A pair of rare Shoeless Joe Jackson cards sold for over $1 million combined late Saturday night in the first half of Heritage Auctions’ Platinum Night sale as the vintage sports card market continued to sizzle.
Topping the ledger was a PSA 3.5 copy of Jackson’s 1910 Old Mill Tobacco card. Produced during his time in the Southern League, the red-bordered card that pictures him wearing a warm up sweater sold for $600,000 including the buyer’s premium. The consignor had made a wise investment. The same card sold at auction eight years ago for $199,750. The card represents the best graded unqualified example of Jackson’s first trading card.
The highest graded example of Jackson’s ultra scarce 1914 Boston Garter card also more than doubled the result of the last sale. One of only three known, the promotional item rocketed to $480,000. It last sold in 2007 for $204,000. A 1951 Bowman Mantle rookie graded SGC 8 went for $108,000, breaking the old mark for the grade set in 2016 by $30,000.
Several other cards also broached the six-figure mark. A PSA 8 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle sold for $456,000, the highest price for the grade achieved at auction since May 2017. A 1903 Breisch-Williams Christy Mathewson SGC 4 reached $192,000, smashing the old record of $144,000, also established less than two years ago. One of the 22 1980-81 Larry Bird-Magic Johnson rookie cards graded PSA 10 realized $114,000 and a 1911 Brunner’s Bread Ty Cobb graded PSA 8 sold for $102,000.
A collection of vintage unopened boxes drew a crowd of bidders. Having been put away many years ago by an investment-oriented collector, the group was topped by a 1961-62 Fleer basketball 24-count box that sold for $84,000. A 1959 Topps cello box of 36 packs from a different hoard of vintage unopened netted $52,800.
Numerous items from the life and times of Lou Gehrig were sold, led by a Yankees cap with his name in the brim and dating from 1929-1932. It sold for $312,000. Three high-grade Gehrig signed checks netted over $75,000 combined while a 1927 team-signed Yankees photo went for $180,000.
A rare 1889 Burke Ale advertising poster featuring the likenesses of 19th century stars Buck Ewing and Cap Anson sold for $96,000 while the highest-graded full ticket from Super Bowl I set a new record for a single Super Bowl ticket at a price of $66,000.
The second part of the auction was set to close Sunday night at HA.com.
Related Stories:
1921 Ruth Bat; Newly Discovered Old Mill Jackson Lead Heritage Catalog
Old Mill Joe Jackson Hits $492,000; New MJ Rookie Card Record
REA Auction Opens; Bidding Frenzy Ensues
Pre-War Standouts Headline Memory Lane Spring Break Rarities Auction
Pack Attack: Heritage Sale Includes 136 Lots of Unopened
North Carolina Man Finds Rare T210 Old Mill Joe Jackson
REA Auction Set to Open with 3,400 Lots
