One of the hobby’s most elusive pre-War card sets proved the high-grade baseball card market is alive and well early Saturday morning. Taking years to build and one second to change hands, the PSA Set Registry’s #1-rated 1914 Cracker Jack set sold for $502, 775 in Mile High Card Company’s fall auction.
The set, which was actually two cards short, was offered as a set and single cards. When the accumulated bids on the singles didn’t reach the high bid on the set, it was sold to the top set bidder. 34 bids were entered in all. The final price reflected the company’s 19% buyer’s premium which was added into the final bid of all lots.
The total sales from lots in the auction came to just over $2.82 million. Over 1600 lots were offered.
Bidders went after a number of high-grade rookie cards and rare vintage sets in the auction. A T205 near set (216/221) started at $12,500 and ended with a final price of $74,458.
One of the most rare and sought after hockey cards drew serious interest. A 1966 Topps USA test issue of Bobby Orr, graded PSA 8.5, brought a remarkable $70,703. Only 62 Orr test issue cards have been graded with the 8.5 tops on the list.
The elusive 1933 Goudey Nap Lajoie was offered in PSA 8 grade and sold for $43,880. Several 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle cards of varying grades went on the block, with bidders having their pick. Best of the lot was a PSA 7 that sold for $42,939. A PSA 5 example went for $16,104. A PSA 8.5 1951 Bowman Mantle rookie card sold for $32,037.
Collectors of top grade football went after two of the NFL’s greatest legends featured on cardboard. A 1958 Jim Brown rookie, graded PSA 9, sold for $29,257 while a PSA 10 1951 Bowman Tom Landry rookie card, graded PSA 10, realized $16,286.
Memorabilia collectors found a 1955 game-used bat dating from Roberto Clemente’s rookie year. Bidding stopped with a final price of $48,415.
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[…] collectors has not forgotten the fleet-footed Mr. Pratt, however, as his card issued in the 1914 Cracker Jack set has been passed down through hobby lore as a heralded short print. There is no mythical tale of […]