Heritage Auctions is gearing up to showcase a beguiling array of prized sports memorabilia in their upcoming July 12-13 Summer Sports Card Catalog Auction. This highly anticipated event promises an assortment of rare and sought-after baseball cards that will undoubtedly captivate collectors and enthusiasts alike. Among the standout items up for grabs are a pristine 1952 Topps Jackie Robinson card, a gem-mint Michael Jordan Fleer rookie card, and a gem-mint chrome rookie card autographed by a youthful Bryce Harper. The auction will also feature sealed packs, boxes, and cases brimming with potential hidden gems, making it a must-attend for serious collectors.
Adding to the allure of the auction are signed Shohei Ohtani cards and top-of-the-line Ty Cobb tobacco cards, which further enhance the prestige of this summer’s event. Notably, the auction boasts a wealth of Hall of Fame treasures, including the famed Babe Ruth “Called Shot” jersey that is sure to garner significant attention from bidders.
One of the auction’s standout highlights is a collection of rare 1959 baseball cards that were once stapled to containers of Canadian cookies. These cards, with only 69 known examples in the PSA population report, are a true rarity in the world of sports memorabilia. The collection includes 37 cards featuring legendary players such as Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Stan Musial, and other luminaries of the sport. Despite the obscure origins of these cards, their historical significance and scarcity make them highly desirable among collectors.
The Dad’s Cookies baseball cards were produced by the Exhibits Supply Company, a Chicago-based entity established in 1907 that initially focused on creating picture postcards for distribution in arcades. Over time, the company expanded its offerings to include baseball players, boxers, and other notable figures. In 1959, Dad’s Cookies utilized these cards as promotional items by attaching them to bags and boxes of cookies, each featuring a message from the company’s Scottish mascot urging children to collect them all. The rarity of these cards can be attributed to their unconventional distribution method and the limited number of surviving specimens.
Additionally, the auction will showcase two highly sought-after Ty Cobb T206 cards from the early 1900s. The first, an El Principe de Gales Ty Cobb graded PSA NM 7, is exceptionally scarce, with only one known example with the El Principe de Gales advertisement on the back. The second card, an American Beauty Portrait-Red Cobb graded PSA EX-MT 6, represents the highest-graded example of its type. These cards are revered for their historical significance and are expected to attract fervent interest from collectors seeking to enhance their collections with these prized artifacts.
Enthusiasts attending the auction will also have the opportunity to bid on a variety of sealed boxes and cases, including the 1970 Topps Baseball Wax Box (1st & 3rd Series) containing 24 unopened packs that may yield cards featuring baseball icons like Carl Yastrzemski, Vida Blue, and Roberto Clemente. These items not only hold sentimental value for collectors but also present the exciting prospect of discovering hidden treasures within each pack. Heritage Auctions’ Joe Orlando aptly describes the experience as a chance to relive one’s childhood memories frozen in time while pondering the possibilities enclosed within each unopened pack.
Furthermore, the auction will include modern sealed boxes and cases, such as the 2015 Upper Deck Hockey Series 1 Hobby Unopened Case with 12 boxes and the 2020 Panini Flawless Football Factory Sealed Case featuring two boxes. These contemporary offerings provide collectors with the thrill of unearthing rare cards, including coveted rookie cards and autographed memorabilia. Orlando emphasizes the element of mystery and excitement that accompanies opening these sealed cases, noting that the process adds an extra layer of intrigue to the collecting experience.
As Heritage Auctions prepares to host its Summer Sports Card Catalog Auction, sports memorabilia enthusiasts can look forward to an unparalleled opportunity to acquire some of the rarest and most valuable baseball cards in circulation. With a captivating lineup of historic artifacts and prized collectibles, this event promises to be a memorable showcase of the enduring allure and timeless appeal of sports memorabilia collecting.
