Over the recent weekend, Heritage Auctions' Winter Sports Card Auction made history with a series of remarkable sales. The crown jewel of the auction was a premiere SGC graded 1916 M101-5 blank back Babe Ruth rookie card, which fetched an astounding sale price of $630,000. This rare card, rated 5.5 by SGC, is one of only seven examples known within SGC's records. The auction itself was a monumental event, accumulating over $11.1 million in total sales. Several items achieved prices upwards of $100,000, including the buyer's premium. Notably, a 1986-87 Fleer Michael Jordan rookie card in impeccable PSA 10 condition reached the highest sale price for a Gem Mint PSA graded copy since September 2021.
Among the treasures sold at the auction were vintage, still-sealed boxes that garnered significant attention. One standout item was a 1965 Topps Baseball wax box containing cards from the second, third, and fourth series. This particular box, originating from the collection of Adolph “Herky” Rupp Jr., descended from the legendary Kentucky basketball coach Adolph Rupp. After being authenticated by BBCE, the box sold for an impressive $336,000. Rupp Jr.'s collection also included a 1953 Topps Willie Mays card graded PSA 8, which commanded a price of $186,000.
In addition to these remarkable finds, several unopened boxes from a recently discovered collection were also up for auction. A 1970 Topps Baseball 6th series cello box shattered records, selling for an astonishing $105,000. A 1968 Topps Football 1st series 36-pack cello box set a new benchmark at $99,000, and a 1973 Topps Baseball 3rd series 500-count vending box was sold for $18,600. The initial offerings from this collection, linked to a former Topps employee, earned $284,455 at the auction, with expectations of reaching seven figures as more items from the collection are sold in the coming months.
The auction also featured nearly two dozen vintage autographed cards, sourced from Mike Greenbaum's collection, which sparked significant interest among collectors. One of the standout pieces was a 1949 Bowman Jackie Robinson card, graded 1.5 with an autograph grade of 8, which led the pack with a sale price of $117,000. A similarly graded signed Roy Campanella card from the same set fetched $69,000.
Individual card sales were also notable, with a T206 Ty Cobb Green portrait, graded PSA 6 and featuring a Piedmont advertising back, selling for $105,000. A 1958 Topps Mickey Mantle card, graded PSA 9, reached an impressive $80,533, while a 1962 Topps Manager's Dream card, showcasing both Mantle and Mays, sold for $75,000.
Complete sets were not to be outdone, with the highest-rated set of 1909-1912 Colgan’s chips discs selling for $54,000. The 16th ranked 1969-70 Topps Basketball set garnered $93,000, and an all-PSA 8 1952 Bowman baseball set was acquired for $84,000, showcasing the diversity and value of the auction's offerings.
The Winter Sports Card Auction at Heritage Auctions showcased an impressive array of premier sports cards and vintage treasures. With the sale of the Babe Ruth rookie card and the Gem Mint Michael Jordan rookie card, among other record-breaking sales, this auction will be remembered as a monumental event in the world of sports card collecting.
Source
Comments