BBCE-authenticated, unopened 1971 Topps NHL Hockey wax box containing 24 packs of 10 cards each, with a likelihood of gem-mint examples of Ken Dryden’s rookie card, or cards for HOFers like Orr, Howe and Hull included in the selection. Estimate $12,000-$24,000
DENVER, Pa. – Morphy’s spring toy auction, which took in $3.1 million, made headlines worldwide with its phenomenal single-owner collection of factory-boxed Star Wars figures and a sports card selection that included an $873,300 Topps baseball wax-pack brick. No other event in Morphy’s 20-year history could top that one for the amount of social media buzz or the number of pre-sale inquiries from prospective bidders. The fun will resume on August 2-3, when Morphy’s presents its summer offering of Toys & General Collectibles featuring both classic toys and pop-culture favorites: vintage sports cards, comic books and early video games. Bid absentee or live via the Internet through LiveAuctioneers.
Unopened 1952 Topps baseball brick of eight factory-sealed 5-cent wax packs, each pack containing five cards, likely from Topps’ first series. Authenticated by Steve Hart, owner of Baseball Card Exchange. Sold above high estimate for $873,300. Morphy Auctions image
DENVER, Pa. – The most buzzworthy item in the opening session of Morphy’s Feb. 1-3 Toys, Sports Cards & General Collectibles Auction finished exactly as predicted – in the #1 position. The unopened 1952 Topps baseball brick containing eight factory-sealed 5-cent wax packs rocketed through six-figure territory to settle at $873,300 (inclusive of 23% buyer’s premium).
Unopened 1952 Topps baseball brick of eight factory-sealed 5-cent wax packs, with each pack containing five cards. Extraordinarily rare and most likely from Topps’ first series. As fresh as the day they were produced. Authenticated by Steve Hart, owner of Baseball Card Exchange. Estimate $400,000-$800,000
DENVER, Pa. – If you’re a Star Wars fan, you’ve undoubtedly heard about Morphy’s February 1 auction of “The Morphy Find,” an incredibly rare trove of 1970s/’80s action figures discovered in their original Kenner shipping boxes. The headline-grabbing Star Wars session creates more than enough excitement on its own, but it’s also going to usher in a high-energy three-day event that will wow collectors of all types of toys, banks, marbles and top-grade sports cards. The Pennsylvania auction house is expecting a capacity crowd and strong competition online through LiveAuctioneers. Bidding will start at 9 am sharp on all three days, February 1-3.
Allie Tarantino, who served as a counselor at Elmwood Day Camp in Westchester, N.Y., when a young Mark Zuckerberg attended and gave him the signed card (inset) as a parting gift, has consigned the unusual souvenir to auction. Image courtesy of ComicConnect.
NEW YORK (AP) – When camp counselor Allie Tarantino was flipping through a magazine years ago, he came upon a familiar name: Mark Zuckerberg. He rifled through boxes of memorabilia in his basement, running his fingers over old photos, newspapers and bus maps before finding a baseball card featuring a very young Zuckerberg grinning in a red jersey and gripping a bat.
One of six consecutive lots of Al Williamson (American, 1931-2020) original, unpublished concept art that preceded the ‘Star Wars’ daily newspaper comic strip (which was ultimately written and drawn by Russ Manning and ran from 1979-1984). Of 12 proposal strips created by Williamson, the first six were given to George Lucas and the other six were given to Star Wars marketing genius Charles Lippincott, whose widow has consigned them to Hake’s. Each is absolutely fresh to the market, and each is estimated at $10,000-$20,000. Image courtesy of Hake’s Auctions
YORK, Pa. – If modern art aficionados could be granted one wish, it might be the discovery of a major, previously unknown Picasso. While Picasso lovers may have a very long wait ahead of them, those who revel in the uniquely imaginative art and imagery of the Star Wars saga just might have their wishes granted on Tuesday, July 26 and Wednesday, July 27, when Hake’s auctions six extraordinary artworks from Star Wars’ earliest days. View the fully illustrated catalog on LiveAuctioneers.
2018 Bowman Platinum Shohei Ohtani rookie card, est. $50-$100
NEW YORK – On Wednesday, April 27, starting at 4 pm Eastern time, Jasper52 will hold a sale of Exclusive Sports Memorabilia, featuring 215 lots, primarily collectible sports cards featuring stars from the realms of baseball, football, basketball and hockey. Among the prizes are a 1986 Topps Traded Bo Jackson rookie card; a 2004 Upper Deck SP Authentic Tom Brady card; a 2018 Bowman Platinum Shohei Ohtani rookie card; two 1990-1991 Star Michael Jordan cards with gold borders; a 1997 Ultra Derek Jeter Rookie Reflections holographic card; a Topps #130 Carl Yastrzemski Red Sox card from 1969; a 2019-2020 Donruss Optic LeBron James card; a 2013 Topps Ted Williams die cut refractor card, emblazoned with the legend “Cut to the chase”; a 2000 Fleer Skybox Troy Aikman Superlatives holographic card; a 1995-1996 Upper Deck Wayne Gretzky Cool Trade die cut card; a 2020 Topps Chrome Bo Bichette rookie card; a 2018 limited edition art card of Stan Musial by Ed Vela, number 47 of 50; two 1989 rookie cards featuring Randy Johnson, one a Topps Traded issue and the other by Upper Deck; a 1963 Topps #120 Roger Maris card; a 2018-2019 Panini Prizm Wilt Chamberlain card; a 2016 Topps Triple Threads holographic card featuring Nolan Ryan; and a 2017 Topps Update Aaron Judge rookie card, to name a few. Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.
James M Cox/Franklin D Roosevelt jugate button, 1.25in size, one of only six known in 1.25-inch size and one of only three known in this design; the first of its type to reach the marketplace in 40 years. Considered the ultimate political button, on par with a Honus Wagner T206 baseball card or ‘Action Comics’ #1. Estimate $100,000-$200,000
YORK, Pa. – Pop culture fans reacted with stunned disbelief, then excitement, last November when Hake’s sold a Captain American “hero-prop” shield used by Chris Evans in the 2019 film Avengers: Endgame. The pristine star-emblazoned shield commanded $259,540, the highest price ever paid at auction for a Marvel movie prop and the top price recorded in any sale of Hake’s record-setting $10 million year. However, America’s oldest collectibles auction house is not one to rest on its laurels, as the jaw-dropping lineup just announced for their March 15-16 auction clearly shows.
Extremely rare 11-inch-tall Halloween vegetable man candy container in clown outfit with carrot arms and shoes; 3-D apples, and egg-shape vegetable on a rope. Nicely painted and detailed face. Probably German, circa 1920s. Estimate $6,000-$9,000
DENVER, Pa. – Whether they’re European antiques, American tin vehicles or postwar favorites from Japan’s golden era of robot production, toys are on a roll. Seasoned collectors are doubling down on their acquisitions while also being joined by a whole new group of international collectors who’ve caught the toy bug. With Internet live bidding available to virtually everyone, Morphy’s toy auctions have become the vibrant epicenter for the global toy hobby. Their June 16-17 auction, with absentee and Internet live bidding through LiveAuctioneers, includes not only a fantastic selection of toys and trains, but also holiday antiques, baseball cards and approximately 100 pairs of collectible sneakers.
1930s Babe Ruth- and Lou Gehrig-signed Babe Ruth Special Spalding baseball, estimated at $10,000-$15,000
CHICAGO – On June 8, Hindman will present its Sports Memorabilia auction, which will offer objects that reflect legendary athletes across multiple sports. Items will showcase athletes such as Michael Jordan, Peyton Manning, Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Muhammad Ali, and Tiger Woods. The 256-lot auction features property from the collection of acclaimed journalist and author Allen Abel. Spanning Abel’s career of over four decades, the collection includes on-site ephemera from some of the most celebrated moments in sporting history. Absentee and Internet live bidding will be available through LiveAuctioneers.
