Over the recent weekend, sports memorabilia enthusiasts witnessed a historic sale at Heritage Auctions’ Winter Sports Card Auction. The highlight of the event was the remarkable sale of the premiere SGC graded 1916 M101-5 blank back Babe Ruth rookie card, which reached a stunning sale price of $630,000. With a 5.5 rating by SGC, this card is exceptionally rare, with only seven other examples known within SGC’s records. The auction itself was a monumental success, generating over $11.1 million in total sales, with seven items fetching over $100,000 each, including the buyer’s premium. Notably, a 1986-87 Fleer Michael Jordan rookie card, graded immaculate 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 the impressive collection of vintage, still-sealed boxes. Among them was a 1965 Topps Baseball wax box, containing cards from the second, third, and fourth series. This particular box, originating from the collection of Adolph “Herky” Rupp Jr., descendant of the famed Kentucky basketball coach Adolph Rupp, was auctioned for an astounding $336,000 following authentication by BBCE. Rupp Jr.’s collection also featured 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 towards the end of the previous year. These boxes attracted significant attention and set new records. A 1970 Topps Baseball 6th series cello box sold for an impressive $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, linked to a former Topps employee, yielded $284,455 in sales, with expectations of reaching seven figures as more items are auctioned in the coming months.
Autographed cards were another highlight of the auction. Nearly two dozen vintage autographed cards, amassed by collector Mike Greenbaum, garnered significant interest. A standout was the 1949 Bowman Jackie Robinson card, graded 1.5 with an autograph grade of 8, which led the pack at an impressive $117,000. A similarly graded signed Roy Campanella card from the same set fetched $69,000.
Individual card sales also saw remarkable prices. A T206 Ty Cobb Green portrait, graded PSA 6 and featuring a Piedmont advertising back, sold for $105,000. A 1958 Topps Mickey Mantle card, graded PSA 9, reached a price of $80,533, while a 1962 Topps Manager’s Dream card, showcasing both Mantle and Mays, sold for $75,000.
Complete sets were also on offer, showcasing the diversity and value of the auction’s offerings. 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.
The Winter Sports Card Auction at Heritage proves once again the enduring appeal and value of sports memorabilia. With record-breaking sales of rare cards, vintage unopened boxes, and valuable autographed treasures, this auction continues to captivate collectors and enthusiasts alike.