DALLAS, TX.- It is, simply put, the most famous ball in the history of the world’s most popular sport.

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Diego Armando Maradona 1960–2020

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In fact, an argument can be made that the photo-matched 1986 Diego Maradona Historic “Hand of God” and “Goal of the Century” Game Used Soccer Ball that will take its shot in the Heritage August 21–23 Summer Platinum Night Sports Auction to become the most valuable soccer item ever sold is the most famous ball in the history of any sport — up there with the ball from Babe Ruth’s “Called Shot” home run in the 1932 World Series, or Mookie Wilson’s grounder that squeaked between Bill Buckner’s legs to keep the Mets’ 1986 World Series hopes alive. Maybe Terry Bradshaw’s pass that clanged off an Oakland defender and into the arms of Pittsburgh’s Franco Harris, who made the catch forever known as the “Immaculate Reception” and raced for the winning touchdown in the waning seconds of the Steelers’ 1972 playoff win over the Raiders. Or perhaps the ball Joe Montana threw to Dwight Clark in the back of the end zone to lift the San Francisco 49ers over the Dallas Cowboys in the 1981 NFC Championship game, a grab immortalized in NFL lore as simply “The Catch.”

The ball offered in this auction ranks up there in the same pantheon of sports history. When they squared off in the 1986 World Cup quarterfinal in Mexico City, Argentina and England were global powers, each thought to be a legitimate contender to win the coveted trophy, four years after they were at war in the Falkland Islands. After an intense scoreless first half, the 25-year-old Maradona, the Argentinean striker who had taken international soccer by storm with his electric style and highlight-reel goals, raced behind the English defense, outjumped English goalkeeper Peter Shilton, who at 6-1 stood a full 8 inches taller than the 5-5 Maradona, to knock in the game’s first goal in the 51st minute. Members of the English squad immediately turned to the officials in protest, contending that the score should be waived off because Maradona had scored the goal with his left hand, not his head. But referee Ali Ben Nasser and assistant referee (linesman) Bogdan Dochev missed the infraction, and in the absence of any kind of replay, the goal stood.





After the game, Maradona explained the goal to the gathered media. “Un poco con la cabeza de Maradona y otro poco con la mano de Dios,” he said — translated: “a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God.” It was less an outright denial of a violation of the rules and more of a deflection, deftly dancing around the question.

“The British outcry resonated throughout the soccer world,” says Chris Ivy, Heritage’s Director of Sports Auctions. “One of the proudest soccer nations in the world felt like a victim of one of the most significant miscarriages of justice in the history of the sport. The English felt that their team, a squad that had legitimate hopes of winning the World Cup that year, had been robbed … and their reaction, whether accurate or not, was understandable. Their disappointment was legitimate, but it does nothing to take away from two of the most spectacular goals in the history of the sport.”

The controversial goal definitely changed the tenor of the game and will be remembered forever.

But just four minutes later, Maradona collected a pass a few yards behind the midfield line and shredded the English defense, dribbling past five would-be defenders on a 60-yard sprint toward the goal and tucking the ball — the same ball offered in this auction — past Shilton in what came to be known as the “Goal of the Century.” The goal was no meaningless highlight at the end of a lopsided contest. It stood up as the game-winner, a tally that sent Argentina through to the semifinal, which it won over Belgium before knocking off West Germany in the title game to win the World Cup.

Not surprisingly, the 2026 World Cup created a surge of interest in soccer collectibles, and the auction brings together an unmatched trove of treasures from the greatest players in the history of the sport, including:

• A 1979 Panini Calciatori Maradona #312 PSA Gem Mint 10 that captures the Argentinean star when he was a teenage phenomenon, a rumor within the soccer community who had yet to take the sport by storm on the global stage

• A Signed 1958 Alifabolaget Pelé #635 BGS NM-MT+ 8.5, BGS Auto 10 - From The Pelé Collection that is considered the most important card ever made for the Brazilian star many still consider the greatest player of all time

• A 2013 Icons Lionel Messi (Limited Collection –’11 Club World Cup Final-Jersey-Autograph) #AGWJR34 PSA Authentic, PSA/DNA Auto 9 - #’d 1/1 that incorporates a relic tied to the 2011 Club World Cup Final

• A 2024 Topps NSCC Silver Pack Lamine Yamal (UEFA Autograph-Superfractor) Rookie #LY PSA Gem Mint 10, PSA/DNA Auto 10 - #’d 1/1 that celebrates one of the world’s bright young talents and star of both FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team

The soccer material alone could make this a spectacular auction, but as is always the case at Heritage, collectors will find so much more, including one of just three known examples of a 1909-11 T206 Piedmont Honus Wagner SGC Authentic — a card so coveted that the winning bidder will be just the third owner since it was printed. Wagner’s baseball prowess alone — Hall of Fame manager John McGraw considered him the greatest player of all time, and Ty Cobb viewed Wagner as the only player Cobb could not intimidate — would make this a must-have treasure for the most serious of collectors. The T206 Wagner has long been regarded as the hobby’s “Holy Grail,” the card that serves as the standard by which all other baseball cards are measured. Among these rarities, those with the prized Piedmont back are coveted above all. Nearly all T206 Wagners feature a Sweet Caporal advertising back, elevating the Piedmont model to unmatched exclusivity. The card is accompanied by a 1958 letter from baseball card pioneer Charles Bray with an offer to purchase it for $25.

Also offered is a 1937 Lou Gehrig Game-Worn New York Yankees Jersey that has been photo-matched to games during the 1937 regular season, the 1937 World Series and spring training the following season, which means it is linked to some of the most important images from the legendary slugger known as the “Iron Horse,” including the portrait that later was selected as the basis for his Monument Park plaque. Like most Major League jerseys of the era, it enjoyed a second life after Gehrig stopped wearing it. Following its major league tenure, the jersey was reassigned to a Yankees farm club affiliate, at which time the interlocking “NY” chest emblem was removed and replaced with an affiliate designation. Subsequent research tied it to several games throughout the 1937 season, including a two-home run performance August 5 against the Chicago White Sox, as well as the September 8 Police Athletic League “Parade of Stars” event at Yankee Stadium. Most importantly, it has been conclusively shown while worn by Gehrig in the second game of the 1937 World Series.

Mantle is one of the most popular and heavily collected athletes in the history of any sport, and is featured on 45 lots in the auction, including a magnificent 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 PSA NM-MT 8 - MBA Silver that is one of three copies of the iconic card that is in play in this auction. The PSA MN-MT 8 grade automatically makes it among the most closely watched examples on the market. But what makes this example stand alone is the fact that it is the only one at this grade elevated by the addition of a Mike Baker “Diamond” designation. That point matters because high-grade Mantles are no longer judged only by the number on the flip. At this level, collectors closely study centering, print registration, color, corners, surface freshness and overall presence. The card is from Mantle’s second season, but has emerged as the most coveted post-war card in the hobby.

Other items in the auction featuring the Yankee legend include, but are not limited to:

• A 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle Rookie #253 PSA NM-MT 8

• A photo-matched 1964 Mickey Mantle Game-Worn New York Yankees Jersey

• A 1951 Mickey Mantle Period-Signed Rookie Photograph by Burke & Brace, PSA/DNA Type 1 & Auto Authentic

• A 1951 Mickey Mantle Debut New York Yankees Opening Day Ticket Stub, PSA VG 3

To many collectors, Babe Ruth remains the most prized name in sports history, which immediately casts a spotlight on one of the finest examples of a 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth #181 PSA Mint 9. There are just six known examples of this card, and of those, only one carries a higher grade. It is one of four cards celebrating the Yankee legend from an important set that was issued during the Depression, at the dawn of the era in which cards were sold along with bubble gum.

Also among the Ruth lots in the auction:

• A 1916 M101-4 The Sporting News Babe Ruth Rookie #151 PSA VG-EX 4

• A photo-matched set of 1925 Babe Ruth Game Worn New York Yankees Pants, SGC/Grob Superior/Excellent

• A 1923 World Series Game 6 Ticket Stub Signed by Babe Ruth, PSA/DNA Mint 9

• A 1948 “The Babe Bows Out” Full Ticket from Ruth’s Final Yankee Stadium Appearance, PSA NM-MT 8

Basketball’s answer to Ruth, as far as the most collectible name in the sport, is Michael Jordan, whose 2006 Fleer Buyback Autos Michael Jordan (1986 Fleer Rookie) #57 BGS NM-MT+ 8.5 soars above the pack as one of the most coveted of all cards from the hardwood. Part of the appeal is that the card was released unsigned, but now bears a personal autograph from Jordan, who is famously stingy with his signature.

Jordan also checks in on a 2004 SP Game-Used Authentic Fabrics Dual M. Jordan/I. Thomas (Authentic Fabrics Dual-Logos) #JT PSA Authentic - #’d 1/1 that captures both sides of one of the 1980s’ fiercest individual and team rivalries, when Thomas’ bruising “Bad Boys” Detroit team repeatedly blocked Jordan’s Chicago team from advancing in the playoffs — a hurdle the Bulls cleared in 1991. This 2004–2005 SP Game-Used Dual Logoman 1/1 is the only known dual or triple Logoman featuring Jordan outside of Exquisite, and uniquely unites these two legends on a single card, the only pairing of these two Hall of Famers in this format.

Other top Jordan lots include, but are not limited to:

• A 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan Rookie #57 PSA Gem Mint 10

• A 1997 Skybox E-X2001 Michael Jordan (Essential Credentials Future) #9 PSA NM 7 - #’d 37/72

• A 2001 Upper Deck Michael Jordan (MJ's Back Jersey Triple-Autograph) #CCTA1 PSA Gem Mint 10 - #’d 5/10

• A 1996 Upper Deck U.S. Olympic Champions Michael Jordan (Reflections of Gold-Signatures) #RG1 PSA EX-MT 6, Auto 10

• A pair of 1985 Michael Jordan Game-Worn & Signed Nike Air Jordan I Chicago Bulls Sneakers

Among the treasures drawing the attention of serious basketball collectors are a couple of relics from one of the greatest players of all time. A 1970 Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) All-Star Game-Worn Eastern Conference Uniform hails from the rookie season of the towering center who stood for nearly four decades as the NBA’s career scoring leader, until LeBron James rose to the top of the scoring list in 2023. This uniform from the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Collection bears his given surname, which he legally changed in 1971 at the age of 24. He wore this jersey in just his second season, before he started collecting his six championships and six Most Valuable Player awards. Offered here is his jersey from his first of 19 all-star appearances in his 20-year Hall of Fame career.

The majority of Abdul-Jabbar’s career, and most of his NBA records, came after he was traded from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Los Angeles Lakers. Also offered is the 1989 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Game-Used & Signed NBA Points Record Basketball with which he scored the last of the 38,387 points in his career that stood for some 39 seasons as the most in NBA history.

The player sometimes called “the modern Babe Ruth” because of his prowess as both a hitter and a pitcher, Shohei Ohtani, is featured in 39 lots, including a 2024 Topps Now Shohei Ohtani (Inscribed Autograph-Gold) #722B PSA Gem Mint 10 - #’d 1/1 - MBA Gold. The card is tied to one of the most impressive games in the career that seems destined to end with enshrinement in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Against the Miami Marlins July 19, 2024, Ohtani clubbed three home runs and a pair of doubles, stole two bases and drove in 10 runs to become the first and only player in Major League Baseball history to hit 50 homers and steal 50 bases in a single season. Ohtani documented that Herculean performance on this card, when he wrote “50/50 Club 9/19/24” under his signature.

A 1963 Sandy Koufax Game-Worn Los Angeles Dodgers Jersey that has been photo-matched several times celebrates one of the finest seasons in Major League Baseball history, authored by the hurler many consider the greatest southpaw ever to take the mound. It was during the 1963 campaign that Koufax reached new heights — considered by some to be virtually unhittable. This jersey has been photo-matched to Koufax’s 20th victory of the season, as well as the Oct. 6 game in which he finished off the New York Yankees to clinch the World Series for the Dodgers. But it also offers enormous pop culture significance: Koufax wore this same jersey while filming the “Leo Durocher Meets Mr. Ed” episode of the classic Mr. Ed television series.

The auction celebrates the greatest pitchers of all time and the game’s all-time greatest sluggers. Among the offered highlights is a photo-matched 1967 Hank Aaron Game-Worn & Signed Atlanta Braves Jersey, MEARS/Grob A9.5 that has been matched to his performance, which included a three-run home run, in the Braves’ July 5, 1967, win over the Chicago Cubs.

Also in play, of course, are mementos from some of football’s greatest stars, including a 1998 SkyBox Metal Universe Peyton Manning (Gem Master) Rookie #189 PSA NM-MT+ 8.5 - #’d 1/1 - MBA Silver that captures the legendary passer in his role as the star of the Tennessee Volunteers. This is a true one-of-one rookie card from one of the most influential and innovative football releases ever produced, pairing Manning’s debut-year issue with one of the hobby’s most legendary parallel concepts. The Gem Masters parallel sits at the pinnacle of the 1998 Metal Universe hierarchy and is widely regarded as one of the most important one-of-one concepts of the 1990s.

Collectors can pivot from one of the game’s greatest passers to arguably the most elusive runner ever to take the field with a one-of-one 1998 Metal Universe Barry Sanders (Gem Master 1/1) #20 PSA NM 7 – MBA Gold that was released during Sanders’ final NFL season, capturing the legendary runner at the end of a breathtaking 10-year career that was spent entirely with the Detroit Lions.

Another unique offering is a one-of-one 2017 Panini National Treasures Patrick Mahomes II (Personalized Treasures Autograph-Red Laundry Tag) #161 PSA Authentic, PSA/DNA Auto 10 - #’d 1/1 - MBA Gold. At just 30 years old, Mahomes already has built one of the most exceptional careers in NFL history, full of Super Bowl championships, MVP awards and statistical accomplishments that border on the absurd. National Treasures rookie cards have long been considered the gold standard of modern football collecting, with low-numbered autograph memorabilia cards serving as the foundation of countless elite collections, and the Personalized Treasures subset offers a distinctive format that showcases Mahomes’ signature alongside an extraordinary Red Laundry Tag relic, one of the most desirable memorabilia components found in modern cards. One-of-one rookie autographs of franchise quarterbacks occupy a special place within the hobby, and examples featuring premium laundry tag memorabilia are among the most coveted of all.

Wrestling memorabilia has enjoyed a huge surge in popularity among collectors, a trend that should help drive interest in a 1986 Hulk Hogan WWF Heavyweight Championship Belt that the late star gave to a friend and has been photo-matched to WrestleMania II. This belt is from Hogan’s 1986 title reign, and has been photo-matched to multiple images of Hogan during that year. He presented the belt to the son of a close family friend, a gift captured in a photo that is included in the lot.

Golf collectors can take their best shots at a 1946 British Open Championship Silver Claret Jug Won by Sam Snead. The Claret awarded to the victor is actually a replica of the permanent model first earned by Walter Hagen for winning the 1928 Open, presented to the Champion as he returns the lineal trophy before the next year’s event. It serves as a living document of the tournament, with the name, course and final tally of each victor engraved upon its silver surface, beginning with Young Tom Morris in 1872 and concluding with Snead’s own name.

Another prize for golf collectors is a photo-matched 1948 U.S. Open Ben Hogan Used Golf Bag and Clubs Gifted to Glenn Ford and Used as Props in Follow the Sun. Consigned by the son of actor Glenn Ford, who played golf legend Ben Hogan in the 1951 biographical film, it serves as a bridge between championship golf and Golden Age Hollywood. Family provenance indicates the set was used by Hogan during the 1948 U.S. Open at Riviera Country Club, after which he gave it to Ford when the two worked together on the film. Hogan and Ford reportedly used the same bag and clubs as props during production, under the theory that genuine Hogan equipment would lend a stronger measure of authenticity to the film.