Robert Edward Auctions has launched its first-ever Fall Catalog Auction. Highlighted by the Michael Wachs’ famous #1 PSA Registry T205 “Gold Borders” tobacco-card complete set, the auction is comprised exclusively of extremely high-quality cards and memorabilia. It’s the first time the New Jersey-based auction company has conducted more than one auction per year. REA’s spring catalog is annually the hobby’s largest, with the Spring 2013 edition generating $10.2 million.
The T205 set is one of the most extraordinary achievements in all of vintage card collecting. Due to condition and value, REA is breaking up the set for individual sale. Assembled over a period of decades, the set is being retired as the #1 All-Time Finest set on the PSA Set Registry with an incredible 7.02 GPA. The T205 collection was inducted into the PSA Set Registry Hall of Fame in 2010, an honor reserved for only the finest sets. Featuring more than two dozen Hall of Famers, the Wachs set includes examples of Christy Mathewson, Tris Speaker, and Cy Young in PSA NM-MT 8 and Ty Cobb and Walter Johnson in PSA NM 7.
The feat of assembling the set in an average grade of 7.02 becomes even more noteworthy when one considers that less than four percent of all T205s ever submitted to PSA have graded Near Mint 7 or higher. The Michael Wachs collection contains a jaw-dropping 192 cards graded PSA NM 7 or higher, including thirty-nine PSA NM-MT 8s and one PSA NM-MT+ 8.5. Approximately one out of every six T205s in the entire world ever graded Near Mint or higher by PSA are featured in this auction as part of the set, and a total of 112 cards in the set rank as the highest graded on record.
Other items expected to draw intense interest from collectors of vintage baseball cards and memorabilia is an Old Judge store advertising display (Lot #1), considered one of the most important baseball card advertising display items in existence. In just a couple of days of bidding, the high bid with buyer’s premium had surpassed $70,000.
A 1933 Goudey World Wide Gum “Triple Ruth” uncut sheet (with three Babe Ruths and one Lou Gehrig among its 24 cards), as well as a 1934 Goudey uncut sheet featuring Lou Gehrig, are two additional card highlights.
REA is also selling an extraordinary 1916-1918 Ty Cobb Pro-Model Bat (PSA/DNA GU9), considered one of the finest Ty Cobb bats in existence with the added bonus of provenance tracing directly to Cobb according to REA .
A GU 10 rated 1951-1952 Yogi Berra Pro-Model Bat with direct player provenance and a 1960 Ted Williams Pro-Model Bat dating to his final season are also in the auction. 
In fact, several major pieces of Boston Red Sox memorabilia are up for grabs including a 1955 Ted Williams game-used jersey (res. $40,000; est. open), a 1915 PSA/DNA Type 1 Photo of the Red Sox pitching staff with Babe Ruth, as well as two presentation awards from Red Sox Championship teams: a 1912 World Champion’s Medallion Presented to player Charley Hall (the equivalent of a World Series ring from 1912) consigned directly by his family, and a 2004 World Series Ring (the year “The Curse of the Bambino” was broken).
Numerous signed items from Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and other Hall of Famers appear throughout the auction as well as a run of World Series programs from 1911 to 1996 and an extremely rare 1923 Yankee Stadium Opening-Day Program.
The auction features 1148 lots spanning all areas of sport and non-sport and closes Saturday October 19.
To review the catalog online, learn more about Robert Edward Auctions, receive a complimentary copy of the catalog or inquire about consigning items to their next auction, visit www.RobertEdwardAuctions.com or call (908) 226-9900.
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