20 Cards Top $50,000 in Heritage Auctions Sale

By Ryan Cracknell | Hobby Editor

It wasn’t just the million-dollar Mantle that brought big bids at Heritage’s 2016 November Sports Collectibles Catalog Auction. A total 20 cards passed the $50,000. Of those, 13 topped the $100,000 mark.

The auction featured several top-condition copies of key cards from the late 1800s through to the modern era. And signs of a slowdown on these bluechip cards was nowhere to be found.

At $1.14 million, the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle PSA 8.5 became just the second baseball card to hit the million-dollar mark in a public sale. It joins the T206 Honus Wagner, which has set numerous records over the years.

One such Wagner, a Sweet Corporal Back graded PSA 2 sold at the Heritage sale for $776,750. Rounding out the top five was a 1958 Topps Jim Brown PSA 9 ($358,500), 1952 Topps Willie Mays PSA 9 ($310,700) and a 1939 Play Ball Ted Williams PSA 9 ($239,000).

Several key Babe Ruth cards also changed hands. Leading them was a 1916 M101-4 Sporting News card graded PSA 4 that sold for more than $215,000. A similar looking 1916 Famous Barr & Co. Babe Ruth hit $119,500. It’s graded PSA 3. Multiple 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth cards also saw strong prices.

Among the modern cards available was a 1998 Playoff Contenders Peyton Manning Rookie Ticket Autograph. Graded PSA 10, the card closed at $52,580. A BGS 9 1984-85 Star Michael Jordan came in strong at $47,800.

An unopened box of 1986-87 Fleer Basketball sold for $50,190. That works out to nearly $1,400 per pack.

Top 25 Heritage Auctions 2016 November Sports Collectibles Catalog Card Sales

All prices include buyer’s premium.

1. 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle PSA 8.5 – $1,135,250

2. 1909-11 T206 Sweet Corporal Honus Wagner PSA 2 – $776,750

3. 1958 Topps Jim Brown PSA 9 – $358,500

4. 1952 Topps Willie Mays PSA 9 – $310,700

5. 1939 Play Ball Ted Williams PSA 9 – $239,000

6. 1916 M101-4Sporting News Babe Ruth PSA 4 – $215,100

7. 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth #53 PSA 8 – $203,150

8. 1955 Topps Roberto Clemente PSA 8.5 – $167,300

8. 1957 Topps Johnny Unitas PSA 9 – $167,300

10. 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle PSA 7 – $155,300

11. 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth #149 PSA 8 – $143,400

12. 1916 Famous & Barr Co. Babe Ruth PSA 3 – $119,500

13. 1948 Leaf Jackie Robinson PSA 8 – $101,575

14. 1887 N172 Old Judge Cap Anson Street Clothes PSA 8 – $95,600

15. 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle PSA 6 – $89,625

16. 1948 Leaf Satchel Paige SGC 84 – $77,675

17. 1954 Topps Ernie Banks PSA 9 – $71,700

18. 1951 Bowman Willie Mays PSA 8 – $65,725

19. 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth #181 PSA 8 – $57,360

20. 1998 Playoff Contenders Peyton Manning Rookie Ticket Autograph PSA 10 – $52,580

21. 1986-87 Fleer Basketball Sealed Box – $50,190

22. 1956 Topps Mickey Mantle PSA 9 – $47,800

22. 1984-85 Star Michael Jordan BGS 9 – $47,800

24. 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth #144 PSA 8 – $41,825

25. 1915 Cracker Jack Joe Jackson PSA 7 – $40,630

Comments? Questions? Contact Ryan Cracknell on Twitter @tradercracks.