Star Wars and sports cards land in the winners circle at Morphy’s smash $3.1M auction

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. Authenticated by Steve Hart, owner of Baseball Card Exchange. Sold above high estimate for $873,300 to a private collector

DENVER, Pa.- Star Wars fans and diehard sports buffs called the shots at Morphy Auctions’ February 1-3, 2023 auction, which attracted head-spinning prices and closed the books at nearly $3.1 million. The sale featured both a phenomenal single-owner collection of early Star Wars action figures and a vintage sports card selection that included one of the most sought-after treasures of the “unopened” realm: an intact 1952 Topps baseball wax-pack “brick” that sold for a staggering $873,300. Absentee and Internet live bidding was facilitated by LiveAuctioneers.

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Mickey Mantle rookie card sets record at $12.6M

This 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle rookie card, graded Mint + 9.5, sold for $12.6 million and a new world auction record for any collectible sports card on Sunday, August 28. Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions
This 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle rookie card, graded Mint + 9.5, sold for $12.6 million and a new world auction record for any collectible sports card on Sunday, August 28. Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions
This 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle rookie card, graded Mint + 9.5, sold for $12.6 million and a new world auction record for any collectible sports card on Sunday, August 28. Image courtesy of Heritage Auctions

DALLAS – Long before bidding ended early on the morning of August 28, this 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle rookie card was already the world’s most valuable sports card sold at auction. Weeks ago, in fact, it raced past the previous highwater mark set by the T206 Honus Wagner that sold for $6.6 million last year. But at 12:28 a.m. Central time on that date, it became official when Heritage Auctions sold the 1952 Mantle, graded a Mint+ 9.5 by Sportscard Guaranty Corporation, for $12.6 million.

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Star Wars comic strip art leads galaxy of greats at Hake’s, July 26-27

One of six consecutive lots of Al Williamson (American, 1931-2020) original, unpublished concept art that preceded the ‘Star Wars’ daily newspaper comic strip (which was ultimately written and drawn by Russ Manning and ran from 1979-1984).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
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
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.

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Morphy’s welcomes holidays with antique toys & collectibles, Nov. 30-Dec. 2

Ultra-rare circa-1950s battery-operated tin-litho ‘Electro Man’ toy robot with original box. Marked ‘SY Made in Japan.’ One of very few known examples. Provenance: F.H. Griffith collection, appeared as the cover toy on Sotheby’s catalog for the Dec. 9, 2000 auction of ‘Important Robots and Antique Toys from the Estate of F.H. Griffith.’ Estimate $100,000-$150,000

DENVER, Pa. – Many lucky antique toy collectors will be enjoying their holiday gifts early this year, thanks to Morphy’s Nov. 30-Dec. 2 gallery auction of fine toys and popular collectibles. The 1,633-lot catalog reveals a fantastic selection that ranges from early American cast-iron, German tin toys, and a famous biscuit tin collection to a trove of rare 1952 baseball cards, boxed collectible sneakers, and one of the rarest of all Japanese robots. Bid absentee or live online through LiveAuctioneers.

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Baseball treasures lurk within AOK May 22 auction

A century of baseball in three baseball cards (left to right): a 1911 Christy Matthewson T201 Mecca cigarettes card; a 1954 Jackie Robinson #10 Topps card; and a 2011 Mike Trout Bowman rookie card (RC) #101. All appear in AOK Auctions’s May 22 sale.
A century of baseball in three baseball cards (left to right): A 1954 Jackie Robinson #10 Topps card; a 1911 Christy Matthewson T201 Mecca cigarettes card; and a 2011 Mike Trout Bowman rookie card (RC) #101. All appear in AOK Auctions’s May 22 sale.

DAMASCUS, Va. – Sometimes, a whole tranche of treasures unexpectedly appears within the lineup of a larger auction. Such is the case with AOK Auction Gallery‘s May 22 sale featuring the Estate of Kelli Martin. Nesting within it is a head-turning selection of scarce baseball memorabilia–autographs, balls, baseball cards, and ephemera. Some pieces are modern, but many are early or vintage. The auction starts at 10 am Eastern time, with absentee and Internet live bidding available through LiveAuctioneers.

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Auction brings Hall of Famer Ted Williams to NFT market

One of nine Ted Williams baseball cards, rendered by Andre Maciel, aka ‘Black Madre’, to be auctioned as NFTs (non-fungible tokens).
One of nine Ted Williams baseball cards, rendered by Andre Maciel, aka ‘Black Madre,’ to be auctioned as NFTs (non-fungible tokens).

BOSTON (AP) – Teddy Ballgame is about to become Teddy Blockchain. Hall of Famer Ted Williams is coming to the digital memorabilia market with a release of nine different cards that follow the No. 9’s career from skinny rookie to Cooperstown inductee. The collectors’ items offered by Williams’ daughter are hand drawn by Brazilian illustrator Andre Maciel, known as Black Madre, who created the non-fungible tokens for football star Rob Gronkowski that sold out last month for $1.6 million.

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