An ultra-rare 1915 Cracker Jack baseball card advertising poster discovered in a Wisconsin barn sold for $61,741 in Mile High Card Company’s Spring 2016 auction early Friday morning.
The poster promoted Cracker Jack’s second set of cards and featured images of the game’s greatest stars including Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner and Shoeless Joe Jackson. While clearly showing the effects of its humble home, the poster is one of perhaps only three known examples to have survived over the years.
Several record prices were set in the auction including a six-figure sum for another Cracker Jack gem: a 1914 Cobb graded PSA 8. The previous mark of $59,750 just set in November was shattered when the auction closed at $105,607, including the buyer’s premium.
A 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle graded PSA 6.5 soared to $188,207, continuing a trend for the card considered the hobby’s most recognizable post-War issue. The last 6.5 offered at auction sold in 2010 for $24,019. For more perspective, a 6 sold for $101,575 in February while a 7 brought $161,100 in March.
“We expected the ’52 Mantle to completely destroy the record, but even with a high level of optimism leading up to the auction, we were blown away by the results. Our exclusive list of world-class collectors is the best in the business and they proved it again today,” said MHCC President and CEO Brian Drent.
Two 1955 Topps Roberto Clemente rookie cards, each graded PSA 8, were in the catalog. Each sold for $68,018.
Other sales included:
- 1902-11 Sporting Life W600 Honus Wagner SGC 50 VG/EX 4 $57,262
- 1984-85 Star #101 Michael Jordan BGS 9 MINT $46,570
- 1902-11 W600 Sporting Life Napoleon Lajoie PSA 6 EX/MT $40,993
- 1954 Topps #128 Henry Aaron PSA 8 NM/MT $38,129
- 1952 Topps #261 Willie Mays PSA 8 NM/MT $37,869
- Lot of 13 1974 Topps football unopened vending boxes $34,264
- 3 1976-77 Topps Hockey Full Unopened Wax Cases sold for a total of $26,158.
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