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Baseball signed by President John F. Kennedy earns record sale in SCP Spring Auction
SCP’s 2023 Spring Premier Auction was highlighted by a couple of baseball legends and a U.S. president.
Rare cards of baseball Hall of Famers Christy Mathewson and Babe Ruth both sold for six figures, while a baseball signed in 1961 by U.S. President John F. Kennedy set a record for balls signed by U.S. presidents.
President Kennedy signed the ball during his 1961 “Alliance for Progress” trip to South America. He signed the ball in Venezuela for local newspaper reporter Julio Messuti, who was covering Kennedy’s visit with Venezuelan President Rómulo Betancourt. According to the provenance, Kennedy used the moment to emphasize how baseball could unite the two countries, saying, “Venezuela should be proud to have a player like [White Sox shortstop and future Hall of Famer] Luis Aparicio.”
The signed ball, which was authenticated by PSA/DNA, sold for $166,818, a record for any baseball signed by a U.S. president.
Other top-selling items in the auction included: a 1911 T205 Gold Border Christy Mathewson card (PSA 8) that sold for $214,579, nearly six times higher than the previous record; and a 1922 E120 American Caramel Babe Ruth (PSA 8) for a record $166,818.
Top-selling memorabilia included: 1922-25 Babe Ruth game-used bat (PSA/DNA GU 8.5) for $137,866; a 1941-42 Joe DiMaggio bat (PSA/DNA GU 7.5) for $73,409; a 1925-28 Shoeless Joe Jackson bat (PSA/DNA GU 6.5) for $56,501; and the jersey Joe Burrow wore in the Bengals victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Dec. 4, 2022 for $82,864.
Several rare, historic PSA/DNA Type 1 original photos also saw strong sales, including: a 1920 Babe Ruth home run photo from his first season with the Yankees for $65,048; a 1947 Jackie Robinson photo from the day the Brooklyn Dodgers signed him for $32,310; and a 1946 Robinson photo from his first day of Spring Training with the Montreal Royals for $29,372.
The Steve Sax Collection, offered to benefit the foundation honoring Sax’s late son and former U.S. Marine John Sax, also had a couple of impressive sales. Sax’s 1988 World Series ring sold for $45,510, while his 1988 World Series game-worn home jersey from when Kirk Gibson hit his legendary home run brought $22,039.
Other valuable championship jewelry in the auction included: Warren Spahn’s Baseball Hall of Fame ring, which sold for $66,734; Don Zimmer’s 2003 New York Yankees ALCS championship ring for $41,372; and Chuck Knoblauch’s 2001 Yankees ALCS championship ring for $27,584.
Other auction highlights included:
• 1961 Topps Baseball PSA-graded complete set (596) Ranked #12 on PSA Registry: $62,152.
• 1912 Stockholm Summer Olympics winner's gold medal awarded to U.S. men's high jumper Alma Richards: $53,759.
• 1953 Topps #82 Mickey Mantle autographed card (PSA 2.5, PSA/DNA 8 Auto): $37,610
• 2022 Lionel Messi Argentina FIFA World Cup Final match-issued jersey: $30,343
