Three 1960s-era game jerseys from former sports icons combined to sell for $240,000 in Robert Edward Auctions’ Summer catalog sale Sunday night. It was REA’s first Summer Auction after the company announced a move from two to three major catalog sales per year.
A 1969 Ernie Banks pinstriped Chicago Cubs home jersey rated 9.5 by MEARS led the way at $99,000. Photo-matched to his 483rd home run in June of that season and perhaps to two others, the jersey had been autographed by the late Hall of Famer.
A 1960s Jim Brown Cleveland Browns gamer with an interesting story behind it tallied $75,000 while a 1964 game-worn, autographed Bob Gibson St. Louis Cardinals road flannel realized $66,000.
The highest-priced item in the auction went to a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle graded PSA 7 which sold for $120,000. Another ’52 Mantle rated 6.5 by SGC netted $63,000. One of the hobby’s best 1952 Topps Willie Mays cards, rated 8.5 by PSA, soared to $90,000.
Among life’s certainties: death, taxes and a huge selection of rarely offered pre-War cards in an REA auction. The second of three planned sales included a huge selection of early baseball card relics, highlighted by a newly catalogued 1916 Tango Eggs Ty Cobb that generated a lot of interest among collectors of rare cards and sets. When the dust settled, the PSA 2 example had sold for $66,000.
Other cards from 100+ years ago included a fresh to the hobby 1902 W600 Nap Lajoie green mount cabinet card that reached $44,400, a PSA 8 1933 Goudey Lou Gehrig ($56,400), a newly uncovered 1904 Carl Horner National League composite photo display ($55,200) and a 1911 T5 Pinkerton Cabinet #616 Joe Jackson SGC 45 ($49,200).
Complete auction results are available here.