Studies have shown the mental health benefits hobbies provide. After a tough day at work or some personal strife, our collections and the hunt to add to them are big stress relievers.
That’s certainly true for Jason Vass, who is one of the hobby’s most avid collectors.
Ken Griffey Jr. is his guy.
ESPN’s Ryan Hockensmith paid a visit to Vass’ Virginia home for a tour of his massive stash of Griffey goodies and found that collecting Junior has been way more than just a way to get away.
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Bidding for the “All-Star Café” T206 Honus Wagner has now passed $2 million with the buyer’s premium factored in.
The card with the wild backstory has a current high bid of $1.95 million at Mile High Card Company or $2.34 million with the 20% buyer’s premium that will be added when the auction closes on March 31.
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Modern basketball and vintage baseball cards topped the list of big sellers in the March PWCC Premier Auction.
A copy of one of Michael Jordan’s most coveted non-rookie cards—the 2003 Exquisite Limited Logos patch autograph (#/75) graded BGS 9.5 sold for $324,000.
That’s the same price attained by a 2015 Panini Prizm Black Prizms Kobe Bryant 1/1—also graded 9.5.
A 2018 Prizm Signatures Trae Young 1/1 in the same grade netted $276,000 while a 2000 Bowman Chrome Refractor Tom Brady 9.5 changed hands at $216,000.
On the vintage side, a 1986 Topps Steve Young rookie graded PSA 10 sold for a record-setting $120,000. The price represented a 240 percent increase over his previous sales record of $35,302, which was set in June of 2020, according to PWCC.
Due to its green borders and placement on Topps production sheets, the Young rookie notoriously condition sensitive, resulting in there being only nine PSA 10s in existence today.
a 1952 Topps Willie Mays graded PSA 8 went for $240,000 in the auction while an SGC 8.5 1915 Cracker Jack Joe Jackson reached $228,000.
Total auction sales for the 288 items sold were over $16.1 million.
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A 1951 Bowman Willie Mays rookie card graded PSA 7 topped Robert Edward Auctions’ monthly Encore event Sunday night, selling for $90,000. There were several sales of the same card in 2020 for between $13,000 and $20,000.
A PSA 10 1981 Topps Joe Montana rookie card landed at $87,000 while a PSA 8 1954 Topps Hank Aaron rookie reached $56,000.
One of two PSA 10 copies of the 1967 Dexter Press Ernie Banks netted $10,250.
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Mayfield Sports Marketing, partnering with Radtke Sports, now has an exclusive autograph deal with Hall of Fame coach Dick Vermeil.
Now 85, Vermeil led the Rams to a Super Bowl XXXIV victory and also took the Eagles to Super Bowl XV. He was elected to the Hall of Fame last month.
Based in Oconomowoc, WI, Mayfield Sports Marketing has represented Hall of Famer Jerry Kramer since 2017. In 2018, Kramer was nominated and then eventually enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Following his enshrinement, Kramer and Mayfield traveled the country with an 18-month tour that included speaking engagements, autograph signings, and other appearances.
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1986 Topps Football Set Among Decade’s Most Memorable
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