Memory Lane’s Winter Rarities Auction started the year on a high note, showcasing a dazzling array of vintage sports cards and memorabilia that left collectors in awe and drove bidding wars to new heights. The total sales surpassed an impressive $7.1 million, setting a new benchmark for sports auctions.
Babe Ruth stole the show at the auction, with three 1933 Goudey cards graded PSA NM/MT 8 taking center stage. The trio garnered close to $700,000 in total, with the standout being the #149 card featuring a striking red background, fetching an astonishing $316,736. Another highlight was a rare advertising card from around 1920, depicting Ruth and Carl Mays and graded SGC 3, that ignited a fierce bidding frenzy before eventually selling for $95,860. The auction also featured a 1921 E253 Oxford Confectionery card graded PSA 5, selling for $52,102, and a 1932 U.S. Caramel card graded PSA 6.5, which drew in $48,508.
Not to be outshined, a 1915 Cracker Jack #103 Joe Jackson card, graded PSA 7, set a new record for its grade by achieving an impressive $173,794. As part of a set break, the card contributed to a collective sales figure of over $850,000.
Vintage 1952 Topps cards proved to be crowd favorites, with three PSA 8 graded cards crossing the six-figure mark. An Eddie Mathews high-number card led the pack, fetching $123,484, while Jackie Robinson and Willie Mays cards also fetched substantial bids.
Mickey Mantle cards continued to be a hot commodity at the auction. A rare 1959 Bazooka card graded PSA 6 sold for $33,586, and a complete 1959 Bazooka box featuring Mantle on the back, graded PSA 1, achieved $18,575. Additionally, four PSA 10 Bazooka Mantle cards from 1961, 1964, 1965, and 1966 collectively brought in close to $50,000. Other standout Mantle pieces included a 1953 Topps PSA 7 NM card selling for $29,012, a 1956 Topps Gray Back PSA 8.5 card bringing in $38,879, and a 1966 O-Pee-Chee Mantle SGC 9 card fetching $16,886.
Baseball enthusiasts rejoiced over the sale of a 1957 Topps Willie Mays PSA 9 card for $58,961 and a 1957 Topps Whitey Ford PSA 10 card for $56,153. Hockey collectors were thrilled with the acquisition of a 1965-66 Topps Phil Esposito rookie card, graded PSA 10, which sold for $72,455. Noteworthy football card sales included a 1964 Topps Bobby Bell rookie PSA 10 card for $31,558, a 1964 Philadelphia Merlin Olsen rookie PSA 10 card for $19,018, and a 1973 Topps Art Shell rookie PSA 10 card for $20,432.
The auction also featured unique memorabilia that captured the attention of bidders, such as a Ty Cobb Tobacco tin from the 1910s selling for $30,463, a Mickey Mantle single-signed baseball with a rare “#6” inscription fetching $20,934, a handwritten letter from Mantle’s 1951 rookie season also selling for $20,934, and a Joe Jackson Louisville Slugger decal bat from the early 1900s fetching $16,121.
As Memory Lane’s Winter Rarities Auction came to a close, the remarkable sales and exceptional items left collectors eagerly anticipating the next opportunity to add iconic pieces of sports history to their collections. With a record-breaking $7.1 million in total sales, the auction set a high standard for the sports memorabilia market in 2025.
