Over the weekend, Heritage Auctions held its Winter Sports Card Auction, which saw historic sales and record-breaking prices. The star 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. With a rating of 5.5 by SGC, this card is incredibly rare, with only seven other known examples within SGC's records. The auction itself was a monumental event, with total sales amounting to over $11.1 million. Seven items sold for over $100,000, including the buyer's premium. Notably, a 1986-87 Fleer Michael Jordan rookie card, graded PSA 10, achieved the highest sale price for a Gem Mint PSA graded copy since September 2021.
One of the highlights of the auction was a collection of vintage, still-sealed boxes, including a 1965 Topps Baseball wax box that contained cards from the second, third, and fourth series. This box, originating from the collection of Adolph “Herky” Rupp Jr., the descendant of famed Kentucky basketball coach Adolph Rupp, fetched a price of $336,000 after being authenticated by BBCE. Rupp Jr.'s collection also included a 1953 Topps Willie Mays card, graded PSA 8, which commanded a price of $186,000.
The auction also featured several unopened boxes from a recently discovered collection, acquired toward the end of the previous year. These boxes attracted significant attention and achieved record-breaking prices. A 1970 Topps Baseball 6th series cello box sold for $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, which is tied to a former Topps employee, fetched $284,455, and more items from the collection are expected to reach a whopping seven-figure sum in the coming months.
The auction also included nearly two dozen vintage autographed cards, amassed by Mike Greenbaum during their time of origin, which garnered significant interest from collectors. The standout among them was a 1949 Bowman Jackie Robinson card, graded 1.5 with an autograph grade of 8, which sold for $117,000. A similarly graded signed Roy Campanella card from the same set fetched $69,000.
Individual card sales also made waves at the auction. A T206 Ty Cobb Green portrait, graded PSA 6 with a Piedmont advertising back, sold 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 featuring Mantle and Mays sold for $75,000.
Complete sets were also on offer, attracting collectors looking to own a piece of sports history. The highest-rated set of 1909-1912 Colgan’s chips discs, sold 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 auction's diverse and valuable selections.
The Winter Sports Card Auction at Heritage was truly a historic event, with impressive sales and rare collectibles fetching top dollar. Collectors and sports enthusiasts eagerly participated in the auction, highlighting the enduring allure and value of sports cards and memorabilia.
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