The 1952 Topps card has gotten most of the recent headlines, but another Mickey Mantle card set a record price over the weekend. An SGC 9 (mint) 1959 Topps Mantle sold for $60,667 in SCP Auctions’ Summer Premier, setting a new benchmark.
The auction set a dozen records as it closed with a flurry of bidding late Friday night and into Saturday morning in the eastern half of the country. Vintage cards in particular performed well. A PSA 3 1914 Cracker Jack Ty Cobb set a record for its grade with a final price of $50,062, while a PSA 6 T206 Piedmont 350-460/25 Ty Cobb Bat Off Shoulder set a record for that variation when it sold for $37,668.
The sale also included some high-end modern cards. A BGS Gem Mint 9.5 2009 Bowman Chrome Draft Prospects Mike Trout autographed Blue Refractor rookie numbered 017/150 went for $34,243, while a 1996 Topps Chrome Kobe Bryant rookie refractor graded PSA Mint 9 brought $20,724.
On the game worn memorabilia side of the sale, the jersey worn by two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani when he hit his milestone 45th home run of the 2021 MVP season stole the show. The jersey brought $77,172 including the buyer’s premium.
A pair of 1996 Michael Jordan Air Jordan XI game worn and signed kicks saw a strong result as well, selling for $50,137.
Also offered in the auction were over 50 vintage boxing cards and memorabilia items relating to legendary fighter Jack Johnson. None of these items were bigger than Johnson’s highly historic 1910 letter challenging James Jeffries to the 1910 World Heavyweight Championship, which went for $40,388.
Several rare and historic PSA/DNA Type 1 original photographs were sold. A 1917 George Grantham Bain team photo of the World Series Champion White Sox including all “Eight Men Out” from the infamous Black Sox went for $14,032, a 1911 shot of Ty Cobb sliding into home at the first unofficial All Star Game ever played brought $10,780, and a 1926 image of Babe Ruth in his Yankees uniform sold for $10,237.
SCP also presented items from the collection of former Los Angeles Dodgers general manager Fred Claire. The longtime Dodgers executive put five rings, as well as various other memorabilia items, on the auction block via SCP. The items combined to bring over $25,000, and a portion of the proceeds from each of Claire’s items in the auction will go to the City of Hope.
Valuable championship jewelry rounded out the sale. Oscar Robertson’s Basketball Hall of Fame ring went for $41,435, a 2007 Boston Red Sox World Series ring brought $20,724, Wes Matthews’ 1988 Los Angeles Lakers NBA championship ring saw a result of $13,700, and Devon White’s 1997 Florida Marlins World Series championship ring sold for $13,682.
Bill Russell’s Basketball Hall of Fame and NBA 50 Greatest Players rings did not meet a pre-set reserve price.
Other Prices Realized
- 2009 Bowman Chrome Draft Prospects Blue Refractor #BDPP89 Mike Trout Rookie Signed (#017/150) – BGS GEM MINT 9.5, BECKETT 10 AUTO. —$34,243
- 1980’S Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Autographed Los Angeles Lakers Game Used Goggles – PSA/DNA LOA —$29,586
- 1928 Yuengling’s Ice Cream #26 Lou Gehrig – PSA NM-MT 8 (HIGHEST GRADED, POP 5) — RECORD PRICE: $28,255
- History-Making 2012 Derek Jeter Signed Louisville Slugger Game Used Bat Photo-Matched To 9 Games & 9 Hits (Passed Gwynn & Yount On MLB Career Hit List) $26,669
- 2007 Boston Red Sox World Series Championship Players’ Style Ring With Original Presentation Box —$20,724
- 1996 Topps Chrome Refractor #138 Kobe Bryant Rookie – PSA MINT 9 —$20,724
Complete results are available at SCPAuctions.com.
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