Mastro smashes records on way to $11.3 million sal

With strong bidding on the famed Lionel Carter Collection and and a solid selection of quality sports memorabilia and other cards, Mastro tallied $11.3 million at its April Premier auction.

Doug Allen, Mastro president, noted that media interest in the recent April auction was at an all-time high for the auction giant. "Over 10 million households were exposed to the material available in our April auction as a direct result of our comprehensive public relations efforts," said Allen. "We were on ESPN, Forbes, CNBC and detailed in many major market television broadcasts and newspapers. That's in addition to our consistent practice of catalog distribution and advertising and promotion to our primary collecting markets.

"The impact of the media exposure we generate directs previously unknown items and consigners to us on a regular basis," said Allen. "Fresh material always stimulates the hobby and allows us to keep collecting exciting for our valued customer base."

Mastro Auctions' strategy certainly paid off in the results of its April Premier sales event. The average lot price was $5,972, one of the highest in the company's history. In addition, the auction house set hobby records, especially in the baseball card category. A 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle rookie card in mint condition sold for over $162,000 - nearly three times what any similar card in the same grade has ever commanded. Also, a 1938 Goudey Heads-up set sold for $286,304 - more than five times higher than any similarly graded set has ever realized.

The Goudey set and the Mantle both originated from the famed Lionel Carter Collection. The collection, from one of the hobby's pioneers, will be offered in its entirety in several upcoming Mastro Auctions sales. The first installment of the collection, featured in the April sale, generated nearly $1.6 million.

"The results of the first installment of Lionel's collection exceeded even our lofty expectations," said Allen. "It has everything to do with the unequaled condition of the cards, particularly in the area of color and tone and the fact that they originate from one of the hobby's original statesmen."