Conlon Photo Archive, Six-Figure Rookie Cards at Platinum Night
Heritage Auctions’ Aug. 27-28 Sports Collectibles Platinum Night Auction – the first to conclude entirely in online Extended Bidding format – is anticipated to record the highest sales tally of any 21st century sports collectibles auction when it closes to expectations of more than $10 million in total sales Aug. 27-28 on HA.com.
“With every world record price we record, the calls from top collectors increase,” said Chris Ivy, director of Heritage Sports Collectibles. “We have literally dozens of six-figure lots on offer as a result.”
Elite trading cards figure heavily into that tally, with multiple high-grade examples of the most coveted postwar card of them all, the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle (est. $200,000+), leading the charge. Also on offer is a spectacular PSA NM 7 example of the 1916 M101-5 Babe Ruth rookie ($600,000+) and the only Gem Mint 10 examples of Topps rookie cards for Pete Rose, Nolan Ryan and Lew Alcindor (Kareem-Abdul Jabbar).
The Charles Conlon Photographic Archive headlines the memorabilia offerings in the two-day event, with more than 7.000 original one-of-a-kind negatives capturing legends from Babe Ruth to Ty Cobb to “Shoeless Joe” Jackson (est. $1 million).
It is the most significant baseball photographic archive ever offered at auction. Other historic offerings include the only game-used bat that can be definitively dated to Jackie Robinson’s 1947 rookie campaign ($300,000+), and the very last cap ever worn by Babe Ruth as a player ($150,000+). Heritage will also offer the only known photo-matched jersey from the Hall of Fame career of Christy Mathewson ($400,000+).
Two special collections are worthy of note as well. The estate of recently departed legend Ernie Banks provides a selection of personal relics including his Hall of Fame induction ring ($100,000+) and his 1958 "Babe Ruth Sultan of Swat Award" Crown ( $150,000+), plus an extraordinary assembly of material from various Baseball World Tours, including one of only two known Herb Pennock game-worn jerseys in private hands (est. $60,000+).
For collectors concentrating on the modern gridiron, three important Brett Favre jerseys are on offer, deriving from his last game as a representative of the Green Bay Packers, the last game of his fabled consecutive games streak and the last jersey of his NFL playing career.
Additional highlights
• The 1927 New York Yankees World Championship Ring presented to Herb Pennock – the Hall of Famer considered one of the greatest left-handed pitchers of all time ($100,000+).
• A time capsule from 'The Father of Black Baseball' – more than 100 items pertaining to Rube Foster, an extraordinary archive including rare photographs, a partial autograph, and a ledger documenting the earliest years of the Negro National League. ($40,000+).
• 1974 Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl IX Ring presented to "Mean Joe" Greene (est. $40,000+).
• The 1930 Babe Ruth single-signed baseball hit for first home run of season – his 517th career home run – PSA/DNA NM-MT 8 (est. $60,000+).
• A rare, 1963 President John F. Kennedy Single Signed Opening Day First Pitch Baseball (est. $40,000+).
Hall of Fame of cards
• 1953 Topps Willie Mays #244 PSA Gem Mint 10 ($800,000+).
• 1938 Goudey Joe DiMaggio #250 PSA Mint 9 ($400,000+).
• 1956 Topps Mickey Mantle, Gray Back #135 PSA Gem Mint 10 ($400,000+).
• A rare, signed T206 Ty Cobb Bat Off Shoulder Card, dated to 1909-11 ($10,000+).
Match and game-worn gems
• 1980 Roberto Duran fight-worn trunks from Sugar Ray Leonard II "No Mas" Bout ($60,000+).
• 1947 Maurice Richard NHL Inaugural All-Star game-worn jersey – from the first-ever National Hockey League All-Star Game ($40,000+).
• 1974 Gordie Howe Summit Series game-worn Team Canada jersey ($40,000+).
