‘The Yankee Legends Collection’ offered by Heritage Auctions

The New York Yankees’ 2017 season ended in the seventh game of the American League Championship Series, but Heritage Auctions keeps the spirit of pinstriped competition alive with a special, single-consignor collection titled “Yankee Legends” which is now open for bidding at HA.com/7230.

The special sale will close in extended bidding format Dec. 10. The consignor has chosen to remain anonymous but the figures represented in this collection are immortalized in both Yankee Stadium’s Monument Park and further upstate in Cooperstown, New York.

“The consignor sees himself as a curator of Yankees history,” said Chris Ivy, director of Sports Collectibles at Heritage Auctions, “so the collection is remarkably comprehensive in scope and breadth, but with a heavy concentration on the most significant Yankee memorabilia available in the hobby.”

Consider the game used bats alone. The auction begins with the earliest known Babe Ruth bat (est. $600,000+), dating to his rookie 1915 season, when his groundbreaking sale to the Yankees was still five years in the future. The bat with which Lou Gehrig hit the final two home runs of his life (est. $800,000+), in 1939 spring training, is also on offer, as is rookie lumber from both Joe DiMaggio (est. $400,000+) and Mickey Mantle (est. $200,000+). A bat signed and likely used by Roger Maris the day he tied Babe Ruth with his sixtieth home run of 1961 is likewise available (est. $50,000+).

Autograph collectors will find a massive trove of Bronx treasures, with high-grade team balls from the mighty Murderer’s Row team of 1927 (est. $150,000+) and just about every other championship vintage. Single-signed offerings run the gamut from the obscure to the immortal, including the only known example from Ernie “Tiny” Bonham (est. $3,000+) and one of the finest Babe Ruth exemplars on Earth (est. $150,000+).

While the auction is sharply focused upon the Yankees, the team’s greatest rivals do make some noteworthy appearances. A game used bat from Jackie Robinson’s 1949 National League MVP season (est. $400,000+) recalls the great Subway Series rivalry, and a rare, 1915 Eddie Plank “Official Federal League” single signed baseball (est. $200,000+) ranks among the most significant autograph offerings of 2017.

Additional standout highlights include, but are not limited to:

• 1992 Derek Jeter New York Yankees Scouting Report (est. $50,000+)

• 1965 Mickey Mantle game used fielder's glove, PSA/DNA Authentic (est. $200,000+)

• 1960 Ted Williams all-star game used bat, PSA/DNA GU 10 (est. $150,000+)

• 1950s .400 Hitters multi-signed baseball with Cobb, Hornsby, Williams (est. $100,000+)

• 1960s Jackie Robinson single signed baseball, PSA/DNA Mint 9 (est. $100,000+)

• 1920s Christy Mathewson "$500,000.00" single signed baseball (est. $80,000+)

• Late 1950s Napoleon "Larry" Lajoie single signed baseball (est. $60,000+)

• The finest "Shoeless Joe" Jackson signed baseball on Earth (est. $40,000+)

• 1949-51 Mel Ott single signed baseball (est. $40,000+)

• Grover Cleveland Alexander single signed baseball, circa 1930 (est. $30,000+)

The Yankee Legends auction is now open for bidding and will close in extended bidding format at 10 p.m. Central time, Dec. 10.