A jersey worn by Mickey Mantle during the 1953 World Series and 1954 season sold for $575,912 in the last major catalog auction of 2018.
The jersey, signed by Mantle on the front, was graded A10 by Dave Grob during his MEARS tenure. It’s believed to be the second highest auction price ever paid for a Mantle jersey, trailing only the $1.32 million paid for a 1964 Mantle road jersey at Heritage Auctions in August of this year.
Mantle first established his reputation for dominance in the ’53 Fall Classic, hitting two home runs (including a grand slam) and posting seven RBI in the six-game series.
According to the auction house, the jersey first entered the hobby over 30 years ago and “has been housed in some of the most well-respected and admired collections.”
In a report, Grob stated that his research showed the jersey “was worn by New York Yankee center fielder Mickey Mantle during Games 1 and 6 of the 1953 World Series as well as for portions of the 1954 American League regular season.”
Also sold in the auction was a collection of championship jewelry from the career of Larry Gardner, who won four World Series titles, three as a member of the Boston Red Sox in 1912, 1915 and 1916 and another with the 1920 Cleveland Indians. Gardner’s descendants consigned the pieces, which included a 1912 championship medallion ($76,747), a 1915 championship ribbon and medallion ($63,426) and a 1920 championship pin ($69,769).
Two basketball lots were among the big-ticket items. A 2015-16 Hardwood Classics game-worn LeBron James Cavs’ jersey went for $71,554 while a 1961-62 Fleer basketball set made up of a high percentage of PSA 9 graded cards netted $48,871.
All prices included a 20% buyer’s premium.
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