If the thought of digitally duking it out with fellow aficionados for pieces of sports history gets your adrenaline pumping, Miller & Miller Auctions has a tantalizing proposition. Their pre-1980 sports cards and memorabilia auction is a sumptuous feast of nostalgia, set for June 22nd, with the virtual stage featuring a spectacular gallery of 235 lots ready for a good old-fashioned online showdown.
At the top of the must-have list is Mickey Mantle, the Yankee legend whose influence in baseball is as enduring as it is revered. The spotlight shines brightly on the 1952 Topps #311 Mantle rookie card. Known in collector circles as the holy grail, this card has seen its fair share of admiration, garnering a remarkable PSA 2 Good grade. Though the corners might reveal their history of many a fond handling, the surface remains a testament to its storied past, with edges still holding steady. The card is predictably drawing strong estimates in the $40,000 to $50,000 CAD range, a rallying cry for collectors worldwide to dive into the fray.
Nearby Mantle is an alluring assortment of 40 cards from the 1952 Topps Sixth Series, a collection known to send shivers down a collector's spine as it spans the revered High Numbers. Comprising cards from #311 to #407, despite their wizened appearance marked by telltale signs of age and wear, they are still expected to attract between $3,000 and $5,000 CAD. This offers a golden opportunity for collectors to touch baseball history, a chance not to be underestimated.
Swinging from baseball to the ice rink, the 1951 Parkhurst #66 Gordie Howe rookie card skates into the auction's limelight. With a PSA 3 Very Good grading, this gem still commands respect and draws eyes with its attractive appeal. It has cemented its place in memorabilia as the crown jewel of the 1951-52 Parkhurst set and is predicted to glide to a sale price between $8,000 and $10,000 CAD.
In a show of reciprocal admiration between hockey trailblazers, Bobby Orr's rookie card from the 1966 Topps #35 series joins its legendary peers, exhibiting a robust KSA 6 Excellent-Near Mint grade. Both fans and seasoned investors are projected to engage enthusiastically, chasing estimates placed at $8,000 to $9,000 CAD.
While cards reign supreme, the auction promises treasures far beyond paper. A wondrous find is the game-used, team-signed Bill Barilko hockey stick, complete with memorabilia from the Toronto Maple Leafs' victorious 1951 Stanley Cup season. This unique stick, embellished with Barilko’s signature and his teammates’ autographs, stands as an irreplaceable memento of thrilling puck-playoffs past, conservatively estimated at $3,000 to $5,000 CAD.
Another dazzling offering for Canadiens fans is a shadow box featuring Parkhurst rookie cards of Maurice and Henri Richard, graded KSA 4 and 3 respectively. Stretching 24 inches by 72 inches, it artistically frames a signature-studded Louisville Pro Flex stick, a Canadiens puck, and a bronze plaque, making for a stunning ode to Montreal’s hallowed ice icons. Its value is treasured at $4,000 to $6,000 CAD.
A complete set of 110 “Tall Boys” from the 1964-65 Topps hockey cards also lines up to charm collectors with its elongated elegance. Showcasing icons like Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull and Tim Horton, these cards span a spectrum of historical chronicle. Despite their honest condition ranging good to very good, they're estimated to gather between $4,000 and $6,000 CAD.
No compendium of legendary cards is complete without Wayne Gretzky, the Great One himself. His uncut sheet of 226 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee cards, harbors a flawless #18 rookie card. Despite minor weathered edges, this rarity is expected to fetch collectors' rapt attention, with projections of $3,500 to $4,500 CAD.
“We may not be able to rewind history, but through these cards and collectibles, collectors hold the tapestry of time,” notes Ben Pernfuss, Consignment Director at Miller & Miller. Highlighting key markers of sports antiquity, the auction is an architectural mosaic of the groundbreaking 1951 Parkhurst hockey and 1952 Topps baseball sets, painting a tableau of a sporting golden age that transcends through decades.
With the bidding catalog ready on Miller & Miller’s website and the promise of a lively engagement on LiveAuctioneers, the call to auction is a siren song to those whose hearts beat for the thrill of the collectible chase. Canada’s trusted name in high-value collections, Miller & Miller is well-equipped to guide budding and seasoned collectors through the tapestry of rare sports memorabilia, treating each piece with the reverence it deserves.
Mickey Mantle Rookie At Auction
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