Hold onto your baseball caps, folks—Willie Mays just knocked it out of the park with his 1951 Bowman rookie card fetching a staggering $390,935 at Robert Edward Auctions’ Summer Catalog Auction. This sale shattered previous records and sent shockwaves through the world of sports memorabilia.
The iconic card, the highest-graded example in over 15 years, had collectors and bidders alike swinging for the fences. With only eight PSA 9 copies in existence and none in a PSA 10 grade, it’s no wonder that the auction saw eleven fierce competitors vying for this cardboard treasure. In the end, only one emerged victorious, claiming this piece of baseball history.
To put this extraordinary sale into perspective, just last week, a PSA 8 copy of the same Willie Mays rookie card fetched $207,400 at Goldin. Clearly, Mays’ rookie cards are in high demand and hotter than a summer’s day at the ballpark!
Not only did this record-breaking sale make headlines, but it also carries a heartwarming touch. The proceeds from the auction will be used to fund a college scholarship endowment, ensuring that this historic card is also contributing to shaping the future. A true win-win outcome for all involved.
The Summer Catalog Auction itself was a grand slam, raking in over $13.3 million from a whopping 82,000 bids on nearly 3,200 lots. Thirteen items surpassed the six-figure mark, showcasing the high stakes and intense competition in the world of sports memorabilia auctions.
Some notable sales included a 1933 Goudey Nap Lajoie PSA 4.5 setting a record at $162,000, while an autographed 1949 Bowman Roy Campanella rookie (PSA 3) with a PSA 9 signature grade fetched $132,000. The bidding frenzy continued with a 1986-87 Fleer Michael Jordan rookie card (PSA 7 with a 7 autograph rating) selling for $120,000.
Adding to the excitement, a 1936-1937 Dizzy Dean St. Louis Cardinals game-used road jersey scored an impressive $114,000, establishing a new record for Dizzy Dean memorabilia.
Among the other standout sales were a 1933 Babe Ruth card at $120,000, a Boston Red Sox Team Postcard with a Babe Ruth rookie at $114,000, a Rickey Henderson rookie card at $111,000, a Cy Young Glove T206 card at $111,000, a Wayne Gretzky rookie card at $105,000, a Joe Jackson Cracker Jack card at $102,000, a Babe Ruth Goudey card at $96,000, and a Michael Jordan rookie card at $52,800.
REA President, Brian Dwyer, expressed his excitement about the auction, stating, “This auction was a blast from start to finish, with new record prices being set left and right. We’re incredibly grateful to the consignors who trusted us with these amazing items and to the bidders who made this another record-breaking auction for us.”
If you missed out on this action-packed event, fear not! Mark your calendars for REA’s next big event, the September Encore Auction, scheduled to run from September 12-22. The thrill of high-stakes bidding continues, so be sure to join in on the excitement!
