T206 Wagner Tops $400K, ’52 Mantle Hits $268K in SCP Auctions Sale

The “Chesapeake Wagner,” a recently unearthed 1909 Honus Wagner T206 card from a private collector living in the northeast, sold for $403,664 in SCP Auctions’ Fall Premier which concluded Dec. 7. The sale of this particular Wagner card, which received a PSA 1 designation in August, only helps to maintain the mystique of the former Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop’s tobacco-issue artifact as the “Holy Grail” of sports trading cards. In total, the auction of more than 1,150 sports memorabilia items brought in $3.9 million.

“Unveiling a fresh T206 Honus Wagner card is a dream scenario for any hobby professional,” said SCP Auctions Vice President Dan Imler. “Its winning bid only lends credence to its already legendary status.”

Other top lots included a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle rookie card ($268,664) and a game-used bat swung by the late Jackie Robinson during his 1949 National League MVP season ($201,851), proving once again that the man who broke baseball’s color barrier continues to be an inspiration to so many.

Garnering a bid of $151,652 was the sale of a game-worn and autographed Ernie Banks 1969 Chicago Cubs home jersey from his final full season in the major leagues.

“We are extremely pleased with the overall results of the auction, which just goes to show that the market for the finest quality sports memorabilia remains strong," added Imler.

Other highlights from the auction included:

• Hank Aaron’s Autographed and Game-Worn 1968-69 Braves Road Jersey - $121,132
• 1967 Willie Mays Autographed and Game-Worn San Francisco Giants Uniform - $100,266
• Lyle Alzado’s 1983 L.A. Raiders Super Bowl Championship Ring - $80,750
• 1929 Mickey Cochrane (Philadelphia A's) World Championship Game-Used Bat - $65,048
• Bill "Moose" Skowron's 1962 New York Yankees World Championship 14K Gold Ring - $45,578

All prices include a buyer’s premium. Full auction results are available at www.scpauctions.com.