Honus Wagner, Ty Cobb cards top $1.2M REA auction

A couple of 20^th century, vintage card icons topped the February Encore Auction at Robert Edward Auctions.

The top seller was a 1910-1911 M116 Sporting Life Honus Wagner Blue Background (PSA EX 5) that sold for $75,000, a record for the blue background card. It broke the previous record set during REA’s October 2023 Encore Auction.

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Another popular card from the M116 Sporting Life series also attracted five figures, with the Ty Cobb Blue Background, graded PSA GOOD 2, setting a record at $15,000.

The auction featured 2,732 items, which generated more than $1.2 million in sales.

“What we loved about this auction is that there was tremendous engagement not only in the hobby pillars, but also around many other classic items that don’t always get the fanfare they deserve,” REA President Brian Dwyer said. “This is a great sign for the hobby, and we have a lot of exciting things coming up in both our March and Spring Auctions, which collectors will hear more about in the weeks ahead.”

Set builders also went after several low-population cards, which led to high interest around the 1960 Topps set, which had 10 MINT 9 examples selling for more than $5,000 each. Leading the collection was a a #2 Roman Mejias PSA MINT 9 card that sold for $19,200, the highest price ever realized in that grade for a non-Hall of Famer from the set.

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Other top sellers in the auction included:

• 1909-1911 T206 White Border Ty Cobb Portrait Red Background Tolstoi Back (PSA VG-EX 4) $21,000.

• 1934 R320 Goudey #37 Lou Gehrig (PSA EX-MT 6) $18,000.

• 1986-87 Fleer Basketball Complete Set (PSA NM-MT 8) $12,000.

• 1985-1986 O-Pee-Chee Hockey unopened wax box (48 packs, BBCE) $11,700.

• 1911 E94 George Close Candy Honus Wagner “Blome's Chocolates” Overprint (SGC FAIR 20) $11,700.

• 1948-1949 Leaf #3 Babe Ruth (PSA EX-MT 6) $10,200.

• 1909-1911 T206 White Border Christy Mathewson Dark Cap (PSA EX 5) $7,800.

REA’s next event will be its March Encore Auction from March 14-24 and its Spring Catalog Auction, which kicks off on April 5.