1951 Bowman Willie Mays card sets record in $13 million Summer Auction at REA

Nearly two months after his death, cards of baseball legend Willie Mays are soaring to new record-setting heights.

A 1951 Bowman Willie Mays rookie card, graded PSA NM-MT+ 8.5, sold for $390,935 in the Summer Catalog Auction at Robert Edward Auctions. The sale was an auction record for the card in any grade.

Also See: Babe Ruth bat, Lou Gehrig rookie highlight Summer Rarities Auction at Memory Lane 

The auction, which featured nearly 3,200 sports and non-sports items, generated more than $13.3 million in sales.

Other record sales included: a 1933 R319 Goudey #106 Napoleon Lajoie (PSA VG-EX+ 4.5) that sold for $162,000, a record for the grade; and a signed 1949 Bowman #84 Roy Campanella Rookie (PSA VG 3) with a MINT 9 signature, one of only two graded by PSA, for $132,000, a record for the card in any grade.

“This was a very exciting auction across the board and we’re pleased with the countless new record prices that were established in so many different areas of the hobby,” REA President Brian Dwyer said. “As always, we owe a huge thank you to the consignors who entrust us with these incredible items, and the bidders who made this yet another record-setting catalog auction for us.”

Among the autographed cards that highlighted the auction was a signed 1986-1987 Fleer Basketball #57 Michael Jordan Rookie PSA NM 7 with a NM 7 signature that sold for $120,000.

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Several high-grade complete sets also netted big results, including: a 1956 Topps complete set that sold for $111,000; a 1960 Topps complete set for $96,000; a 1912 T202 Hassan Triple Folders complete set ranked third on the PSA Set Registry, also for $96,000; and a 1972 Topps Football complete set ranked sixth on the PSA Set Registry for $36,000.

Among game-used memorabilia was a newly discovered 1936-37 Dizzy Dean St. Louis Cardinals game-used road jersey that sold for $114,000, the highest price ever realized for a Dizzy Dean game-used item.

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Other notable auction sales included: 

• a 1933 R338 Sport Kings #2 Babe Ruth (PSA NM-MT 8) $120,000.

• 1915 Boston Red Sox Real-Ooto Team Postcard with Babe Ruth Rookie $114,000.

• 1980 Topps #482 Rickey Henderson Rookie (PSA GEM MINT 10) $111,000.

• 1909-1911 T206 White Border Cy Young Glove Shows (PSA EX+ 5.5, Broad Leaf 460 Back) $111,000.

• 1979-1980 O-Pee-Chee Hockey #18 Wayne Gretzky Rookie (PSA MINT 9) $105,000.

• 1914 E145 Cracker Jack #103 Joe Jackson (SGC GOOD+ 2.5) $102,000, a record for the SGC grade.

• 1933 V353 World Wide Gum Canadian Goudey #80 Babe Ruth (PSA NM 7) $96,000, a record for the card.

• 1984-1985 Star Company Basketball #101 Michael Jordan Rookie (BGS NM-MT+ 8.5) $52,800, a record for the Beckett grade.

REA’s September Encore Auction runs from Sept. 12-22.