Hold onto your baseball caps, folks, because the sports memorabilia world just witnessed one for the record books! The 1951 Bowman Willie Mays rookie card recently fetched a staggering $390,935 at Robert Edward Auctions’ Summer Catalog Auction, sending shockwaves through the collecting community.
This particular card, graded as the finest example seen on the auction circuit in over a decade and a half, had collectors lining up to take a swing at it. With eleven determined bidders vying for the masterpiece, only one emerged victorious, clinching the coveted piece. Given the absence of PSA 10 Mays rookie cards and a mere eight PSA 9 graded cards in existence, the frenzy surrounding this sale comes as no surprise.
For those wondering about the context, a PSA 8 version of the same Mays card had previously sold for $207,400 at Goldin just last week, underscoring the skyrocketing demand for Mays’ rookie cards in the market.
But the excitement doesn’t stop at the price tag. The proceeds from this groundbreaking sale are set to fuel a college scholarship endowment, carrying the card’s legacy forward by supporting future generations. It’s a story of triumph not just for the collector who now owns a piece of history but also for the students who will benefit from this act of generosity.
The Summer Catalog Auction proved to be a home run on multiple fronts, amassing a colossal sum exceeding $13.3 million from a whopping 82,000 bids spread across nearly 3,200 lots. Thirteen items soared past the six-figure mark, with highlights like the $162,000 sale of a 1933 Goudey Nap Lajoie PSA 4.5 setting a new grade record.
Among the standout sales were an autographed 1949 Bowman Roy Campanella rookie (PSA 3) with a remarkable PSA 9 signature grade commanding $132,000, and a 1986-87 Fleer Michael Jordan rookie card (PSA 7 with a 7 autograph rating) selling for $120,000.
Not to be overshadowed, a 1936-1937 Dizzy Dean St. Louis Cardinals game-used road jersey fetched an impressive $114,000, establishing a new high-water mark for Dizzy Dean collectibles.
Here’s a snapshot of some other notable sales that added to the auction’s allure:
– 1933 R338 Sport Kings #2 Babe Ruth PSA NM-MT 8 – $120,000
– 1915 Boston Red Sox Real-Photo Team Postcard with Babe Ruth Rookie – $114,000
– 1980 Topps #482 Rickey Henderson Rookie PSA GEM MINT 10 – $111,000
– 1909-1911 T206 White Border Cy Young Glove Shows PSA EX+ 5.5 (Broad Leaf 460 Back) – $111,000
– 1979-1980 O-Pee-Chee Hockey #18 Wayne Gretzky Rookie PSA MINT 9 – $105,000
– 1914 E145 Cracker Jack #103 Joe Jackson SGC GOOD+ 2.5 – $102,000 (record for SGC grade)
– 1933 V353 World Wide Gum Canadian Goudey #80 Babe Ruth PSA NM 7 – $96,000 (record for the card)
– 1984-1985 Star Company Basketball #101 Michael Jordan Rookie BGS NM-MT+ 8.5 – $52,800 (record for Beckett grade)
Brian Dwyer, President of REA, summed up the event by expressing gratitude to both the consignors for entrusting the auction house with these extraordinary pieces and the bidders who propelled the auction to new heights.
If you missed this whirlwind of a sale, fret not! Keep your eyes peeled for REA’s upcoming September Encore Auction, slated to run from September 12-22. The thrill of the bidding war continues, so mark those calendars and get ready for more excitement in the world of collectibles.
