Historic Heritage auction sets all-time record with $61 million in sales

The Summer Platinum Night Sports Auction at Heritage Auctions not only produced the most valuable piece of sports memorabilia ever sold, it also was the most successful sports auction ever, producing a record $61 million in sales.

The auction produced multiple hobby records. In addition to the 1932 Babe Ruth “Called Shot” jersey that sold for an all-time record of $24.1 million, the auction also set records for the most valuable Jackie Robinson jersey, Hank Aaron jersey, and the most valuable game-used baseball bat.

The three-day auction attracted more than 2,500 bidders, setting an industry with $61,906,602 in total sales.

Also See: 1932 Babe Ruth ‘Called Shot’ jersey sets sports memorabilia record 

“The incredible results for this auction represent a new benchmark for our industry and the continued growth of sports collectibles on the world stage as a reliable, engaging and fun alternative asset class,” said Chris Ivy, Heritage’s director of sports. “This weekend was the most thrilling three days in my career and the 20-year history of Heritage Sports. No one in our world has ever seen anything like this, from client participation and media engagement to the dozens of new world record results established. And, of course, I'd like to send a big thank you to our clients, consignors and the incredible team at Heritage Sports for helping us make history.”

The Ruth jersey broke the all-time record for sports memorabilia, surpassing the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card (SGC 9.5) that sold for $12.6 million at Heritage in August 2022.

Robinson’s Brooklyn Dodgers jersey he wore during the 1951 season sold for $5.52 million, making it the most valuable No. 42 jersey in the world. The jersey, which came with a pair of Robinson pants from the 1950 season, surpassed the previous record of $4.2 million.

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Another Robinson item also sold for big dollars, with a ticket stub from his April 15, 1947 MLB debut sold for $324,000.

Also joining the record-breakers was Hank Aaron's signed Milwaukee Braves zip-up worn during his 1954 rookie season that sold for a record $2.1 million. That smashed the previous record for an Aaron jersey set in August 2021, when Heritage sold Aaron's Atlanta Braves jersey photo-matched to May 17, 1970, when he recorded his 3,000th career hit, for $540,000. 

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Another record-setter came from another baseball legend’s rookie season: the signature, side-written model Hillerich & Bradsby used by “Shoeless” Joe Jackson in 1911. The bat sold for a record $2 million, surpassing a 1921 Babe Ruth bat that sold for $1.85 million last year.

As usual, Mickey Mantle also produced big hits in the auction, led by his game-worn Yankees jersey photo-matched to Game 7 of the 1952 World Series and 1953 championship. The No. 7 jersey, which originally came from a crate of Yankees memorabilia sent to a Winston-Salem, N.C. orphanage in 1955, sold for $3 million.

Meanwhile, another 1952 Topps Mantle card (PSA 8) sold for $1.38 million.

Other auction highlights included:

• An autographed 2003 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Kobe Bryant card (PSA 7, Auto 10) for $408,000.

• A  1984 Eric Dickerson game-worn Los Angeles Rams jersey from his 215-yard game against the Houston Oilers to become pro football’s single-season rushing leader for $252,000.

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• A 2009 Bowman 1948 Rookie Black Parallel Stephen Curry card numbered 5/48 (PSA 10) for $210,210.

• A 2003 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection LeBron James Rookie Patch Auto card numbered #21/23 for $252,000.

• A signed 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan rookie card (PSA 9, Auto 10) for $204,000.

• A 1998 Topps Chrome Preview Refractor (PSA 10) for $168,000.