A signed ticket to Ken Griffey Jr.’s big league debut in 1989, some early signed Mickey Mantle cards and even the 2013 NCAA Tournament bracket filled out and signed by former President Barack Obama are all part of the new Heritage Auctions Sports Showcase catalog.
The 1,100+ lots are a mix of old and new, signed and unsigned, open and unopened, single and set.
The autographed ticket to Griffey’s debut is one of the rare surviving stubs from the April 3, 1989 game in Oakland in which the 19-year-old phenom doubled off Dave Stewart for his first major league hit. The stub was graded 2 by PSA because of staple holes but the Sharpie autograph in silver is graded 9.
It’s already surpassed its $8,000 pre-sale estimate.
Trading cards make up the bulk of the sale, headlined by a 1921 Exhibit Babe Ruth graded PSA 4.5. A copy in the same grade sold for over $32,000 at Lelands last month. There is also an SGC 3 copy of the ever popular 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle.
A PSA 3.5 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth #53 and a PSA 3 copy of the #144 Ruth card as well as a 1934 Goudey Lou Gehrig PSA 5 are all part of the sale along with autographed copies of Mantle’s 1952 and ’53 Bowman cards. The ’52 carries a 10 autograph grade while the ’53 merited a 9.
Copies of the 1951 Bowman rookie cards of Mantle and Willie Mays and a 1948-49 Leaf Jackie Robinson rookie are also featured.
There are complete sets available, including 1953, 1956 and 1957 Topps, a partial offering of 1933 Goudey with 21 graded cards and multiple complete 1986-87 Fleer Basketball sets with Michael Jordan rookie cards.
Among the other memorabilia is the huge 2013 NCAA Tournament bracket notably filled out by hoops fan Obama, who filled his predictions in as part of a March Madness TV special and signed the center. It measures 36″ x 63.”
“It appears another hand recorded the match-ups and results of the first round, but the rest is all Obama, and while his bracket got busted up pretty early, he did pick the eventual champion Louisville to make it to the Final, but had Indiana beating them,” the listing states.
According to Heritage, the bracket was originally auctioned for charity and was won by the person who has consigned it to Heritage.
Bidding is open through March 25.
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