The penultimate Tom Brady football card and a key Steph Curry basketball card headline the newly opened Lelands 2021 Late Summer Classic Auction.
The 2000 Playoff Contenders Championship Rookie Ticket #144 Brady Autograph card is considered his most desirable rookie card by most collectors, with only 100 signed copies issued. The card up for bid is numbered 63/100. It’s graded BGS NM-MT 8 with an autograph grade of 9, and follows two other specimens of the card selling for record prices of $2.25 million and $3.1 million in Lelands’ two most recent auctions.
Bidding had passed $200,000 within the first 12 hours of the auction launch.
The 2009 National Treasures #206 Stephen Curry (RPA) Rookie Patch Autograph is the most iconic and desirable Curry card in the hobby. The card features a patch cut from what appears to be the nameplate on his Warriors jersey. The card is graded a BGS MT-9 with an autograph grade of 10.
Other Brady cards on the auction block are a 2020 Panini Flawless Super Bowl Gems “1/1” Autograph with 24 diamonds, a 2000 Donruss Elite Status #183 rookie jersey #10/10 graded PSA Mint 9, and a 2000 Playoff Championship Rookie Ticket #144 Autograph Donruss Vault Copy rated BGS Authentic with a 10 autograph grade.
Among the memorabilia in the auction is a New England Patriots Super Bowl LI players ring from the team’s remarkable comeback from a 25-point deficit to defeat the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 in overtime. The player has asked to remain anonymous with the name revealed only to the person who wins the ring.
Another auction centerpiece is a Bear Bryant personally worn houndstooth hat obtained directly from the legendary Alabama Football coach. A similar Bear Bryant fedora sold for $73,000 in a recent Lelands auction.
The auction also boasts a pair of Lebron James Cavaliers 2017 Eastern Conference Playoffs game-worn, signed, photo-matched sneakers that were gifted to teammate Kyrie Irving. The shoes carry an emphatic, profane expression of James’ appreciation for Irving’s talent.
Also featured in the auction is a group of Michael Jordan’s personally worn clothing, including coats, jackets, suits, dress shirts, athletic shirts, belts– and even his underwear. The MJ wardrobe is from the personal collection of Jordan’s longtime personal security guard and close friend, the late John Michael Wozniak, who starred in “The Last Dance” documentary.
Other basketball items up for sale include a 2003 Upper Deck SP Authentic LeBron James and Michael Jordan Dual Signature autograph card, as well as Jordan, Larry Bird and Shaquille O’Neal signed jerseys from disgraced former NBA referee Tim Donaghy, an MJ signed Chicago Cubs ticket from the day (9/12/84) he signed with the Bulls, a 1982 NCAA Finals Jordan and James Worthy signed “The Shot” UNC Tar Heels championship ticket, a circa 1957 Bill Russell Celtics rookie era warm-up suit, and an Elgin Baylor 1968 Lakers game-worn jersey.
The auction also includes a 1951 Mickey Mantle Major League debut ticket stub, a hobby fresh complete set collection that includes a 1952 Topps baseball set, vintage sports and non-sports photos from the legendary Brown Brothers Photograph Archive, single signed baseballs from Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, and Cy Young, a Yankees team-signed baseball with Ruth standing alone on the sweet spot, and a 2009 Bowman Chrome Draft Prospects X-Fractors Mike Trout Rookie Autograph.
Additional auction highlights include:
- Famed long distance runner Steve Prefontaine’s bib from his first-ever NCAA Cross Country Championship victory
- Tiger Woods’ 1997 flight-worn Thunderbirds “VIP” USAF flight suit
- A 1979 Topps Hockey unopened wax box
- A 1990-91 Mario Lemieux Penguins Stanley Cup Championship season game-worn jersey
- Peter Pocklington’s 1985 Edmonton Oilers Stanley Cup Championship ring
- A Jack Lambert Steelers / NFL Pro Bowl game-worn helmet
- A 1973 Secretariat Man o’ War Stakes race-worn shoe
- Stanley Ketchel’s 1908 middleweight champion belt and Ketchel 1909 fight-worn gloves
The auction continues through September 25.
