Robert Edward Auctions closed out its Spring Catalog Auction on Sunday night with multiple six-figure sales, most notably a 1955 Topps Roberto Clemente rookie graded PSA 9 that sold for $960,000.
A Sandy Koufax rookie from the same set, also graded PSA 9, sold for $384,000, one bid shy of becoming the highest-selling Topps Koufax rookie of all-time.
Jackie Robinson’s 1949 Bowman graded PSA 9 sold for $348,000– the third example of this card to ever surpass $340,000. The auction was also highlighted by the sale of a 1932 U.S. Caramel Babe Ruth PSA 8 at $210,000, which nearly tripled the previous record and marked the first PSA 8 sale in more than a decade.
REA’s Spring Auction, which ran from April 6 to 23, generated a total of $14.7 million with more than 98,000 bids placed by a record number of first time and total bidders, according to the company.
In addition to seven single cards exceeding the $100,000 mark, the auction featured several other notable memorabilia items, including an original 1940s Josh Gibson Type 1 photograph used for his 1950-1951 Toleteros rookie card, which sold for $150,000, as well as a circa 1913 Type 1 Charles Conlon photograph of Shoeless Joe Jackson, which sold for $132,000. A1986-1987 Fleer Basketball PSA GEM MINT 10 complete set (missing only Jordan) sold for $168,000.
REA also had three unopened boxes that sold for more than $100,000:
- 1959 Topps Fourth Series Unopened Cello Box with multiple stars showing (36 Packs) – $186,000
- 1971 Topps Fourth Series Baseball Unopened Wax Box (24 Packs) $144,000
- 1970-1971 Topps Basketball 2nd Series Unopened Wax Box (24 Packs) – $108,000
“This will go down as one of the most successful auctions in REA’s thirty-plus year history,” said Brian Dwyer, President of REA. “It’s very exciting to see such a strong interest across multiple areas of our growing hobby. This auction was marked by record engagement, and while vintage cards continue to generate strong results, I’m delighted to see such a strong and growing market for areas like original photography and unopened boxes and packs.”
Other top-selling cards, packs and sets included:
- 1953 Topps #1 Jackie Robinson PSA MINT 9 – $180,000
- 1925 Exhibits Lou Gehrig Rookie PSA GOOD+ 2.5 – $126,000
- 1939 R334 Play Ball #26 Joe DiMaggio PSA MINT 9 – Highest Graded – $102,000
- 1956 Topps Baseball PSA NM-MT 8 Complete Set (340 Plus Two Checklists) – #24 PSA Set Registry (8.00 GPA) – $90,000
- 1924-1925 Aguilitas Cigars Second Series #869 Oscar Charleston SGC VG+ 3.5 – $81,000
- 1952 Topps Unopened Five-Cent Wax Pack PSA EX 5 – $75,000
- 1963 Topps PSA-Graded Complete Master Set (583) – #13 PSA Set Registry (8.00 GPA) – $72,000
- 1909 T204 Ramly Tobacco Walter Johnson SGC MINT 9 (Nagy Collection) – 1 of 1 – Highest Graded – $69,000
- 1954 Topps PSA-Graded Complete Set (250) – #29 PSA Set Registry (7.07 GPA) – $57,600
- 1976 Topps Football #148 Walter Payton Rookie PSA GEM MINT 10 – $55,200
- 1969-1970 Topps Basketball PSA NM-MT 8 Complete Set (99) – #21 PSA Set Registry (8.00 GPA) – $55,200
- 1957-1958 Topps Basketball #77 Bill Russell Rookie PSA NM+ 7.5 – $55,200
- 1909-1911 T206 White Border Walter Johnson Portrait PSA VG 3 – Old Mill Back – 1 of 1 – Highest Graded – $50,400
- 1948-1949 Leaf #8 Satchel Paige Rookie Short Print PSA EX-MT 6 – $50,400
Complete results can be found here.
REA’s next event is an Encore Auction set to open May 11.
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