Mile High Card Company recently established a new firm record with its $2.807 million dollar October Premiere Auction. Founded in 1996, Mile High has evolved into the hobby’s leading auctioneer of scarce, high-grade sports and non-sports cards, and the company’s ability to continually outdo itself, especially during the economic recession, is a testament not only to the company itself, but to the remarkable resilience and general health of the hobby as well. As is always the case with such expansive auctions, several hundred high-end lots performed exceptionally well, far in excess of expectation, while highgrade examples from a number of iconic sets, including Cracker Jacks and Goudeys, proved nearly untouchable. For a complete breakdown of the realized prices, please visit the company’s attractive new website at www.MileHighCardco.com, where you can also find past results from other record-breaking auctions, as well as a company overview with contact information, consignment details and incentive programs, Mile High’s show schedule, and Mile High news.
Clearly, high-grade Cracker Jacks and Goudeys led the way in Mile High’s October sale, which was also buoyed by record-breaking prices for several iconic low-pop stars and Hall of Famers from various years and issues, and some incredible numbers for dozens of elusive low-pop commons (see below). A close look at the numbers also shows some extremely surprising results for various issues in the PSA 8.5 NM/MT+ grade, as well as some encouraging results from the modern market. “The numbers from the October auction speak for themselves,” says Mile High founder and President, Brian Drent, who expressed his satisfaction for yet another successful event. “Our biggest challenge is always trying to simultaneously satisfy both our consignors and customers. It’s a very fine line, but I feel we do it better than anyone else. Our targeted marketing campaigns and professional catalogs give our consignors every possible chance to realize maximum potential for their valued material, and our increasing capacity as a company has made it possible for us to engage collectors on any budget and in any genre.” Drent’s point is a little understated. Literally hundreds of lots from the October auction sold for multiple times their book values, reflecting the hobby’s continual ebb and flow of what’s hot and what’s not. Here’s a list of what was hot in Mile High’s October 6th $2.807 million dollar auction:
KEY SCARCITIES
* 1912 T202 Hassan Triple Folder Shean/Chance PSA 9 MINT $23,565
* 1914 Cracker Jack #103 Joe Jackson SGC 84 NM 7 $56,865
* 1929 Star Player Candy #21 Babe Ruth SGC 88 NM/MT 8 $20,389
* 1933 Goudey #164 Lloyd Waner PSA 9 MINT $14,084
* 1951 Bowman #253 Mickey Mantle PSA 8 NM/MT $19,870
* 1951 Bowman #305 Willie Mays PSA 8 NM/MT $12,283
* 1951 Laval Dairy #1 Jean Beliveau PSA 9 MINT $5,053
* 1953 Topps #82 Mickey Mantle PSA 9 MINT $87,768
* 1954 Wilson Franks Ted Williams PSA 8.5 NM/MT+ $56,865
* 1965 Philadelphia #195 Charley Taylor PSA 10 GEM MINT $8,284
* 1971 Topps #156 Terry Bradshaw PSA 9 MINT $6,484
* 1973 Topps #220 Nolan Ryan PSA 10 GEM MINT $28,644
* 1975 Topps #616 Jim Rice PSA 10 GEM MINT $6,846
HIGH-GRADE SCARCITIES
* 1911 T205 Gold Border David Shean PSA 8 NM/MT $5,824
* 1911 T205 Gold Border George F. Graham PSA 8 NM/MT $5,295
* 1911 T205 Gold Border Jack Quinn PSA 8 NM/MT $5,295
* 1911 T205 Gold Border Harry Lord PSA 7 NM $3,136
* 1915 Zeenut P.C.L. Ables With Tab PSA 5 EX $2,371
* 1936 Diamond Stars #102 Van Mungo PSA 8 NM/MT $3,920
* 1936 Diamond Stars #103 Bill Dickey PSA 8 NM/MT $6,552
* 1939 Play Ball #143 Earl Averill SGC 96 MINT 9 $2,269
* 1951 Bowman #1 Mel Parnell PSA 8 NM/MT $4,674
* 1951 Bowman #63 Bob Dillinger PSA 8.5 NM/MT+ $5,011
* 1951 Bowman #115 Steve Gromek PSA 9 MINT $2,122
* 1952 Topps #79 Gerald Staley PSA 8 NM/MT $2,081
* 1952 Topps #204 Ron Northey PSA 9 MINT $4,175
* 1953 Topps #216 Jim Hughes PSA 9 MINT $4,174
* 1955 Topps #47 Hank Aaron PSA 9 MINT $5,903
* 1956 Topps #340 Mickey McDermott PSA 9 MINT $4,674
* 1957 Topps #1 Ted Williams PSA 9 MINT $7,307
* 1958 Topps #97 Larry Jackson Yellow Name PSA 9 MINT $3,238
* 1958 Topps #278 Mack Burk PSA 10 GEM MINT $3,109
* 1959 Topps #105 Lee Walls PSA 9 MINT $2,923
* 1959 Topps #350 Ernie Banks PSA 10 GEM MINT $3,934
* 1959 Topps #445 Cal McLish PSA 9 MINT $3,216
* 1959 Topps #545 Tom Morgan PSA 10 GEM MINT $4,555
* 1963 Topps #537 Pete Rose PSA 8.5 NM/MT+ $4,427
* 1965 Bazooka #14 Bob Clemente Hand Cut PSA 10 GEM MINT $4,625
* 1965 Topps #300 Sandy Koufax PSA 9 MINT $2,901
* 1966 Topps #126 Jim Palmer PSA 9 MINT $3,191
* 1967 Topps #140 Willie Stargell PSA 10 GEM MINT $2,943
* 1967 Topps #210 Bob Gibson PSA 10 GEM MINT $2,901
* 1967 Topps #243 AL HR Leaders PSA 10 GEM MINT $2,826
* 1968 Topps 3-D Boog Powell PSA 8 NM/MT $8,529
* 1968 Topps 3-D Mel Stottlemyre PSA 6 EX/MT $3,764
* 1968 O-Pee-Chee Pin-Ups Bob Clemente PSA 7 NM $3,795
* 1969 Topps #630 Bobby Bonds PSA 10 GEM MINT $2,851
* 1970 Topps #712 Nolan Ryan SGC 98 GEM 10 $4,024
* 1971 Topps #26 Bert Blyleven PSA 9 MINT $3,576
* 1971 Topps #100 Pete Rose PSA 9 MINT $5,538
* 1971 Topps #709 Rookie Stars Baker/Baylor PSA 9 MINT $4,674
CRACKER JACKS
* 1914 #30 Ty Cobb PSA 6 EX/MT $10,151
* 1914 #103 Joe Jackson SGC 84 NM 7 $56,865
* 1915 #1 Otto Knabe SGC 88 NM/MT 8 $6,099
* 1915 #14 Sam Crawford PSA 8 NM/MT $5,765
* 1915 #16 Howie Camnitz SGC 96 MINT 9 $3,285
* 1915 #18 Johnny Evers PSA 8 NM/MT $4,330
* 1915 #22 Smoky Joe Wood PSA 8 NM/MT $4,761
* 1915 #30 Ty Cobb SGC 88 NM/MT 8 $22,077
* 1915 #37 Grover Alexander SGC 96 MINT 9 $9,227
* 1915 #43 Richard Marquard SGC 96 MINT 9 $8,388
* 1915 #48 Stephen O’Neill SGC 96 MINT 9 $2,243
* 1915 #57 Walter Johnson PSA 8 NM/MT $14,241
* 1915 #69 John McGraw PSA 8 NM/MT $5,894
* 1915 #99 Hal Chase SGC 92 NM/MT+ 92 $3,355
* 1915 #126 Walter Blair PSA 9 MINT $2,986
* 1915 #127 Butch Schmidt PSA 8 NM/MT $2,355
* 1915 #131 George Baumgardner PSA 8 NM/MT $3,795
* 1915 #153 Bill James PSA 9 MINT $3,285
* 1915 #156 Jean Dubuc SGC 96 MINT 9 $3,285
* 1915 #158 Fritz Maisel SGC 96 MINT 9 $2,714
* 1915 #166 Bullet Joe Bush SGC 96 MINT 9 $3,976
GOUDEYS
* 1933 #5 Babe Herman PSA 8 NM/MT $5,358
* 1933 #7 Ted Lyon PSA 8.5 NM/MT+ $7,132
* 1933 #24 Horace Ford PSA 8.5 NM/MT+ $4,674
* 1933 #37 Jimmy Wilson PSA 9 MINT $8,442
* 1933 #40 Taylor Douthit PSA 8.5 NM/MT+ $2,901
* 1933 #49 Frankie Frisch PSA 8 NM/MT $4,427
* 1933 #52 Andy Cohen PSA 8 NM/MT $5,656
* 1933 #92 Lou Gehrig PSA 8 NM/MT $11,366
* 1933 #124 Earl Whitehill PSA 8.5 NM/MT+ $2,355
* 1933 #142 Paul Richards PSA 8.5 NM/MT+ $5,053
* 1933 #143 Glenn Wright SGC 92 NM/MT+ 8.5 $2,140
* 1933 #144 Babe Ruth PSA 6.5 EX/MT+ $7,207
* 1933 #149 Babe Ruth SGC 86 NM+ 7.5 $14,119
* 1933 #149 Babe Ruth PSA 6 EX/MT $6,702
* 1933 #160 Lou Gehrig PSA 8 NM/MT $12,916
* 1933 #164 Lloyd Waner PSA 9 MINT $14,084
* 1933 #181 Babe Ruth PSA 7 NM $6,092
* 1933 #185 Bob Smith PSA 8.5 NM/MT+ $3,795
* 1934 #61 Lou Gehrig SGC 84 NM 7 $6,494
COMPLETE SETS
* 1950 Drake’s Bakeries #2 Finest PSA Set Registry $16,081
* 1956 Topps Complete Set Completely PSA Graded $30,789
* 1962 Topps High-Grade Set with PSA Graded $18,923
* 1963 Fleer Football #1 Finest PSA Set Registry $11,878
* 1965 Topps High-Grade Set with PSA Graded $10,673
* 1967 Topps #1 Finest PSA Set Registry (only 225 cards) $135,569
* 1971 Topps High-Grade Set Near Completely PSA Graded $21,908
MODERN
* 1975 Topps #4 Al Kaline PSA 10 GEM MINT $1,767
* 1975 Topps #616 Jim Rice PSA 10 GEM MINT $6,846
* 1975 Topps Mini #616 Jim Rice PSA 10 GEM MINT $2,591
* 1975 Topps #282 Lynn Swann PSA 10 GEM MINT $1,767
* 1980 O-Pee-Chee #87 Wayne Gretsky AS PSA 10 GEM MINT $3,285
* 1982 Topps Traded #98T Cal Ripken PSA 10 GEM MINT $1,799
* 1986 Fleer #57 Michael Jordan PSA 10 GEM MINT $7,373
* 1986 Fleer #57 Michael Jordan PSA 9 MINT $1,799
* 1986 Fleer Stickers #8 Michael Jordan BGS 9.5 GEM MINT $3,136
* 1988 Fleer Stickers #7 Michael Jordan BGS 9.5 GEM MINT $7,049
* 2006 Topps Co-Signers Cuts Washington & Jefferson 1/1 $11,071
Mile High Card Company has distinguished itself among elite auction houses as a specialist in the sport and non-sport card market, consistently realizing record-setting prices for the hobby’s finest sets and high-grade singles. As a follow-up to this highly successful event, MHCC is currently planning its firstever December Premium Sports Collectibles Auction, a decidedly smaller event with roughly 200-400 lots of more select and prestigious material. The company hopes this new format will allow it to bring a higher-end collectible to its customers in a smaller and quainter atmosphere around the holidays, while still accepting choice prized items for its more traditional auction catalogs throughout the year.
With a rapidly approaching consignment deadline of Nov. 1, the company is currently accepting a limited number of select items for its inaugural December Premium Sports Collectibles Auction, as well as material for its Winter 2010 event, and invites all interested consignors to explore their various options with the company before trusting their cherished items to another house. Continuing its successful Consignor Incentive Program, the top consignor to its December ‘09 auction will receive airfare, lodging, and ski passes for two people for 4 days and 3 nights in Vail, Colorado. For more details, visit the company’s website at www.MileHighCardCo.com or call 303.840.2784 (8:00-5:00 MST M-F).
