Robert Edward's Baseball Card, Memorabilia Auction Generates $7.1 Million

Robert Edward Auctions reported several records were achieved at the gallery's April 30 auction of baseball cards and memorabilia.

A Fashion Course trophy ball sold for $498,800, approximately three times the previous record for any trophy ball ever sold.

A 1914 Babe Ruth rookie card issued by The Baltimore News, graded VG-EX by PSA, realized $243,600, above the previous record of $79,500, which makes the card the second most valuable baseball card in the world.

A 1910 Joe Jackson Old Mill Tobacco card, with previous auction record price of $15,000, sold for $92,800.

The sale was the most successful auction in Robert Edward Auctions' 35-year history. Bidders from Europe, Japan and Hong Kong placed more than 19,000 bids. More than 99 percent of the lots sold via fax, telephone, on Robert Edward's website and on eBay. The 1,525 lots of 1822-1975 cards and memorabilia generated $7.1 million in sales, with total prices realized over 50 percent above the high-end estimate of the sale. More than 200,000 different collectors viewed the auction catalog. The lots offered were won by 613 different bidders.

"We had substantial museum and institutional participation in this sale, due to the historical significance of some of the items offered," reports gallery president Robert Lifson. "All areas of the auction received tremendous response and very strong prices."

Additional highlights include a 1917-1921 era Babe Ruth bat, $116,000; an S81 Tobacco Silk uncut sheet, $197,200; a 1915 Cracker Jack of Joe Jackson, graded EX-MT 6 by PSA, $37,700, a record price; and an 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings CDV, $26,100, a record.

Two 1886 N167 Old Judges (Connor and Ewing) sold for $43,500 each, more than doubling previous auction records; a 1910 tobacco card rarity T206 Eddie Plank, graded EX 5 by PSA, reached $52,200; 1 1912 L1 Leather of Walter Johnson sold for $22,040; and a 1914 "Texas Tommy" baseball card of Walter Johnson made $15,080.

Two 1933 Goudey uncut sheets of 24 cards brought $31,900 each; Christy Mathewson's personal checkers manual garnered $26,100, a record for a checkers manual; an 1863 "Union Prisoners at Salisbury" print brought a record $46,400; the 1889 World Tour Trophy Baseball realized $31,900; and an 1867 "Base Ball Quadrille" sheet music sold for $9,280.

An 1888 Washington Joseph Hall Team cabinet card, including Connie Mack as a player reached a record $18,560; an 1894 Pittsburgh BBC schedule poster brought $17,400; a set of three 1910 Tuxedo Tobacco advertising signs featuring Christy Mathewson, Walter Johnson and John McGraw sold for $52,200; a 1912 Boston Garter advertising poster brought a record $26,100; and a 1967 Ernie Banks Chicago Cubs reached $22,040.

A 1940 Ted Williams jersey fetched $34,800; a 1911-1916 Eddie Collins side written bat was hammered down for more than double its previous record price at $37,700; an Augusta National Masters jacket fetched $37,700; a 1909-1911 T206 Walter Johnson, graded Mint 9 by PSA, fetched $37,700; and a 1916 M101-4 of Babe Ruth, graded EX-MT by PSA, sold for $23,200.

For information, 908-226-9900.