One of only several dozen surviving examples of the world’s most famous baseball card was sold early Sunday morning when Memory Lane closed out its ‘Holy Grail’ Auction. The $600,000 price fetched for a PSA 2 Honus Wagner was just the 
beginning, though. When the final bids were entered in the early morning hours Sunday, the auction had generated over $5.2 million, smashing the 18-year-old company’s all-time sales record by over $2 million.
The auction included the breakup of a virtually complete T206 set that, in addition to the Wagner, also held an example of the elusive Eddie Plank, a PSA 4 which sold for $76,800, as well as a Sherry “Magie” error card graded EX which sold for $40,800.
The second highest price in the auction went to a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle PSA 8, which sold for $462,000.
Late bidding action early Sunday resulted in some record prices for low 
pop, high-grade icons. The only PSA 10 1948 Bowman Stan Musial rookie card, which last sold at auction for $129,851 in 2012, soared to $360,000. A ’48 Bowman Yogi Berra PSA 10 which sold for $33,582 back in 2006, rocketed to $192,000 for Memory Lane.
One of just 11 PSA 9 1954 Bowman Mantle cards also saw a flurry of bids as the auction drew to a close, finally ending at a record $204,000, obliterating the old mark of $57,000 set in 2013.
The hobby’s best graded example of the 1951 Toleteros Josh Gibson rookie card, a PSA 8, was also among the highlights, realizing $91,200.
In all, 13 lots in the auction sold for over $50,000.
Other vintage cards generating strong prices included a PSA 9 1957 Topps Frank Robinson rookie which jumped to $48,000, a 1955 Topps Harmon Killebrew rookie that hit $38,976, a a 1979 Topps Ozzie Smith graded PSA 10 which sold for $38,976 and a 1962 Topps Willie Mays graded PSA 9, off to a new home for $28,180.
The auction included the William Toppi Wax Pack Collection, which included dozens of vintage packs from every sport including a 1952 Topps baseball pack. Graded 8 by PSA, it sold for a whopping $62,400. Other packs and boxes sold included:
- 1948 Bowman Basketball PSA 8 $55,200
- 1955 Topps All-American Football (Otto Graham back) $49,780]
- 1956 Topps Baseball GAI 8 $29,248
- 1958 Topps Baseball PSA 8 $23,380
- 1972 Topps Baseball Third Series Box $13,135
The auction included numerous highly sought after modern era cards as well including a PSA 10 1993 Upper Deck SP Derek Jeter rookie which hit $54,576 and a 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite LeBron James rookie graded mint 9, which climbed to $45,734.
The photo used for Lou Gehrig’s 1932 DeLong baseball card headlined the memorabilia items sold in the auction. The PSA Type 1 image sold for $23,935.
All prices include a 20% buyer’s premium.
Consignments are currently being accepted for upcoming auctions and I Own It Now catalog sales. For more information, visit Memory Lane’s website or call 877-606-LANE (5263).
Related Stories:
1952 Mantle Poised to Pass $1 Million
Memory Lane to Offer Virtually Complete T206 Master Set Break in Special Auction
T206 Big Four Stand the Test of Time
Ranking the Population of Early Mantle Cards
1952 Topps Mantle Sells for Over $1 Million
PSA 9 1952 Topps Mantle to Hit Auction Block Soon
High Grade Mickey Mantle Cards: How They Stack Up
Complete T206 Set, Other Baseball Memorabilia Going on Display in Detroit
Winner of 1955 Bowman Mantle Didn’t See it Live
Top T206 Collection Nets Over $8 Million
Bottom Mobile
