One of the top Pele rookie cards, a newly discovered PSA EX-MT 6 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle, and a 1989 Joe Montana 49ers signed game-worn photo-matched jersey headline the Lelands 2023 Summer Classic Auction.
The exquisite 1958 Alifabolaget #635 Pele Rookie Brazil National Team card has been graded and encapsulated by PSA NM+ 7.5. The rookie card was issued when Pele was a 17-year-old breakout star who led Brazil to the World Cup title that year. According to the PSA population report, a total of 120 Pele rookie cards have been graded with only 15 attaining a higher grade.
The 1952 Topps Mantle originated from a collection in the Midwest that was consigned to Lelands several months ago. The consignor’s husband collected the cards as a child and stored them in a shoe box, where they remained, untouched, for 70 years.
Three cards, including another copy of the Mantle, a Jackie Robinson and a Willie Mays, were sold in the Lelands’ Winter Focus Auction. The balance of the collection, including the Mantle, is being offered in this auction.
The Montana jersey was worn by the Hall of Fame quarterback in the December 11, 1989 comeback win against the Rams. In the game, Montana recorded the second-highest passing yards (458) game of his career to go along with three touchdowns.
Additional auction centerpieces include a 1954 Hank Aaron Major League debut ticket stub PSA EX5 (Pop 1 of 2 highest graded), a 1960 Ernie Davis Syracuse University game-worn photo-matched jersey – likely the most highly documented Davis game-used jersey in the hobby – and a rare pair of game-worn sneakers from Steph Curry’s second year in the NBA, specifically to January 12, 2011 when the Warriors superstar notched his first career double-double against Kobe Bryant.
The auction also boasts another collection of rare documents directly related to Babe Ruth’s 1919 sale from the Red Sox to the Yankees. The deal changed baseball forever, altered the fortunes of both teams for decades and created a larger-than-life figure in Ruth. Among the offerings are two cancelled promissory notes, one connected to the Ruth sale and the financing of Yankee Stadium, the other from the Yankees to the Red Sox for the Ruth sale; as well as a Harry Frazee promissory note directly tied to the Ruth sale with related correspondence. Lelands sold Ruth’s signed contract for $2.3 million in 2017.
Among other auction highlights are a circa 1951 Jackie Robinson original photograph signed to teammate Billy Cox. The photo is the same image used for his 1953 Topps card.
There is also a cache of letters Robinson Robinson wrote to an obsessed young female fan in 1954, a a 1948 Johnny Mize New York Giants game-worn jersey, one of the finest known Thurman Munson single-signed baseballs (graded PSA 8.5 overall), a signed game jersey and bat from Ken Griffey Jr.’s 1989 rookie season and a photo matched home run bat from Barry Bonds’ 73 home run season in 2001.
The auction also includes a 1971 Milwaukee Bucks World championship ring, a 1788 George Washington signed and hand-addressed free frank envelope to James Madison regarding Virginia’s ratification of the Constitution, Matthew Stafford’s 2019 game-worn jersey from when he broke the NFL record for fastest to 40,000 passing yards, and a 1956 Topps Series 2 Printing Blanket with two Mickey Mantle cards – possibly the only known Series 2 sheet.
Additional auction highlights include:
- Julio Caesar Chavez’s 1989 WBC Light Welterweight Championship title belt
- A pair of Michael Jordan personally worn and signed 1991 Nike Air Jordan sneakers
- A 1981 Michael Jordan signed high school yearbook
- A pair of 2000 Tom Brady rookie season practice-worn shorts (earliest known Brady NFL-worn relic)
- A 1988-89 Ron Francis Whalers game-worn photo-matched jersey
- A 1919 World Champion Cincinnati Reds game-used bat collection
Bidding is underway now and runs through August 5 at Lelands.com.
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