| DALLAS — The results of an online auction featuring sports trading cards were clearly a home run for Heritage Auctions. The auction featured 2,200 trading cards and brought more than $8.3 million. Many of the cards were from the first of three 2019 offerings from the David Hall T206 Collection. Heritage calls it the “most comprehensive assembly of the hobby’s premier tobacco issue.” That incredible collection from the founder of Collector’s Universe supplied three six-figure results to the eye-popping tally. The most astonishing result was the $252,000 price for an Eddie Plank card, graded PSA VG 3. It more than doubled a price achieved by a Plank card selling two years ago and graded in a better condition. Like Honus Wagner card, it is believed Plank’s cards are rare because he did not want to promote smoking or advertising with his likeness. Hence few cards were made with his image. A red background Ty Cobb with a Hindu back commanded $126,000 at VG-EX 4, while the only PSA-graded Walter Johnson Hands at Chest with a Broad Leaf back drew $108,000 at VG-EX+ 4.5. “The prices recorded in this sale probably added tens of millions of dollars to the value of the T206 cards held by our clientele, so we expect to be fielding a great deal of consignment calls in the coming weeks,” said Chris Ivy, Director of Sports auctions for Heritage. “We sold a PSA NM 7 Plank for $690,000 last year. What could that be worth now?” But the record prices recorded in the three-day event were not restricted to that single issue, instead spanning multiple decades and issuing bodies. One of two PSA EX 5 examples of the 1922 Zeenut Jim Thorpe posted a $44,400 result, while a 1933 Butter Cream Babe Ruth, graded PSA EX 5, cost its new owner $192,000. Mickey Mantle’s second Topps card, graded Mint 9, crushed hobby norms at $396,000. For more information visit www.ha.com |
