T205 Gold Borders and T206 White Borders abounded in Mile High’s Spring ’09 catalog, spanning nearly 35 pages of the company’s impressive 352-page publication, and the final results were no less impressive than the company’s expert presentation of this iconic material. With too many record-setting prices to list, following are the highlights. For a complete breakdown of realized prices, please search the company’s ended auction at www.milehighcardco.com, where you can also find results from past record-breaking auctions as well.
• T205 Dolly Gray No Stats PSA 8 $10,321
• T205 Jake Stahl PSA 8 $8,529
• T205 Jiggs Donahue PSA 8 $5,824
• T205 Thomas Downey PSA 8 $10,321
• T205 Neal Ball PSA 8 $8,529
• T205 Mordecai Brown PSA 7 $3,191
• T205 Amby McConnell PSA 7 $2,943
• T206 Chief Bender “Portrait” PSA 8.5 $7,036
• T206 Jack Chesbro PSA 8 $11,488
• T206 Ty Cobb “Green Back” PSA 7 $16,233
• T206 Cy Young “Portrait” PSA 7 $8,923
• T206 Cy Young “Pitching” Cycle PSA 7 $6,552
• T206 Chief Bender “Pitching No Trees” PSA 7 $2,675
• T206 Joe Tinker “Bat off Shoulder” PSA 7 $2,637
• T206 Johnny Evers “With Bat, Cubs Shirt” PSA 7 $4,249
• T206 Christy Mathewson “Dark Cap” Old Mill PSA 7 $5,894
• T206 Eddie Collins “Portrait” PSA 7 $2,943
• T206 Ed Foster Old Mill PSA 7 $3,450
SETS
As always, Mile High achieved staggering sales numbers for a variety of elusive sets, spanning the hobby. The only known 1968 Topps Plaks Test issue set of 3-player sprues totaled $65,344 after the buyer’s premium, while a partial set (74/96) of 1934 Goudeys in PSA 8 brought $71,879. A 1986 Fleer Basketball set completely graded PSA 10 GEM MINT, one of just five such sets in the world, turned many heads with a price tag of $29,711. Back to baseball, a 1957 Topps set completely graded PSA 8 (without the checklists) sold for $35,708, and a 1958 Topps set, partially graded with most key cards in PSA 8, brought $23,768. Finally, a series of partially graded Topps Presentation sets from 1959, 1961, and 1962 sold for $10,151 and $14,864 and $23,941, respectively.
NON-SPORT
Taking the reins from the vanquished competition as the hobby’s foremost clearinghouse for non-sport material, Mile High recorded staggering prices for a number of raw, partially graded, and completely graded non-sport sets. The #2 finest 1953 Topps Who-Z-At-Star PSA Set Registry sold for $2,397, while a partially graded 1955 Topps Rails and Sails set brought $3,563. A partially graded 1956 Topps Davy Crockett Orange near set (79/80) brought $3,976, with the only missing card, a PSA 10 GEM MINT example of card #38, bringing $1,485 on its own, and partially graded sets of 1957 Topps Space and 1957 Topps Planes Red Backs bringing $3,137 and $2,851, respectively. Most impressively, a completely graded 1959 Fleer Three Stooges near set (88/96) raked in $13,344, with several high-grade Stooge singles, offered in separate lots, turning heads as well, including: #2 PSA 8 for $2,355, #3 PSA 8 for $3,136, #62 PSA 9 for $1,315, #68 PSA 9 for $1,315, #71 PSA 9 for $2,826, #74 PSA 9 for $1,086, #83 PSA 9 for $1,315, #85 PSA 9 for $1,315, and #95 PSA 9 for $2,826.
According to Mile High Card Company founder and President, Brian Drent, “we had over 350 new and actively bidding registered users, which is more new customers than we’ve ever had for any particular auction. Our numbers were strong, sure, but I think that in itself is a good sign for the hobby. I know it’s definitely a good one for us.”
Mile High Card Company has distinguished itself among elite auction houses as a specialist in the sports card market, consistently realizing record-setting prices for the world’s finest sets and high-grade singles that, in many cases, far outdistance the competition. As a follow-up to this highly successful event, MHCC is currently planning an August-September Summer ’09 premier catalog auction, and is actively seeking consignments. Continuing its successful Consignor Incentive Program, the top consignor to its Summer ’09 auction will receive airfare, lodging, and two tickets to a 2009 World Series game. To consign your treasured material to the hobby’s most consistently reliable auction house, or to register with the company and receive free catalogs for future events, please visit www.milehighcardco.com or call Mile High Card Company directly at 303.840.2784 (8:00-5:00 MTS M-F).
