It was touted as being one of the most impressive auctions in Mile High Card Company history, and led by one of the best 1933 DeLong complete sets in existence and the stunning sequel to “The Beer Box Find,” Mile High Card Company’s September auction delivered with over $2.4 million in total sales. Bidding closed early Friday morning.
The final hours of the auction saw heavy action on the DeLong cards. Combined, they sold for $214,791 with #7 Lou Gehrig SGC 88 NM/MT ($64,670) leading the way.
Others included #6 Cochrane PSA 8 NM/MT ($13,721), #15 Stephenson PSA 8 NM/MT ($24,691) #19 Hafey PSA 8 NM/MT ($24,331) and 24 Goslin PSA 8 NM/MT ($14,932) all setting all-time price records.
“Beer Box II” was the second part of a jaw-dropping group of vintage wax boxes and packs that had been stashed away and apparently forgotten for decades by the family of a former maker of trading card products.
It included the only known full box of unopened 1965 Topps football packs along with a partial box of 21 more. The 24-count box sold for $147,568 while the other 21 packs and display box brought $107,476.
A 1964 Topps football box of 24 packs soared to $49,395 while a box containing 23 of 24 1971 Topps cello packs went for $45,289. A one-of-a-kind 1968-69 Topps basketball test pack was purchased for $16,902.
The second portion of the Beer Box II find included numerous rare vintage non-sports boxes including a 1965 Topps Gilligan’s Island partial box containing 15 packs that brought in just over $14,000.
Other key pieces in the auction included a 1951 Bowman Willie Mays rookie card graded SGC 92 (NM/MT+) which sold for $95,788, a rare 1948-49 Leaf #8 Satchel Paige SGC 80 (EX/NM), nailed down for a price of $93,219, a 1921 E121 American Caramel Babe Ruth Series of 80 PSA 3.5 (VG+) that closed at $20,725, a 1966 Philadelphia #31 Dick Butkus PSA 9 MINT which rocketed to $37,807, and a 1986-87 Fleer Basketball Unopened wax box that went for $57,182.
The consignment deadline for Mile High Card Company’s next auction is October 25. For more information, call (303) 840-2784 or visit www.milehighcardco.com.