A pair of pre-War baseball cards set new standards in SCP Auctions’ Spring Premier catalog sale.
Leading the way was a 1911 T205 Gold Border Christy Mathewson graded PSA NM-MT 8 that went for $214,579 — nearly six times higher than the previous record for the card set in 2019.
Also setting a new world record was a 1922 E120 American Caramel Babe Ruth graded PSA NM-MT 8, which sold for $166,818.
The auction also included a 1961 President John F. Kennedy single-signed baseball from his “Alliance for Progress” ambassador trip to South America that year. The ball fetched $166,818, marking a new all-time high for any presidential signed baseball.
A trio of baseball bats tied to former greats included a 1922-25 Babe Ruth game used bat graded PSA/DNA GU 8.5 that netted $137,866 and a 1941-42 Joe DiMaggio club graded PSA/DNA GU 7.5 that realized $73,409.
Collectors of modern era game-used jerseys honed in on the jersey Cincinnati Bengals’ quarterback Joe Burrow was wearing when he led them to an exciting win over the Kansas City Chiefs in a game last December. Signed and inscribed by Burrow, the orange jersey saw a lot of activity and brought $82,864.
Several rare and historic PSA/DNA Type 1 original photographs saw strong sales. A 1920 Babe Ruth Paul Thompson home run photo from his first season with the Yankees went for $65,048, a 1947 Jackie Robinson photo from the day the Brooklyn Dodgers signed him to break the color barrier brought $32,310, and a 1946 Robinson photo from his first day of Spring Training with the Montreal Royals took in $29,372.
Steve Sax’s 1988 World Series ring sold for $45,510, and his 1988 World Series game worn home jersey from the on-deck circle when Kirk Gibson hit his legendary home run brought $22,039.
Items from the collection of the former Los Angeles Dodger and five-time MLB All Star were sold to raise money for the foundation named for Sax’s son John, one of five U.S. Marines who died in a helicopter training crash last year in California.
A 1912 Olympic gold medal presented to high jumper Alma Richards sourced from surviving family members, sold for $53,759.
Valuable championship jewelry offered in the auction included Warren Spahn’s Baseball Hall of Fame ring ($66,734), Don Zimmer’s 2003 New York Yankees ALCS championship ring ($41,372), and Chuck Knoblauch’s 2001 NY Yankees ALCS championship ring ($27,584).
The 12th rated 1961 Topps Baseball set on PSA’s Registry, carrying an 8.07 rating, sold for $62,152 while an autographed copy of Mickey Mantle’s 1953 Topps card with an 8 autograph grade netted $37,610.
Complete results can be found here.
SCP’s next major auction will take place this summer.
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