T206 Walter Johnson PSA 9 Nets $77,625

Celebrating its three-year anniversary, Memory Lane Inc.’s latest I Own it Now catalog sale came to a close recently with hundreds of high-grade and rare sports cards and memorabilia changing hands. The unique format allowed buyers to purchase items at a listed price or wait a set period of time in hopes of buying it for a "best offer" price.

The sale generated more than $900,000 in sales, according to Memory Lane.

Among the big ticket pieces changing hands was a T206 Walter Johnson portrait card. Graded PSA 9 and considered one of the best of all T206 cards in existence, it sold for $77,625.

“This was by far our best I Own it Now sale,” said Memory Lane’s J.P. Cohen. “We sold 560 of the 1,654 lots that were in the catalog.”

As expected, vintage cards were definitely the star of the show. A PSA 8 copy of the red background T206 Ty Cobb was acquired for $20,700. A 1915 Cracker Jack card of the legendary Shoeless Joe Jackson graded NM/MT+ was purchased for $39,100. Another card in that popular series, the #6 Eddie Plank, was offered in Mint condition and sold for $15,007.

Postwar cards of baseball legends sold included a 1954 Topps Al Kaline rookie card

(PSA 9) that sold for $15,812, a 1961 Topps Mickey Mantle All-Star sporting a PSA 10 rating ($17,250) and a 1955 Topps Roberto Clemente rookie card graded PSA 8 ($10,752).

Memory Lane’s next major auction is just a couple of weeks away. The Winter Classics catalog will have more than 1,400 high-end lots up for grabs. It’s set to open Dec. 5 and close Dec. 19.

As for I Own it Now, Cohen says the high end sale has become a proven and popular event with collectors and is here to stay. “We plan to do another one in January, and we’re already taking consignments,” he revealed.

To consign or register, contact the company via its website (http://www.memorylaneinc.com) or call (877) 606-5263. Catalogs are free.