MastroNet's Three-Day Sale Blasts Past $11 Million

MastroNet's April sports and Americana collectibles sale pushed past $11 million on the last day of the three-day phone/Internet auction event. "Our April auction featured more than 1,900 items of incredible sports and Americana material," said William Mastro, chief executive officer of MastroNet. "The amazing thing is our August auction already appears to be filled with just as many spectacular items, if not more."

Highlights of the April auction included a 1909-11 T206 white border Honus Wagner sports card, which set a new record public auction price of $236,706. A Babe Ruth 1923 H&B side-written game used bat, considered to be the second most significant Babe Ruth bat in existence, went for $189,333. Ruth returned the bat to the H&B bat factory on March 27, 1923 - just three weeks before the opening of the new Yankees Stadium.

A presidential check collection, comprising 34 different checks, including George Washington (1799), John Adams (1815), Thomas Jefferson (1804, signed as president), Abraham Lincoln (1864, signed as president), Andrew Johnson (1867, signed as president) and Richard Nixon sold for $105,423.

A Ty Cobb H&B game used bat, circa 1925, commanded $95,620. The bat was used by Cobb in the mid-1920s and was later presented by him to his friend and fellow Hall of Famer Joe Sewell in 1925. Sewell later recorded that token of Cobb's friendship by inscribing the barrel in white ink, "Given to me in 1925 by Ty Cobb, Joe Sewell."

A 1915 Cracker Jack #30 Ty Cobb PSA Mint 9 sports card set a new record public auction price of $94,709. PSA has never awarded a higher evaluation for a 1915 Cracker Jack Cobb. This specimen was part of the John Branca collection that MastroNet will offer during the next few auctions.

Of all the 43 US presidents, William Henry Harrison held the shortest tenure - just 31 days. This brief window of time has resulted in a lack of Harrison-signed documents as president. Among the very few that have survived, the William Henry Harrison as president signed document offered in the MastroNet auction sold for $86,730.

A 1915 Cracker Jack #30 Ty Cobb PSA Mint 9 sports card set a new record public auction price of $94,709.

A 1909-11 T206 white border near set of classic tobacco inserts comprising 518 cards that was missing only Demmitt, O'Hara, Magie, Plank and Wagner realized a final price of $83,543. Also, a 1911 near set of M116 baseball cards consisting of 287 different players and variations sold for $67,203. The group displays the best of baseball in 1910, as discerned by the editors of Sporting Life.

The highest graded 1948 Leaf #1 Joe DiMaggio PSA Mint 9 attracted a final price of $61,047.

Also among the sale's top lots was an 1860 Lincoln/Hamlin "Wide Awakes" banner, the only one known of its style. The "Wide Awakes" was a grassroots organization that helped tip the scales in favor of the Republican candidate, Abraham Lincoln during the 1860 presidential contest. This banner tipped the auction scales with a selling price of $58,139.

Prices reported include buyer's premium.