DALLAS, TX.- The sports memorabilia hobby’s most anticipated evening lived up to its hype last weekend as the world’s largest collectibles auctioneer averaged well over $10,000 per item in its 864-lot Platinum Night auction, including a dozen six-figure results.
Heritage further burnished its reputation for record trading card prices and fresh-to-the-hobby collections, as rare cardboard and “The Lou Gehrig Collection” dominated the top-dollar finishers.
“Death, taxes and world-record Platinum Night prices,” said Chris Ivy, Director of Sports Auctions at Heritage. “You can be certain about all three.”
“Shoeless Joe” was peerless in the high-dollar event, with Jackson’s 1910 Old Mill and 1914 Boston Garter cards drawing the two top results of the auction at $600,000 and $480,000 respectively, while the best 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle rookie card in PSA 8, clocked in third at $456,000.
The Lou Gehrig Collection contributed nearly half a million dollars to the Platinum Night total, with a $312,000 result for his game-worn New York Yankees cap becoming the second-highest result for a game-worn hat after the famous Babe Ruth model once owned by former Yankees ace David Wells. A trio of high-grade signed checks from the tragic Hall of Famer each soared past $20,000 in lively bidding.
Other world record highlights include:
• $192,000: 1903 Breisch-Williams E107 Christy Mathewson Rookie, SGC 50 VG/EX 4, the finest of five known examples
• $72,000: 1944-47 Babe Ruth-Signed Bat, PSA/DNA Mint 9
• $50,400: 1952 Ty Cobb Single Signed Baseball, PSA/DNA NM-MT+ 8.5, one of the highest-graded Cobb singles to ever appear at auction
• $52,800: 1959 Fleer "The 3 Stooges" Unopened Wax Packs Lot of 13 with Empty Box
• $52,800: 1959 Topps Baseball (4th Series) Cello Box with 36 Unopened Packs
• $66,000: The finest of two known 1967 Super Bowl I Full Tickets, PSA NM-MT 8
• $50,400: The first Seahawks Super Bowl player ring to appear at auction, presented to Wide Receiver Arceto Clark in 2013 following the Seattle Seahawks’ Super Bowl XLVIII Championship
• $26,400: 1958 Topps Football Cello Pack, PSA NM 7, with Jim Brown Rookie on top
• $84,000: 1961-62 Fleer Basketball Wax Box with 24 Unopened Packs, validated and sealed
• $36,000: 1969 Topps Lew Alcindor #25, PSA Mint 9
