Huggins and Scott’s first Masterpiece Auction of 2014 begins on Monday February 3 with rare vintage baseball cards, high-end modern inserts, game-worn memorabilia and plenty of autographed material among the more than 680 lots up for grabs.
The auction is headlined by a 1934-39 Lou Gehrig sweet-spot single-signed Official American League baseball and an E98 Cy Young baseball card from the Black Swamp Find graded PSA 8.
Vintage card collectors will be able to bid on dozens of pre-and- post war rarities including professionally graded and raw examples of cards from a variety of designations, including the highest graded N300 Mayo Cut Plug Wilbert Robinson (SGC 60 a rare turn-of-the-century Baltimore Baseball Club Champions postcard; a number of graded and ungraded tobacco and candy cards offered as singles and in lots, and more.
The post-war collection includes a large number of complete and near sets from 1948-1973; Hall of Fame rookie cards including Mantle, Aaron, Musial, Koufax, Clemente, Rose and Ryan.
The prices of Cal Ripken minor league cards have soared over the last year or two and H&S has one of the high grade holy grails in this sale: a 1980 Charlotte O’s Orange Border Police card graded BVG 8 (highest graded), along with the rest of the set (one of only five confirmed complete sets known to exist).
As always the Huggins & Scott specialty of large, high quality lots of 1960s and 70s vintage baseball cards, is abundant.
High-end modern “1 of 1” insert cards up for bid will include a 1999 UD Michael Jordan Platinum Die Cut; Walter Johnson UD Ultimate Signature Cuts; Topps Tribute Ty Cobb Cut; SP Legendary Cuts of Traynor, Hornsby, Foxx, Clemente, 1937 Yankees booklet with Gehrig and All-Time HR kings booklet with Ruth & Aaron; 2005 UD The Cup Alexander Ovechkin Auto PSA 10 (highest graded) and more.
This particular Huggins and Scott Auction has an unusually large number of autographed lots including baseballs, bats, lithographs, photographs and others consigned by collectors from all across the country.
Highlights include: signed baseballs with the forementioned Gehrig, plus Ruth, Foxx, Johnson, Cobb, Clemente, Mantle, Munson and much, much more. Loads of autographed flats including Ruth, Cy Young, Morgan Bulkeley, Walter Johnson, Cobb, Jimmie Foxx, Mel Ott, Martin Dihigo, Jackie Robinson and others.
A rare 1913 Draper & Maynard Shoeless Joe Jackson advertising Display is going on the block along with a Lou Gehrig bronze bust by Armand LaMontagne, a 1930s silver cigarette case engraved “To Lou” from Babe Ruth, several early programs, scorecards and ticket lots including World Series tickets from 1914, 1917, 1919, 1926, 1929, 1955, 1956 (Game 5 – Larsen Perfect Game) and many more. Significant historical event tickets including opening days, final games, 3000th hit, 500th homerun, Major League debuts, no hitters and perfect games.
There is a 1997 Brett Favre game worn Packers jersey, a 1955-63 Baltimore Orioles warm-up jacket, 1965 Sherm Lollar Orioles jersey, 1981-83 Cal Ripken bat and a 1963-69 Baltimore Colts sideline jacket.
If you don’t collect baseball, there will be numerous football, basketball and hockey sets and near sets; a 1960-61 Baltimore Colts Jumbo Promotional Bobbing Head Doll; Charlie Conerly’s 1960 NY Giants FB contract; a 1909 Jack Johnson Broadside; a Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali dual- signed baseball; an 18K gold pocket watch presented to JJ McDermott for winning the 1911 US Open and Pat McCormick’s 1952 Helsinki Olympics Opening Ceremony worn jacket.
Non-sports collectors will find a completely graded 1962 Mars Attacks Set; a few very high- end graded coins from the 19th century; autographs from Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, Nelson Mandela, James Monroe, Ronald Reagan, and more.
To browse the auction for the rest of the items being auctioned, or to download the catalog, visit the Huggins & Scott website.