500 home run bat collection nets $300,000 in MHCC March Auction

Mile High Card Company’s March Auction closed with a slew of record-setting prices. 

Game-used bat collectors were treated to a mother lode of material with every member of the 500 home run club represented as well as other notable superstars. Key game-used bats sold were: 1926-27 Jimmie Foxx Spalding rookie-era PSA/DNA GU 9 ($27,507), 1939-40 Ted Williams rookie-era Louisville Slugger PSA/DNA GU 9 ($59,285), 1959-60 Eddie Mathews Adirondack PSA/DNA GU 10 ($18,329), 1980 Mike Schmidt game-used and signed Adirondack Pro Ring bat PSA/DNA GU 10 ($8,997), 1965-68 Mickey Mantle Louisville Slugger PSA/DNA GU ($10,506), 2001 Barry Bonds game-used and signed Sam Bat (73 Home Run Season) PSA/DNA GU 10 ($20,442), 1982 Cal Ripken Jr. rookie-era game-used Louisville Slugger bat GU 10 ($10,024), 2002 Derek Jeter signed Louisville Slugger LOA/Steiner and PSA/DNA GU 9 ($7,227), and 2013 Mike Trout Old Hickory bat PSA/DNA GU 10 ($10,233).

Other leading items highlighted in the auction included: an 1888 N173 Old Judge King Kelly “Street Clothes” variation cabinet card (one of only four known to exist) that sold for $63,056, a 1933 V353 World Wide Gum (Canadian Goudey) uncut sheet featuring (3) Babe Ruth cards and Lou Gehrig that closed at $49,403, and a 1909-11 T206 near-complete set (477/520) all PSA graded #8 on PSA Set Registry that fetched $127,920.

“It was a long night of heavy bidding but with such amazing material being presented, we were ready for the challenge” said MHCC President and CEO Brian Drent. “We were pleased to see how many record prices were set tonight.”

Of course, MHCC still had the usual selection of top-quality sports cards that makes it the leader in the industry, with the King Kelly cabinet card joined by a 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle SGC 7 NM that sold for ($120,095), 1911 T201 Mecca Double Folder Matthewson/Bridwell (Mathewson) NM/MT+ 8.5 ($9,619), 1919 T213 Coupon Cigarettes Type 3 Christy Mathewson PSA 8 NM/MT ($8,986), a rare 1930 Baguer Chocolate Babe Ruth PSA 7 NM ($9,219), 1933 Goudey #149 Babe Ruth SGC 7 NM ($19,728), 1934 Goudey #61 Lou Gehrig SGC 88 NM/MT 8 ($12,806), 1951 Bowman #253 Mickey Mantle PSA 6.5 EX/MT+ ($31,624), 1952 Bowman #101 Mickey Mantle PSA 8 NM/MT ($11,272), 1960 Topps #200 Willie Mays PSA 9 MINT ($9,314), 1967 Topps #581 Tom Seaver PSA 9 MINT ($7,686), 1973 O-Pee-Chee #615 Mike Schmidt PSA 10 GEM MINT ($9,866), 1933 Sport Kings #35 Knute Rockne SGC 96 MINT 9 ($9,537) and 1958 Topps #62 Jimmy Brown SGC 92 NM/MT+ 8.5 ($18,485).

New price records were set all across the board with a 1922 W575-2/1924 Knight Motors Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb uncut panel ($13,350), 1923 Maple Crispette #8 Babe Ruth PSA 4.5 VG/EX+ ($6,144), 1966 Topps #1 Willie Mays PSA 9 MINT ($8,179), 1990 Topps #414 Frank Thomas NNOF PSA 9 MINT that more than doubled the previous record by selling for $20,479, 1933 Goudey #228 Tony Piet PSA 8 NM/MT ($5,747),1933 Goudey #184 Charley Berry PSA 8 NM/MT ($3,565) and 1954 Topps #24 Metro Prystai PSA MINT 9 ($4,429). Also of note were five cards from the scarce 1961 Topps Dice Game test series, newly discovered and the only example known of each, that combined for a total of $28,338 and were led by the 1961 Topps Dice Game Bill Mazeroski SGC 2 GOOD at $6,996.

Top-notch sets and near sets were prominently featured in the March auction with the 1909-11 T206 near complete set joined by a 1911 T205 Gold Border partial set (138/206) all PSA graded that brought in $17,893, 1915 Cracker Jack near complete set 110/176 completely PSA graded ($45.583), 1962 Kahn’s Wieners complete set #1 on PSA Set Registry with 9.085 GPA ($7,696), 1951 Parkhurst high grade near complete set (96/105) with many PSA graded ($17,604) and 1956 Topps Elvis Presley complete set #2 on PSA Set Registry with 9.076 overall GPA ($10,492). A 1966 Topps Baseball near-complete Master Set (587/612) #8 on PSA Set Registry was broken up and brought in a cumulative total of $92,903.

Other incredibly rare items that were of particular interest to advanced bidders were a high-grade Babe Ruth single-signed rare “Two-Star” 1943 OAL (Harridge) ball PSA/DNA and JSA that was sold for $34,867 and a Roberto Clemente signed real photo postcard dated July 1955 PSA/DNA ($5,461).

For complete results, visit www.milehighcardco.com.