Hold onto your baseball caps, folks—Willie Mays just knocked it out of the park again with his 1951 Bowman rookie card fetching a jaw-dropping $390,935 at Robert Edward Auctions’ Summer Catalog Auction. This sale sets a new record in the sports memorabilia world, leaving collectors and enthusiasts alike in awe of this remarkable feat.
The highest-graded example of the card to hit the auction block in over 15 years had bidders swinging for the fences. 11 fierce competitors stepped up to the plate, but only one emerged victorious, walking away with this priceless cardboard treasure. With no PSA 10 Mays rookie cards known to exist and only eight in a PSA 9 grade, it’s no wonder that fervor surrounded this sale.
To put this staggering amount in perspective, a PSA 8 copy of the same Mays card went for $207,400 just the week prior at Goldin Auctions. Clearly, Willie Mays’ rookie cards are hotter than a summer day at the ballpark, setting new heights in the world of sports collectibles.
But the story doesn’t end there. The proceeds from this monumental sale are paving the way for a college scholarship endowment courtesy of the consignor. So, not only did this card create history, but it’s also contributing to shaping the future. Talk about a win-win for everyone involved!
The Summer Catalog Auction proved to be a grand slam, amassing over $13.3 million from a staggering 82,000 bids across almost 3,200 lots. Thirteen items soared past the six-figure mark, including a 1933 Goudey Nap Lajoie PSA 4.5, which set a new record by selling for $162,000—the highest price ever for that particular grade.
Other standout sales included an autographed 1949 Bowman Roy Campanella rookie (PSA 3) with a PSA 9 signature grade going for $132,000, and a 1986-87 Fleer Michael Jordan rookie card (PSA 7 with a 7 autograph rating) fetching $120,000.
Not to be overshadowed, a 1936-1937 Dizzy Dean St. Louis Cardinals game-used road jersey fetched a solid $114,000, establishing a new record for Dizzy Dean memorabilia.
Among the multitude of impressive sales were also notable prices for items such as the 1933 R338 Sport Kings #2 Babe Ruth PSA NM-MT 8 at $120,000, the 1915 Boston Red Sox Real-Photo Team Postcard featuring a Babe Ruth rookie sold for $114,000, and the 1980 Topps #482 Rickey Henderson Rookie PSA GEM MINT 10 at $111,000.
Further sales included the 1909-1911 T206 White Border Cy Young Glove Shows PSA EX+ 5.5 (Broad Leaf 460 Back) at $111,000, the 1979-1980 O-Pee-Chee Hockey #18 Wayne Gretzky Rookie PSA MINT 9 at $105,000, the 1914 E145 Cracker Jack #103 Joe Jackson SGC GOOD+ 2.5 at $102,000 (a record for the SGC grade), the 1933 V353 World Wide Gum Canadian Goudey #80 Babe Ruth PSA NM 7 at $96,000 (a record for the card), and the 1984-1985 Star Company Basketball #101 Michael Jordan Rookie BGS NM-MT+ 8.5 at $52,800 (a record for the Beckett grade).
Brian Dwyer, President of REA, expressed his excitement about the auction, stating, “This auction was a blast from start to finish, with new record prices being set left and right. We’re incredibly grateful to the consignors who trusted us with these amazing items and to the bidders who made this another record-breaking auction for us.”
For those who missed out on this action-packed event, fear not! REA’s next big auction, the September Encore Auction, is just around the corner, running from September 12-22. So, get ready to mark your calendars because the adrenaline-pumping bidding is far from over!
