Low-grade T206 Honus Wagner card sells for $1.96M at Mile High Card Company

Mile High Card Company has become an expert at marketing and selling the rare and coveted T206 Honus Wagner, one of the most iconic cards in the hobby.

Mile High completed its fifth sale of the card since 2019

in its September auction, selling a copy of the rare 1909-11 T206 Sweet Caporal 150/25 for $1.968 million. The sale was a record for a Wagner card graded PSA Authentic (Restored).

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According to Mile High, the card sparked spirited bidding from the start of the auction through the extended period and nearly became the first Authentic Wagner to top $2 million. An SGC 2 version of the card holds the record for Wagner cards, selling for $7.25 million in a private sale brokered by Goldin Co. in 2022. An SGC 3 version sold for $6.6 million at Robert Edward Auctions in 2021. They are the second and third highest-selling sports cards of all time, trailing the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card (SGC 9.5) that sold for $12.6 million last year.

“We’re not surprised at the result given the magnificent eye appeal of the piece,” Mile High CEO and President Brian Drent said. “We have the most knowledgeable customer base in the business and they understood what a golden opportunity this was.”

Among other top-selling items, a 1948 Leaf Baseball unopened wax pack (PSA 7 NM) sold for a record-shattering $206,017, while a 1952 Topps Baseball unopened wax pack 1st Series (PSA 7 NM) went for $104,045.

Among game-used memorabilia, a 1971 Bobby Orr Boston Bruins road jersey that sold for $167,491. A 1967 Willie McCovey game-used road jersey sold for $17,235.

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The auction ran from Aug. 23 through Sept. 7.

Other top cards that attracted big sales include:

• 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle (SGC 5.5 EX+) for $131,231.

• 1914 Cracker Jack "Holy Bible" Shoeless Joe Jackson (PSA 1.5 FAIR) for $89,876.

• 1963 Topps Rookie Stars #537 Pete Rose (PSA 9 MINT) $79,775.

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• 1909-11 T206 Piedmont Sherry Magee "Magie" Error (PSA 2.5 GOOD+) $32,274.

• 1914 Cracker Jack #30 Ty Cobb (SGC 1 PR) $21,815.

• 1925 Universal Toy & Novelty (W-504) #123 G. H. "Babe" Ruth NY Yankees Hand Cut (PSA 6 EX-MT) $22,373.

• 1933 Goudey #53 Babe Ruth (SGC 2.5 GD+) $11,589.

• 1933 Goudey #144 Babe Ruth (PSA 4 VG-EX) $15,652.

• 1950 Bowman #22 Jackie Robinson (PSA 8 NM-MT) $24,670.

• 1951 Bowman #253 Mickey Mantle (PSA 3 VG) $12,748.

• 1955 Topps #164 Roberto Clemente (SGC 7 NM) $14,057.

• 1960 Morrell Meats Dodgers Sandy Koufax (PSA 9 MINT) $23,458.

ª 1960 Topps #148 Carl Yastrzemski Rookie Star (PSA 9 MINT) $22,933.

• 1964 Topps All-Star Rookie #125 Pete Rose (PSA 9 MINT) $28,800.

• 1965 Topps #581 N.L. Rookie Stars Tony Perez (PSA 10 GEM MINT) $39,535.

• 1968 Topps #230 Pete Rose (PSA 10 GEM MINT) for a record $26,746.

• 1968 Topps #130 Tony Perez (PSA 10 GEM MINT) for a record $42,195.

• 1969 Topps #250 Frank Robinson (PSA 10 GEM MINT POP 1) $30,333.

• 1969 Topps #500 Mickey Mantle (PSA 9 MINT) $21,841.

• 1957 Topps #138 John Unitas (PSA 8 NM-MT) $11,589.

• 1959 Topps #1 Johnny Unitas (PSA 9 MINT) for a record $19,981.

• 1961 Fleer #8 Wilt Chamberlain (PSA 8 NM-MT) $35,560.

• 1985 Star Slam Dunk 5x7 #5 Michael Jordan (PSA 8 NM-MT PSA/DNA AUTO AUTH) $25,901.

• 1986 Fleer #57 Michael Jordan (PSA 9 MINT) $17,945.

• 1996-97 UD3 #C1 Michael Jordan Court Commemorative Autograph (PSA 9 MINT 10 AUTO) $34,314.

• 1997 Skybox E-X2001 Jambalaya #6 Michael Jordan (PSA 8 NM-MT) $29,987, 

Among complete sets, a 1933 Goudey graded complete set closed at $112,255, while a 1934 Goudey graded set went for $32,523.