Over the recent weekend, history was made at Heritage Auctions’ Winter Sports Card Auction as a remarkable sale took place. The star of the show was the premiere SGC graded 1916 M101-5 blank back Babe Ruth rookie card, which achieved a staggering sale price of $630,000. Graded 5.5 by SGC, this card is extremely rare, with only seven other examples known within SGC’s records. But the Ruth rookie card was just one of the many highlights of this monumental auction, which amassed over $11.1 million in total sales.
Among the treasures sold, several items fetched impressive prices. A 1986-87 Fleer Michael Jordan rookie card, immaculately graded PSA 10, achieved the highest sale price for a Gem Mint PSA graded copy since September 2021. This card is highly sought after by collectors and fetched a significant amount at the auction.
Vintage, still-sealed boxes were also a highlight of the auction. One such box was a 1965 Topps Baseball wax box containing cards from the second, third, and fourth series. Originating from the collection of Adolph “Herky” Rupp Jr., this box sold for an impressive $336,000 after authentication by BBCE. Rupp Jr., the descendant of the famed Kentucky basketball coach, Adolph Rupp, had a collection that 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 collection that had recently come to light. These boxes were acquired towards the end of the previous year and garnered significant attention from collectors. A 1970 Topps Baseball 6th series cello box broke records with a sale price of $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 sold for $18,600. These initial offerings from the collection, tied to a former Topps employee, fetched a total of $284,455, with expectations of reaching into the seven figures as more items are sold in the coming months.
Vintage autographed cards were another highlight of the auction. Nearly two dozen of these cards, amassed by Mike Greenbaum in their time of origin, garnered significant interest from collectors. A standout 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. Another notable sale was a similarly graded signed Roy Campanella card from the same set, which fetched $69,000.
Individual card sales were also strong during 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 $80,533, while a 1962 Topps Manager’s Dream card, showcasing both Mantle and Mays, sold for $75,000.
Complete sets were also available for bidding, 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. These complete sets added to the diverse and valuable selections at the auction.
Overall, the Winter Sports Card Auction at Heritage Auctions was a historic event, breaking records with its impressive sales. From the iconic Babe Ruth rookie card to the highly sought-after Michael Jordan rookie card, collectors showed their enthusiasm for these rare and valuable items. With a total of over $11.1 million in sales, the auction proved to be a remarkable success in the world of sports card collecting.
