The long goodbye is just about over and this time there will be no post-season. A career that began in Bill Clinton’s first term has all but come to an end and while the last days of his career will likely spawn more, it’s a good time to look back at ten of the most valuable Derek Jeter memorabilia items sold publicly. Not surprisingly, most of the big-ticket purchases have come in the last two years, when it was obvious the Yankee captain’s Hall of Fame career was winding down.
Here’s the list:
1. 1996 World Series Game-Used Rookie Year Bat $155,350: Sold by Heritage Auctions last February, this is far and away the highest price ever achieved for a piece of Jeter-a-bilia.
2. Earliest Known Jeter Game-Used Bat, $50,787: Sold last month by Heritage, the bat was originally obtained in a silent charity auction early in Jeter’s career. We’re pretty sure the original buyer didn’t fork over 50 grand.
3. 2008 Jeter Signed Game-Used Glove, $47,589: From the final season at Yankee Stadium. It’s fairly rare to see a Jeter glove hit the market. This one was sold in July of last year by Goldin Auctions and included a Steiner Sports hologram.
4. 2005 Signed and Inscribed Grand Slam Homer Jersey, $41,825: It took Jeter ten years to hit a grand slam and this was the jersey he was wearing. Jeter hand inscribed that notation and added two autographs to the home pinstripe jersey, which was verified by MLB and sold by Heritage for $41,825 last February.
5. 2001 World Series Game-Used Signed Bat, $37,486: Just seven weeks after the 9/11 attacks, this bat was used by Jeter to win a World Series game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. While the Yankees lost the Series, Jeter’s homer was one of his most unforgettable. This bat sold via Goldin Auctions in the spring of 2013.
6. 1993 Upper Deck SP Rookie Card PSA 10, $33,842: Ungraded value of what has become the most valuable Derek Jeter baseball card varies by condition but you can often pick up a nice one for a lot less than 33 G’s. Fewer than ten had been deemed Gem Mint worthy when this one was sold, according to PSA.
7. 1999 World Series Game-Used Bat, $33,460: Jeter hit .353 in the Series sweep of the Atlanta Braves and their vaunted pitching staff. This signed P72 model sold via Heritage Auctions less than two months ago.
8. 1998 Game-Used Glove, $32,816: From his greatest season came this signed glove, which was given to a friend who lived in the same New York apartment building. It was sold by Goldin Auctions in April of this year. Not bad for a glove that may have only been used for practice.
9. 1996 Rookie Season Batting Helmet, $27,009: Not many Jeter helmets have hit the market either and this one dates to his first season when many believed he’d be a star but few could imagine how many championships he’d be a part of. Sold in November of 2013 by Goldin Auctions.
10. 2003 Game-Worn World Series Jersey, $26,290: Photo matched to use in the Series according to Heritage Auctions. Sold in August 2014.
We don’t know what will become of the items from Jeter’s game-winning final Yankee Stadium at bat. The Baseball Hall of Fame will likely receive some of it. Jeter himself may want something and you can be certain Steiner Sports will be angling to get what it can from the last game, but virtually anything used by Jeter in that last big moment could surpass most of the items on the list above.
Here’s the bat Derek Jeter just used for that walk-off single in his final Yankee Stadium at-bat. #FarewellCaptain pic.twitter.com/RfsQCRA11m
— MLB Authenticator (@MLB_Authentic) September 26, 2014
Want something a little more affordable? Steiner Sports has been busy selling game-worn and autographed items from its Derek Jeter Signature Collection. You can check out Jeter cards, memorabilia and other items on eBay here.
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