DALLAS, TX.- A one-of-one card celebrating one of baseball’s biggest (literally) stars led Heritage’s May 15-17 Spring Sports Catalog Auction to $23,492,032, as a 2013 Bowman Chrome Draft Picks & Prospects Aaron Judge Superfractor #BDPP19 PSA Mint 9 - #’d 1/1 soared like one of the Yankee slugger’s monstrous home runs to $838,750, more than doubling the pre-auction estimate.

The card, one of the most significant modern prospect cards in existence, captures Judge at the beginning of his professional career after he was selected by the New York Yankees in the first round of the 2013 MLB Draft. Its Superfractor status, iconic gold spiral refractor pattern and true one-of-one serial numbering place it among the most coveted modern baseball cards ever issued for the two-time American League Most Valuable Player.

“Cards from the start of any superstar’s career always are in exceptionally high demand, and that certainly is the case for this card, which drew nearly 50 bids,” says Chris Ivy, Heritage’s Director of Sports Auctions. “Thanks to the back-to-back MVP awards, Aaron Judge has joined Shohei Ohtani as one of the greatest players, not only of this generation, but in the history of baseball, and this card represents the beginning of a career that surely will end with Judge getting enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame.”

Kobe Bryant’s early-career masterpieces also delivered major results. A 1997 Metal Universe Championship Kobe Bryant Precious Metal Gems #86 PSA NM-MT 8 - #’d 8/50 reached $640,500. The card’s serial number matches Bryant’s first jersey number, adding to the appeal of one of the most celebrated and condition-sensitive modern basketball cards. Close behind was a 1997 SkyBox E-X2001 Kobe Bryant Essential Credentials Now #8 PSA EX-MT 6 - #’d 1/8, which realized $625,250. The Essential Credentials Now parallels were serial-numbered to match each player’s jersey number, making Bryant’s edition especially elusive. A third Bryant card, a 1998 Metal Universe Kobe Bryant (Precious Metal Gems) #53 PSA EX-MT 6 - #’d 8/50, rose to $366,000

As the World Cup approaches North America, Lionel Messi also commanded global attention when a 2015 Panini Flawless Sole Of The Game Signatures-Gold Lionel Messi #SSLM PSA NM 7, PSA/DNA Auto 10 - #’d 10/10 sold for $549,000. The card pairs a match-used boot relic with Messi’s on-card autograph and comes from the inaugural year of Panini’s premium Flawless line. Its serial number matches Messi’s iconic No. 10, giving the rarity a distinction prized by advanced soccer collectors.

Growing demand for elite soccer cards also was shown by a 2023 Donruss FIFA Lamine Yamal Optic-Gold Power #177 PSA Gem Mint 10 - #’d 1/1 that shot to $219,600. It represents one of the earliest premium issues featuring the emerging FC Barcelona and Spain star, dating to the 2023 release cycle that captured his emergence on the global stage. This extraordinary card is one of fewer than 10 premier Yamal cards.

Also reaching $549,000 was the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” Olympic Hockey Ring Presented to Coach Herb Brooks, with a Brooks family letter of provenance. The 10k yellow gold ring honors Brooks’ leadership of the 1980 U.S. Olympic men’s hockey team, whose victory over the Soviet Union and gold medal-clinching win over Finland remain defining moments in American sports history.

A 1955 Topps Jackie Robinson #50 PSA Mint 9 brought $524,600. The card links Robinson, the most significant player in Dodgers history, to Brooklyn’s first World Series championship season. Just one example has achieved a higher numerical grade.

Other major results included, but were not limited to:

A 1986 Fleer Basketball Complete Set, ranked No. 1 Current Finest on the PSA Set Registry: $512,400

A 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth #144 PSA NM-MT 8: $463,600

A 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan Rookie #57 PSA Gem Mint 10: $341,600.

For years, former Yankees outfielder Mickey Mantle has been among the most coveted athletes in any sport among collectors, a sentiment supported in this auction when a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 SGC 70 EX+ 5.5 sold for $207,400, while another 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 PSA EX 5 realized $200,080. A 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle Rookie #253 SGC NM-MT 8 landed at $195,200.

The recent wave of demand for elite wrestling items continued with a 2003 Hulk Hogan WrestleMania XIX Match Used Boot, photo-matched to Hogan’s final WrestleMania match against Vince McMahon, which more than quadrupled pre-auction estimates when it pinned a high bid of $183,000.

Ken Griffey, Jr. burst into the Seattle Mariners’ outfield as a 19-year-old phenom, riding one of the prettiest swings in the history of the game to step out of his father’s shadow and become one of baseball’s biggest stars. A photo-matched 1989 Ken Griffey, Jr. Game-Used & Signed Rookie Bat, PSA/DNA GU 10 from his rookie season realized $158,600 — a record for any bat used by the Hall of Famer known simply as “The Kid.”

A relic from the greatest basketball team ever assembled hit its mark when a 1992 Clyde Drexler Gold Medal Game-Worn and Signed USA “Dream Team” Jersey, photo-matched to the gold medal game against Croatia, sold for $176,900.

One of the earliest Super Bowl rings ever to reach the collecting market found a new home when NFL Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke’s 1967 Green Bay Packers Super Bowl II Championship Ring, accompanied by a letter from his daughter, reached $170,800.

Another record was set when a photo-matched 1956 Duke Snider Game-Worn Brooklyn Dodgers Jersey reached $146,400. Snider led the National League that season in home runs, (43), walks (99) and OPS (.997), helping the franchise win its last pennant while playing in Brooklyn.