Bowman Set Breaks, High-End Singles in Memory Lane’s Spring Break Auction

The phrase “spring break” might conjure up images of college students, sandy beaches and non-stop parties, but this year it means a rare opportunity for collectors to acquire some of the best vintage baseball cards from two important sets. Memory Lane is putting the finishing touches on its “Spring Break Auction,” which will feature the sale of individual cards from two of the highest quality Bowman baseball sets ever put together.

The auction begins April 25.

The headliner is a 1951 Bowman set, with all 252 cards graded PSA 8 or better, including the rookie cards of Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays. The cards will be sold individually, with the two icons joined by rookie cards of Whitey Ford, Nellie Fox, Monte Irvin and Jackie Jensen; a myriad of stars like Ted Williams, Duke Snider, Yogi Berra and Warren Spahn; plus top shelf examples from the rare high number series.

Memory Lane sold a PSA 8 Mantle last year for just under $50,000 alone, and a Mays for more than $32,000.

Also up for bid card-by-card will be a set of 1948 Bowman Baseball, the company’s debut issue. Amazingly, 38 of the 48 cards have been graded PSA 9, including all of the Hall of Famers such as the rookie cards of Berra, Spahn and Stan Musial.

Memory Lane will also offer fully graded complete sets of 1953 Bowman Black and White and 1964 Philadelphia Gum Football, plus a hoard of 639 1909-1911 T206 cards including 96 graded examples from the hobby’s most popular prewar set.

Dozens of single high-end star and rookie cards from virtually every era will be in the auction including a PSA 8 1932 U.S. Caramel Babe Ruth, T206 Eddie Plank, 1909-11 Colgan’s Chips Honus Wagner (PSA 8), 1939 Play Ball Ted Williams rookie card (PSA 8), pair of 1968 Topps Nolan Ryan rookie card (both PSA 9), Near Mint 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth, 1953 Topps Mickey Mantle (NM/MT), Mint 1949 Leaf Ted Williams, 1957 Topps Williams (PSA 9), 1954 Topps Jackie Robinson (PSA 9), 1966 Topps Mantle (PSA 9), 1969 Topps Willie Mays (PSA 10), 1961 Topps Juan Marichal rookie (PSA 10) and 1979 OPC Ozzie Smith rookie (PSA 10).

There are numerous other Hall of Famers from various sets in higher grades including Mantle, Aaron and Mays.

Football and basketball cards will also be represented, including a 1958 Topps Jim Brown rookie card (PSA 8) and a 1972-73 Topps Pete Maravich (PSA 10).

Joining the top cardboard in the auction are multiple Babe Ruth autographed items, including an 8-by-10 photo, a 1934 Tour of Japan baseball, 1928 Yankees team-signed ball and another ball signed only by Ruth and Lou Gehrig.

There is also a single-signed Rogers Hornsby baseball with box, a super scarce 1906 New York Giants schedule foldout featuring Christy Mathewson and his teammates, a 1907 Detroit Tigers team photo postcard featuring a very young Ty Cobb and numerous graded Super Bowl tickets including a group of 26.

Free auction catalogs are available upon request. To register for the auction, which closes May 9, visit Memory Lane’s website or call (877) 606-5263.