One of the highest quality collections of individual sports cards in the hobby will join a fresh find of high grade 1911 M101 Sporting Life cards and hundreds of vintage cards, unopened packs, autographs and other sports memorabilia in Memory Lane’s Summer Classics Auction, set to open Thursday, July 31 during the National Sports Collectors Convention.
More than 1,000 lots are included in the auction, which will close August 24. Many of the best items will be on display for public viewing during the National, set for July 30-August 3 at the International Exposition Center in Cleveland, OH.
The auction leads off with 94 lots from The Rocky Mountain Collection, a remarkable accumulation of important sports cards from the 19th century through the early 21st century, many among the highest graded in the hobby. The collection includes a 1916 M101-4 Sporting News #151 Babe Ruth graded PSA 4.5 that carries a $15,000 starting bid. A Joe Jackson 
card graded Near Mint 7 from the same series will also be available.
The collection includes all four Ruth cards in the 1933 Goudey set, all graded NM/MT 8 by PSA, a 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle rookie card graded PSA 8 as well as several other vintage Mantles in high grade including a 1953 Bowman Color graded PSA 9. There are numerous 1915 Cracker Jack stars including Jackson, Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner, a PSA 9 Hank Aaron rookie card and several high-grade T206 Hall of Famers.
Coming to the market for the first time is a large find of 1911 M116 Sporting Life cards that have had only three owners since they were originally produced by the sports publication more than a century ago. Residing in a Pennsylvania man’s collection since 1988, the group includes a Honus Wagner (PSA 7), Walter Johnson (PSA 8) and Ty Cobb (PSA 6), among many others. The cards are in remarkable condition, with average grades in the near mint range. The collection is filled with Hall of Famers, minor stars, rare variations and more. Over 50 single cards join several high-grade lots in the auction, including a group of 32 that have been rated Near Mint 7.
T206 collectors will get a chance to bid on one of the ‘Big Four’ when a PSA 1 Eddie Plank goes under the hammer. The scarce card has a Sweet Caporal advertising back and will open for bidding at $7,500.
A large collection of 1909 T204 Ramly cards is in the auction including a PSA 4 Walter Johnson rookie. There are several 1911 T3 Turkey Red Cabinets including a pair of Christy Mathewson cards.
Look for several key sets including a fully graded 1911 T201 Mecca Double Folders issue, the fourth best 1940 Play Ball set on the PSA Set Registry, a 1950 Callahan set and a 1959 Fleer Ted Williams set.
P
ost-War high grade cards include PSA 8 examples of Koufax, Banks, Maris, Brooks Robinson and Bob Gibson and a PSA 9 Carl Yastrzemski. There is a host of high quality, graded 1962 Topps as well.
Football and basketball collectors will find a PSA 7 1933 Goudey Sport Kings Red Grange and high grade first year issues of Johnny Unitas, Gale Sayers, Pete Maravich, Julius Erving and Michael Jordan, among others.
Vintage unopened material has been red hot in 2014 and Memory Lane will offer numerous packs, wax and vending boxes in this sale, topped by a 1971-72 Topps basketball vending box and a 1972 Topps Series I baseball box.
The finest known century-old Ty Cobb decal bat known to exist is among the top items in the memorabilia section of the catalog. The full-size bat measures 34 ¾” and weighs a whopping 41.6 ounces.
There are dozens of Hall of Fame autographs in the 174-page catalog including a few Mickey Mantle signed baseball cards, a high quality Roberto Clemente autographed photo and a hoard of 344 Gateway Stamp Company 1st Day Covers featuring autographs from the likes of Mantle, DiMaggio, Koufax, Mays, Satchel Paige, Ted Williams, Bear Bryant and even Ronald Reagan.
In addition to showing off some of the items listed here, Memory Lane will be the home of an impressive Babe Ruth exhibit at the National Sports Collectors Convention. Collectors and fans can stop by and have their photo taken with a game-used Ruth bat and see other collectible items from his life and career. There is no charge.
Memory Lane will also be taking consignments for its Fall Auction, set to begin late this year.
To register for the auction and receive a free catalog, visit Memory Lane’s website or call 1-877-606-5263. You can participate in ongoing eBay auctions via Memory Lane’s eBay store.
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