Over 600 lots, each with a value of $10,000 or more, are on the block as Heritage Auctions kicks off its Summer Platinum Night event.
Among the big ticket items is a Lou Gehrig jersey photo-matched to multiple games in which he hit a home run. The gray road flannel dates to the Yankees’ 1937 World Series championship season. First sold privately last year, the jersey originally belonged to a family that had received it as a gift from former Yankees general manager George Weiss. As of Tuesday afternoon, the current high bid on the jersey was $637,500.
Game model Honus Wagner (current high bid of $310,000) and Mickey Mantle ($100,000) are also attracting a lot of attention.
The 1916 Famous & Barr Babe Ruth rookie card recently uncovered in the inherited collection of pre-War cards held by a Missouri family had soared to $230,000 during early bidding. A PSA 8 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle had also reached six figures. High-grade examples of the T205 Ty Cobb, the 1933 Goudey Nap Lajoie, 1935 National Chicle Bronko Nagurski and the 1939 Play Ball Ted Williams are also expected to be among the top sellers.
“Platinum Night has always featured the best of the best, but this sale should exceed the highest expectations,” said Chris Ivy, Director of Sports Auctions for Heritage. “We could record as many as 20 six- and seven-figure prices in Session 1.”
The Ty Cobb Collection, an array of personally owned items gifted to an early teammate in the Peach’s hometown of Royston, Georgia, is being offered for the first time. The fresh-to-the-hobby material includes Cobb’s personal Carl Horner portrait photograph, the image found on a wide array of early trading cards including the famous T206. Bidding for the rare image has already touched $100,000.
Other highlights include:
2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite LeBron James rookie auto patch # to 99: estimate $100,000 – up
1953 Ty Cobb single-signed baseball, PSA/DNA Gem Mint 10: est. $300,000 – up
1868 “Clipper Prize” Medal presented to George Wright, the earliest and most significant 19th century baseball award known: est. $200,000 – up
Early to mid-1930’s Lou Gehrig game worn New York Yankees cap, MEARS Authentic: $200,000 – up
1978-79 President Barack Obama game worn Punahou High School basketball jersey: est. $100,000 – up
The only known Babe Ruth & Ty Cobb dual-signed photograph: $100,000 – up
1889 Cap Anson and Buck Ewing “Burke Ale” Beer advertising poster (just arrived in United States after 13 decades in Ireland): est. $100,000 – up
1909-11 T206 Ty Cobb portrait with red background featuring Ty Cobb, est. $100,000 – up
1933 Goudey Baseball uncut sheet of 24 cards: est. $60,000 – up
1966 Muhammad Ali fight-worn gloves from George Chuvalo I bout: $60,000 – up
Heritage will be showcasing the top lots of this sale at the National Sports Collectors Convention in Chicago two weeks before bidding closes over two nights on August 17 and 18.