Mile High Card Company put the finishing touches on what it calls “a successful and event filled 2013” last week with its Premium Holiday Auction of rare, high grade and high-end sports cards and memorabilia and the results left company president Brian Drent feeling good about the hobby’s future.
This auction had a markedly different feel in terms of size and scope in comparison to company’s traditional auctions, focusing on a smaller lot size with select higher-level items being offered, a similar format to what Mile High has used at the beginning of the year from 2010-2012.
The auction consisted of just over 400 lots rather than the traditional 1500 lot regular auction. Total sales exceeded $1.24 million. The average lot price in this auction was over $3,060.
“We are always excited to be able to offer top shelf material in this more exclusive auction format,” said Drent. “Once again our amazing consignors stepped up to the plate and made this tremendous sale a top flight event with the level of collectibles that were offered.”
Some of the most heralded of the highlights came from an attractive group of exceptionally high grade complete sets, including a 1954 Topps Baseball Completely Graded Set 7.974 GPA which sold for $51,263.00, as well a 1952 Topps High Grade Near Complete Set Mostly PSA Graded ($60,323), a 1957 Topps Baseball High Grade Near Complete Set of 406 ($27,972), a high grade 1958 Topps Baseball set ($30,841), a 1962 Topps Baseball High Grade Complete Set with many graded which found a new home to the tune of $21,829.
A host of upper end single graded cards were made available. A 1958 Topps #47 Roger Maris PSA 9 rookie card soared to new heights with a final bid of $12,936. Maris was hot in this auction with a 1962 Topps #1 card, also graded 9, selling for a remarkable $27,171. Pre-War vintage collectors surrounded a 1915 Cracker Jack #57 Walter Johnson PSA 8 NM/MT which sold for $15,144.
Mile High also offered an extremely rare 1933 Goudey Final Production Sheet Featuring #53 Babe Ruth And Four Other Hall Of Famers which sold for $27,227.
Other realized prices included $16,150 for a 1990 Topps Autographed George Bush Glossy (Presidential Copy) BVG 8 (Signature BVG 9) which sold for over $16,000 and a T206 Sherry Magie error graded 1.5 by PSA which sold for $8,740.
There were numerous Boston-related cards and memorabilia offered in the auction and New Englanders were intrigued. A 1960 Topps #148 Carl Yastrzemski PSA 9 rookie card sold for an impressive $9,706.00, while a difficult 1960 Venezuela Topps #148 Yaz, graded PSA 4 VG/EX sold for $3556.
The basketball card fan base took notice with this sale: A 1969 Topps #20 John Havlicek PSA 10 that set the bar very high indeed when it sold for $25,273. A scarce 1968 Topps Test card of Havlicek, graded PSA 8, sold for $6,635. Completing the Boston trio were some extraordinary prices for Bobby Orr cards highlighted by the a 1966-67 Topps USA Test graded SGC 88 NM/MT 8 which sold for $22,921, a Topps Orr rookie graded 8 ($10,936.00)and a 1968 O-Pee-Chee #2 PSA 9 ($13,547).
Autograph collectors hunted down a rare Tris Speaker Single-Signed OAL (Harridge) baseball which finally ended with a realized price of $11,040.00 and a high Grade Thurman Munson Single-Signed OAL (MacPhail) ball which sold for $8214.
The coolness factor was off the charts with a 1919 Chicago White Sox World Series Ticket Stub from “Black Sox” Season. It sold for $3292.00.
Drent believes the results portend good things for the hobby heading into 2014. “Once again, the number of newly registered bidders combined with the strength of the final sale prices offers evidence that the hobby continues to thrive, and that truly great material will always sell for tremendous prices.”
As always, the entire list of prices realized is available at www.milehighcardco.com, and with a standard-sized auction in March, Mile High is actively seeking consignments of quality hobby material. To discuss consignments, call (303) 840-2784. The company’s Consignor Incentive Program continues, with rewards offered to those who use the company’s services to sell the best items.
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