High-grade gems of Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Wilt Chamberlain, Bobby Orr highlight REA Spring Catalog Auction

When it comes to sports cards, some of the biggest names in sports dominate the hobby, from Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner and Mickey Mantle in baseball to such legends as Wilt Chamberlain (basketball), Bronko Nagurski (football) and Bobby Orr (hockey).

REA’s Spring Catalog Auction, which opened April 12 and runs through April 27, includes more than 3,600 lots that feature high-end vintage gems that span the world of sports and legends of almost every game.

Highlights include a 1966-67 Topps Test USA Hockey #35 Bobby Orr Rookie card graded PSA MINT 9—one of only three examples graded PSA 9 with none graded higher—and a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card grade SGC NM+ 7.5.

Also See: Upper Deck expands relationship with NHL legend Bobby Orr

“From top to bottom, the variety and overall quality that can be found throughout our Spring Auction makes this one of the most diverse events we have ever assembled,” REA President Brian Dwyer said. “We’re very excited about so many of the unique memorabilia items that our consignors brought us as well as the high volume of vintage and modern classics that we’re able to offer.”

Also See: Aaron Judge a pinstriped powerhouse on field, in hobby

In its Fall 2024 Catalog Auction, REA sold a 1916 M101-4 Morehouse Baking Babe Ruth Rookie PSA VG+ 3.5  for nearly $900,000. The Spring Catalog Auction features a second newly discovered Morehouse Baking Ruth Rookie (PSA POOR 1) from the same Massachusetts family that held the cards for decades.

Other auction highlights include a collection of 15 different rare N338-2 S.F. Hess tobacco cards featuring Hall of Famers Tim Keefe, John Ward, and Mickey Welch. REA has sold 14 different examples of these cards in the past 21 years, but this is the first near complete set offered at auction.  

Also featured is a collection of rare 1903 E107 Breisch-Williams cards featuring such baseball legends as Cy Young, Honus Wagner, and the rookie card of Christy Mathewson. The E107 Breisch-Williams collection features 172 cards from one of the most significant pre-war issues and one of the few sets issued between the popular photographic cards of the 1880s and the many tobacco- and caramel-card issues of the 1910s.

The auction also includes dozens of high-grade rookie cards, including coveted classics like a 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson Rookie (PSA 10); a 1961-62 Fleer Basketball Wilt Chamberlain Rookie (SGC 9); and a 1935 R331 National Chicle Football #34 Bronko Nagurski Rookie (SGC 8), the only example graded at this level by SGC.

Also See: Wilt, Kareem highlight 1973 Topps Basketball set

Also highlighted are several high-grade rookie cards of current stars, such as: a 2017 Panini Prizm Rookie Autographs Football #PM Patrick Mahomes II Rookie Purple Crystals (#59/75, PSA 10); and two PSA 10 examples of the 2005-06 Upper Deck Rookie card of new NHL all-time goals scorer Alex Ovechkin.

Also See: Upper Deck honors Alex Ovechkin with special card set

Other auction highlights include:

• 1917 E135 Collins-McCarthy #147 Babe Ruth Blank Back (PSA GOOD+ 2.5).

Also See: ‘Superhero’ Shohei Ohtani dominates hobby as cards continue to soar

• 1915 E145 Cracker Jack #103 Joe Jackson (PSA EX 5).

• 1933 R338 Sport Kings #2 Babe Ruth (SGC NM/MT+ 8.5).

• A #1/1 highest graded 1948-49 Leaf #4 Stan Musial Rookie (SGC NM/MT+ 8.5).

• 1948-49 Leaf #79 Jackie Robinson Rookie (PSA NM 7).

• 1953 Topps #82 Mickey Mantle (PSA NM-MT 8).

• The highest-graded 1956 Topps #130 Willie Mays Gray Back (PSA MINT 9).  

• 1975 Topps #228 George Brett Rookie (SGC GEM MINT 10

• Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig dual-signed baseball (PSA/DNA NM-MT 8, JSA LOA).

• 1966 Brooks Robinson signed, game-used road jersey from the Baltimore Orioles World Championship season (MEARS A10).

• 1957 Topps Football #138 Johnny Unitas Rookie (SGC MINT 9).  

• 1956 Melbourne Olympics Team USA game-used uniform, gold medal and lapel pin presented to Hall of Famer K.C. Jones (from the K.C. Jones estate).

The auction also includes more than 450 complete and near complete sets, including several which are among the finest in the hobby and rank near the top of the PSA Set Registry. Included are: a 1960 Topps complete set ranked #4; 1959 Topps master set ranked #10; and a 1955 Bowman complete master set that’s ranked #1.

There’s also a 1986-87 Fleer Basketball complete set graded PSA MINT 9 and a T206 SGC and PSA-graded near complete set that includes 516 of the 524 cards.

To register to bid, please visit REA’s registration page.