DALLAS, TX.- A rare Babe Ruth card from his early years as a Boston Red Sox pitcher sold for $244,000 to lead Heritage’s Summer Sports Card Catalog Auction to $9,353,549 July 11-12.

Nearly two dozen bids poured in for the 1917 E135 Collins-McCarthy Babe Ruth #147 SGC EX 5 before it reached its final result.

“This incredible early and important Babe Ruth card set a new record price for the grade,” says Chris Ivy, Heritage’s Director of Sports Auctions. “This auction exhibited strong results across all categories and genres including both vintage and modern cards in both high grade and low grade, as well as singles, sets and wax.”

Close behind the Ruth card was the third-finest 1964 Topps Baseball PSA Graded Complete Master Set (589), which ended at $237,900. Among the set’s 589 cards were many of the greatest names from the time many consider the Golden Era of baseball, including six cards that carry a grade of PSA Gem Mint 10 and 554 with Mint 9 grades. Among the legends included in the set: Hank Aaron, Brooks Robinson, Sandy Koufax, Willie Mays, Juan Marichal, Frank Robinson, Yogi Berra and many more.

Few players had as much impact on or off the field as Jackie Robinson, who raced toward a portion of the spotlight in this auction when a magnificent copy of a 1956 Topps Jackie Robinson (Gray Back) #30 PSA Mint 9 slid in safely at $170,800. Of the more 3,100 examples in the PSA Pop Report, just 10 — including the one in this auction — have earned a Mint grade, with none higher.

Another in-demand set in the auction was a 1971 Topps Baseball (2nd Series) Wax Box - With 24 Unopened Packs that drew 31 bids on its way to $118,950. The 1971 Topps baseball release is one of the most condition-sensitive of modern day issues, meaning that unopened examples like the one offered in this auction are exceptionally rare. Stars whose enclosed cards could grade Mint to Gem Mint include the likes of Joe Morgan, Tom Seaver, Johnny Bench and Rod Carew.

The most popular name in basketball collecting is Michael Jordan, whose greatness was celebrated on more than 50 different varieties of his cardboard classics in this event. The NBA legend was featured on a Signed 1985 Nike Promo Michael Jordan Card #2, BAS Auto 9 that flew to $103,700 and a 1997 Upper Deck SPx Michael Jordan (Grand Finale) #6 BGS NM-MT+ 8.5 - #’d 14/50 that brought $82,350.

One of the finest examples of a 1941 Play Ball Joe DiMaggio #71 PSA NM-MT 8 drew a winning bid of $109,800. Revered as one of the greatest Yankees of all time, DiMaggio hit .325 and smacked 361 home runs on his way to three American League Most Valuable Player awards, but he always will be known best for his 56-game hitting streak that still stands as the longest in the history of Major League Baseball.

Another Collins-McCarthy offering that fared exceptionally well in the auction was a 1917 E135 Collins-McCarthy Joe Jackson (Blank Back) #82 SGC EX 5 that drew 49 bids before it reached $103,700. One of the rarest of Shoeless Joe’s cards, this beauty stands alone atop the SGC populations for both the blank- and advertising-backed versions of the card.

Also reaching $103,700 was a 1933 Goudey BaseballComplete Set (239), a magnificent example of the trove that is considered the king of the early gum card issues. The set is stuffed with some of the biggest legends in the game, including Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Rogers Hornsby and Carl Hubbell. Most of the cards contained in the set feature grades ranging from VG to VG/EX.

Other top lots in the auction include, but are not limited to:

• A 1955 Topps Roberto Clemente Rookie #164 PSA NM-MT 8: $88,450

• A 1998 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. (A Piece of the Action-Material Autographed) #KGS SGC NM/MT 8, Auto 10 - #’d 8/24: $82,350

• A 1967 Topps Wacky Packs Wax Box With 24 Unopened Packs: $79,300 (auction record)

• A 1953 Bowman Color Yogi Berra #121 PSA Mint 9 that is tied for the highest-graded example: $54,900 (auction record)

• The second-highest-graded 1956 Topps Sandy Koufax (Gray Back) #79 PSA Mint 9: $51,240

• A 1956 Topps Roy Campanella (Gray Back) #101 PSA Mint 9 that is tied for the highest grade: $29,280 (auction record)

• The highest-graded 1956 Topps Carl Furillo #190 PSA Gem Mint 10 that is the only example to earn a Gem Mint grade: $25,620 (auction record)