Huggins and Scott has opened its first auction of 2017 with several hundred lots on the block.
Among the featured attractions is the first of what will be several installments of a significant collection of signed Black and White Hall of Fame Postcards. Among the first to be offered are rare Grover Cleveland Alexander and Eddie Collins (PSA 9) examples. The current bid on the Alexander rocketed to $31,000 in the first three days of bidding, not including the buyer’s premium that will be added at the end of the auction. The Collins is at $15,000.
Vintage baseball card collectors will see several pre-and-post war rarities including professionally graded and raw examples of cards from a variety of designations. Highlights 
from the pre-War section include a rare T206 Bill O’Hara St. Louis variation (SGC 50); a T206 Mathewson Dark Cap (SGC 60) and a find of T206 Hindu backs, all offered individually and many more.
Post-War cards already drawing attention include a 1951 Bowman Willie Mays rookie card (PSA 7); a 1954 Topps Hank Aaron RC (PSA 5.5); a 1955 Topps Sandy Koufax RC (PSA 6); one of the three PSA 10 examples of the 1969 Topps Pete Rose and a 1973 Topps 4th Series wax box. Unopened sports card 
boxes beyond baseball include BBCE wrapped unopened wax boxes from 1986-87 Fleer, 1975-76 Topps and 1980-81 Topps.
As usual, the auction includes dozens of complete set, “shoebox” collections of vintage cards, partial sets, rare regional and food issue cards and other lots.
For collectors who prefer modern material, Huggins and Scott is offering what it says is one of the most extensive insert collections the company has ever offered with multiple certified autographed card complete sets, short prints, 1 of 1s, signed relic cards, dual and triple signed cards and other material.
Memorabilia collectors will find an original Ron Stark oil painting of Mickey Mantle; a rare 1924 Washington Senators “Pennant Winners” pin featuring Walter Johnson and one of only two known 1888 California League scorecards from Spalding’s World Tour.
In addition to the Hall of Fame postcards, the auction has a large number of autographed baseball items including a remarkable 1936 Amos Rusie signed handwritten letter. Responding to an autograph request, Rusie wrote the sender a note with references to Cap Anson and Billy Sunday. Bidding has reached $15,000 as of this writing.
There is also a Ruth/Gehrig dual signed baseball, purported to be a home run ball from a 1930 barnstorming game; a unique 1935 Babe Ruth TLS on Boston Braves letterhead; a scarce 1933 Goudey Tony Lazzeri signed card (PSA encapsulated); a Christy Mathewson large cut (PSA/DNA 8); a 1932 multi-signed baseball with Ruth, Gehrig, Hack Wilson and five other HOFers and a collection of Pittsburgh Pirates team-signed balls.
Game-used items in the auction includes a 1965-68 Frank Robinson game used bat (PSA/DNA 8); a 1967 Boog Powell Orioles home jersey and a 1970 Don Baylor Orioles rookie year jersey.
The football category features an array of vintage programs, tickets and ephemera from the turn of the century through the Super Bowls with 1920s programs, rare pennants, signed card lots and LeSean McCoy’s 2013 NFL Rushing Leader TAG-Heuer presentation watch.
Huggins and Scott will again have a “Web Gems” section with hundreds of items that were added to the auction after the catalog was printed.
Bidding is underway through February 9 at www.hugginsandscott.com.
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