Morphy Auctions to host its first sports memorabilia auction Oct. 28

Morphy Auctions’ debut sports memorabilia auction, scheduled for Oct. 28, is getting closer. This sale, which launches Morphy’s new Sports Memorabilia Division, will feature more than 500 lots.

Morphy’s Sports Memorabilia Division will be headed by Tommy Sage Jr., who joined forces with Dan Morphy in 2004 to establish Morphy Auctions. Sage is known in the industry for his expertise in toys, trains, and sports memorabilia, and has been collecting sports memorabilia for almost four decades. He is also Morphy Auctions’ Toy and Pop Culture Division head.

Sage will be working with industry expert Kevin Bronson, Morphy’s new Sports Memorabilia consultant. Bronson has 25 years of experience handling and appraising a full spectrum of important athletic-related materials and ephemera. He has worked at several major auction houses and has traveled coast to coast working with enthusiasts to help with their collecting and deaccessioning needs. Bronson has been featured on the front page of USA Today and is known for his category knowledge.

“Tommy Sage and Kevin Bronson are not only encyclopedias of sports knowledge, but both have a passion for sports and sports memorabilia,” said Dan Morphy, president of Morphy Auctions.

Morphy’s October sale will offer a selection of sports-related autographs, equipment, cards, ephemera, medals and trophies, and other items from the most collectible categories.

Baseball card enthusiasts are certain to take note of three offerings in this event. The first, a set of T206 tobacco cards missing the big four, is estimated at $75,000-$100,000. The T206 was issued in 1909-1911 through the American Tobacco Company. It is considered the “holy grail” among many collectors.

The second, a complete set of T205 tobacco cards, is estimated at $20,000-$30,000. The T205, comprised of 220 cards, was also issued in 1911 through the American Tobacco Company and is second only to the T206 in terms of desirability. And a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle rookie card, estimated at $35,000-$40,000, is certain to be popular with collectors.

This auction is also a perfect game in terms of its offerings of signed baseballs. A baseball autographed by the 1951 World Champion New York Yankees team is estimated at $10,000-$15,000, and features a rookie Mickey Mantle signature. A baseball signed by Babe Ruth is estimated at $6,000-$8,000.

“We are thrilled to launch this new specialty division here at Morphy’s. We will be holding two sales events per year – one in the spring, and one in the fall,” said Sage. “Our goal is to become the go-to auction house for the world’s most exciting and interesting sports memorabilia, and this debut sale will undoubtedly launch us in that direction.”

Bronson added, “I am excited to be a part of this sale featuring several exceptional collections. It’s not every day that full tobacco sets are being sold complete and intact. Add in a mix of high-grade signed Yankee Baseballs and important sports cards, and you have the makings of a sale destined for the record books.”

For more information on Morphy’s, visit www.MorphyAuctions.com.