Clemente memorabilia dominates American Memorabili

As it was in its previous auction, baseball items once again dominated American Memorabia's July All-Star auction. Eight of the top-10 items in the auction were baseball items. The auction contained 872 lots, which received a total of 8,712 bids for an auction total of $538,950.

It wasn't a piece of memorabilia that led the way, but rather a vintage trading card. The card was a 1915 Cracker Jack No. 103 Joe Jackson card, graded PSA 8 (right). It received 19 bids and sold for $38,685.

Next in line were several baseball items, including four Roberto Clemente items. The first Clemente item was his first signed contract as a professional from 1952. The signature was graded PSA 9. The signed contract received 15 bids and sold for $26,422.

Other Clemente items included: a 1972 multi-signed final home run ball with notorized letter from recipient. Included in the lot was a PSA EX 5 Oct. 10 full ticket ($9,276); a 1972 signed personal check graded PSA 9 ($9,276); a 1965-68 game-used bat with equipment manager LOA, graded PSA GU 8 ($9,261); a 1955 Topps Roberto Clemente signed rookie card with PSA/DNA letter ($6,863); and a 1961 Roberto Clemente two-page, handwritten letter, with signature graded PSA 9 ($4,925).

Other baseball items from the top 10 included: a Rogers Hornsby Sweet Spot single-signed ball ($18,729); a 1986 Mark McGwire game-worn, signed rookie A's jersey ($10,659); and a baseball signed by Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig ($8,947).

Other highlighted baseball items included: two original chairs from Yankee Stadium ($6,239); a 1955 Jackie Robinson salesman's sample ring ($6,121); a Jesse Owens, Roger Maris, Joe DiMaggio, Satchel Paige signed ball ($5,341); a 1934 Lou Gehrig signed Goudey No. 61 PSA authenticated ($4,760); a 1973-75 Hank Aaron game-used, signed bat graded PSA GU 8 ($4,687); a Sandy Koufax signed Yarmulke ($4,414); a Grover Alexander signed ball ($4,114); an Eddie Mathews game-used, signed bat ($3,521); a Sadaharu Oh single-signed ball ($3,491); a 1979 Yankees team-signed ball, one of Thurman Munson's last signed baseballs ($3,404); a Roger Maris single-signed N.L. Feeny ball ($3,399); a mid-1980s Nolan Ryan game-used Astros Rainbow knit jersey ($3,251); a 1970 Chris Short game-worn Phillies jersey ($3,251); and a 2005 Roger Clemens game-worn Astros jersey ($3,202).

The football items in the auction were led by an old jersey and a new jersey. An early 1980s Jack Youngblood game-worn Rams jersey received 18 bids and sold for 7,550. A 2004 Matt Leinart game-worn, signed USC jersey from his Heisman Trophy season received 27 bids and sold for $6,863 (below left).

 Other highlighted football items included: a 1970s Larry Little Dolphins road game-worn jersey with tears ($4,114); a circa-1970 Gary Larsen game-worn Vikings home jersey ($3,648); a 1996 Dan Marino game-worn Dolphins jersey ($2,558); a 1972 Lance Rentzel game-worn Rams jersey ($2,187); a Bill Parcells Super Bowl XXI salesman sample ring ($1,988); a 2005 Lofa Tatupu game-used rookie uniform with Seahawks letter ($1,702); a 1970s Bill Brown game-worn Vikings jersey ($1,671); a Dwight Freeney game-used Colts helmet with Colts LOA ($1,585); a 1995 Korey Stringer game-worn signed Vikings jersey ($1,547); and a Bob Griese 1972 Dolphins prototype ring.

Highlighted basketball items included: a 1987-88 Michael Jordan game-worn Bulls uniform ($7,333); a 1995-96 Charles Barkley game-worn, signed Suns jersey ($3,740); a 1997-98 Tim Duncan game-worn, signed Spurs rookie jersey ($2,813); and a 1997-98 Karl Malone game-used Finals jersey, signed and notated ($2,492).

Highlighted hockey items included: a Wayne Gretky hat-trick record puck ($4,525) and mid-1980s Gretky game-used gloves with team LOA ($3,202).

Other highlighted items in the auction included: a Star Wars "The Empire Strikes Back" children's world premiere award presented to Harrison Ford ($6,863); an original 1964 "The Beatles vs The Four Seasons" Vee Jay Records ($2,384); a Marilyn Monroe rhinestone necklace ($1,988); and a Walt Disney signed check ($1,872).