Auctions
‘Holy grail’ Honus card, 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle headline Spring Vintage Auction at Goldin
When it comes to vintage baseball cards, there are no finer gems than the T206 Honus Wagner tobacco card and the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle.
According to the experts, they are the “holy grail” and the “Mona Lisa” of sports cards.
Goldin has rare examples of both, plus plenty of other historical treasures, in its Spring Vintage Auction, which opened May 28 and runs through June 21.
The auction features rare vintage cards of such baseball legends as Wagner, Mantle, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Christy Mathewson.
“I can confidently say this is one of the most impressive assemblies of vintage treasures ever offered in a single auction,” said Ken Goldin, founder and CEO of Goldin. “Our Spring Vintage Elite is a landmark event, giving collectors the rare opportunity to acquire some of the most sought-after vintage cards and memorabilia in the world. From the legendary T206 Honus Wagner ‘holy grail’ to a near-mint 1952 Topps Mantle—the ‘Mona Lisa’ of baseball cards—to rookie cards of the Babe and many more immortals of our National Pastime, Goldin's Spring Vintage Auction truly has it all!”
The Wagner card is the T206 “Connecticut Wagner,” a 1909 Sweet Caporal 150 Subjects/Factory 30 card graded PSA PR-FR 1.
It first surfaced at a Connecticut card show in 1985 and remained unseen until its display in 2010 at the Detroit Institute of Arts. According to Goldin, the card has strong eye appeal with “rich color” and a “clear, well-centered portrait.” It was sold privately in 2020. and now returns to the auction block with a starting bid of $2 million. A T206 Wagner card graded PSA AUTHENTIC recently sold for $1.9 million, a record for the grade, at Mile High Card Company.
The 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle Rookie card is graded PSA MN 7 and has a starting bid of $50,000.
Other auction highlights include:
• 1902 W600 Sporting Life Cabinet Type 1 Mount John “Hans” Wagner Rookie card (PSA VG+ 3.5). One of four graded examples. Starting bid: $100,000.
• 1915 Boston Red Sox Team Photo Postcard featuring a “true” rookie image of Babe Ruth (PSA GD+ 2.5). Starting Bid: $40,000.
• 1934 Goudey #61 Signed Lou Gehrig card (PSA GD2, PSA NM 7). Starting bid: $30,000.
• 1903 Breisch Williams Christy Mathewson Rookie card (SGC FR 1.5). Starting bid: $30,000.
• 1921 E220 National Caramel Babe Ruth card (PSA VG+3.5, POP 1). Starting bid: $20,000.
• 1895 Benjamin Falk Studios John Montgomery Ward Cabinet signed By Ward (PSA 2 MK; PSA MINT 9). Starting bid: $10,000.
• 1932 Babe Ruth's “Called Shot” World Series Game 3 Full Ticket (PSA 2). Starting bid: $12,500.
• 1890 Philadelphia Phillies Original Albumen Photo featuring Harry Wright, Ed Delahanty, Billy Hamilton, and Sam Thompson. Starting bid: $5,000
The Goldin 100 Auction featuring 100 luxury, curated collectibles from sports, entertainment and pop culture, runs through June 14. The May Elite Auction runs through May 31.
