Just released: Our latest Sports Collectibles Market Report!
This week on Auction Action, the Altan Insights team virtually visits Goldin Auctions to review the results of their Goldin Elite Auction. Note that all Goldin Auction prices include 20% buyers premium.
New Records
The Goldin Auction closed with a plethora of new card and player records established. Some of the eye-catching results included:
The 1/1 2018 Panini Green Kaboom Giannis card (BGS 9) which sold for $99,630, the most for any Kaboom.
LeBron’s 2003-04 Exquisite Collection Patch (BGS 8.5) sold for $2,460,000, establishing a new all-time record for that card in any grade.
And a 2002-03 Kobe Bryant UD NBA Logo Mania Auto sold for $922,500- the most ever for a non-rookie Kobe.
Goldin sold a 1971 Topps Terry Bradshaw sold for $430,500- the highest price ever paid for a Bradshaw card.
Modern baseball got in on the act as a 2016 Bowman Chrome Juan Soto struck a hammer price of $273,060- the most ever for the young superstar.
Goldin then sold a 2003 NetPro Apparel Auto Serena Williams card for $43,200 which established a new record for any women's sports card.
Within the array of records there were also nearly three dozen comps to fractional sports cards and memorabilia. Let's review the results and examine the current state of the sports card investing market.
Basketball
Asset: 1986-87 Fleer Basketball Sealed Unopened Wax Box
Goldin: $$996,300 ($322,100/case)
Collectable: $129,195
Review: Collectable’s box climbed 28% in its first session after the Goldin sale and is now up 62% since IPO. The Goldin result represents the highest price ever paid for a 2003-04 UD Exquisite Collection Case and the price per box is more than 3x the highest price ever realized for a single example of ‘03 UD wax.
Asset: 1986-87 Fleer Basketball Sealed Unopened Wax Box
Goldin: $319,800
Collectable: $256,883
Rally: $169,950
Review: This Goldin sale is the closest any 1986 Fleer Unopened Wax has come to reaching prices that were struck in the spring of 2021. Rally’s box is up 3% since IPO and last traded on August 31st. Collectable’s sealed wax is up 39.8% and gained 7.1% in its first session after the Goldin result. Goldin sold a box from the iconic ‘Midwest Storage Find’ for $180,000 on August 7th which was the last recorded sale at the acclaimed auction house.
Asset: 1969-70 Topps #25 Lew Alcindor Rookie Card (PSA 8)
Goldin: $29,520
Rally: $50,375
Review: Goldin’s Kareem rookie card attracted 16 bids but settled at a final price that is nearly $10,000 lower than a PSA 8 sold for in September. Rally IPO’d their Kareem rookie in November and the offering has gained 83.18% on their secondary market.
Asset: 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan Rookie Card (PSA 10)
Goldin: $369,000
Collectable: $360,000
Rally (Exit): $72,000
Review: Collectable’s rookie MJ is up 260% since IPO but has slipped -11% over the last month. The auction result is a strong continuation of recent sales that have surpassed $300,000 and this price is the highest struck at Goldin since May.
Asset: 1980-81 Topps Scoring Leader Larry Bird/Magic Johnson Rookie Card (PSA 10)
Goldin: $799,500
Collectable (Exit): $720,000
Review: Investors on Collectable accepted a buyout for this card just four months after the PSA 10 IPO’d. 62% of investors voted to accept the offer that resulted in a 104.5% ROI. The exact card resurfaced at Goldin this weekend and struck a final price of $799,500. The sale is the second highest ever at Goldin but trailed the price paid for a PSA 10 that sold in August. The August sale paid-out 840,000 but both that price and this October result easily surpassed the $540,000 Golden sold a gem mint example for in May.
Asset: 1986-87 Fleer Sticker #8 Michael Jordan Rookie Card (PSA 10)
Goldin: $75,030
Rally: $80,000
Review: After prices peaked above $200,000 for PSA 10 MJ stickers in the spring, the floor seems to have settled in the $70,000-$80,000 range. The Rally card attracted 650 investors and the first trading session for their rookie sticker has not been set at the time of publication.
Goldin: $113,160
Rally: $65,000
Review: Rally’s card has gained 59% on their secondary market but still sits well below the price paid for a nearly identical example sold by Goldin. Both the Rally and Goldin cards carry similar subgrades that include one 10, two 9.5s and one 9. The Goldin sale is a drop from recent results though as the auction house previously sold a BGS 9.5 for $161,130 on October 2nd and another BGS 9.5 for $162,360 on August 7th. Another BGS 9.5 was sold over the weekend at PWCC and settled at $180,000.
Asset: 2003-04 Topps Chrome Basketball Factory Sealed Unopened Hobby Box
Goldin: $24,600
Collectable: $31,850
Review: Collectable’s Chrome Hobby Box has climbed 40% on their secondary market since IPO and the price sits comfortably above the prices that have been paid at auction. This $24,600 sale is identical to the amount another unopened box sold for in July.
Asset: 2003-04 UD "Exquisite Collection" Exquisite Rookie Patch Autograph LeBron James /99 (BGS 8.5)
Goldin: $2,460,000
Collectable: $1,300,000
Review: No asset struck a higher price at the Goldin Elite event than this 2003 UD LeBron RPA which closed above $2 million for the first time ever. Collectable has a BGS 8.5 that carries identical subgrades to the one sold by Goldin and their example is scheduled to begin trading on November 9th. The Goldin card does carry some additional value since the card is #23, the same number as the King himself. That said, a minor feature such as the card’s number would justify a valuation of 1.1x-1.25x over the price of other similar examples- not the 1.85x multiple the Goldin card carries over Collectable’s- representing a bullish move for the fractional LeBron.
Goldin: $85,200
Collectable: $64,684
Review: The card sold at Goldin and the example offered by Collectable are similar but emphasize the importance of eye appeal. The Goldin sale is impressive at face value but even more so considering the centering flaws and damaged corners the card carried. On the contrary, Collectable’s card is a very strong BGS 8 with near mint centering and limited damage to both the edges and corners. Collectable’s modern MJ is up 15% over the last month but is still down -21.4% since IPO.
Asset: 2003-04 Topps Chrome Refractors #111 LeBron James Rookie Card
Goldin (BGS 10): $125,460
Otis (PSA 10): $69,825
Goldin (PSA 10): $88,560
Rally (BGS 10): $101,250
Review: Both the PSA and BGS 10 examples sold by Goldin well outpaced the market caps currently carried by the fractional cards. Goldin sold a BGS 10 at a multiple that was 1.42x higher than the PSA 10 also sold this weekend. Based on the BGS 10’s eye appeal and subgrades, the multiple is justified based on previous valuations. The Otis PSA 10 has dropped -5% since IPO and is currently priced at a multiple that is 1.44x below the Rally market cap. Rally’s card sits well below prior BGS 10 sales and has gained 1% on Rally’s secondary market.
Asset: 1980-81 Topps Scoring Leaders Larry Bird/Magic Johnson/Julius Erving Card (PSA 9)
Goldin: $27,060 & $24,600
Rally: $43,250
Review: Rally’s Topps Trio has gained 44.17% since IPO and its market cap well exceeds the prices realized at Goldin this weekend. Sales for PSA 9’s have ranged from $19,200-$26,400 since August after prices peaked above $60,000 in March.
Asset: 2012-13 Panini National Treasures #114 Kawhi Leonard (BGS 9.5)
Goldin: $24.600
Otis: $21,200
Review: The Otis Kawhi is up 5.26% over the last 90 days but has tumbled -42.03% in the last month. The Goldin result adds fire to the sell-off as the $24,600 price sits well below the $43,200 a BGS 9.5 sold for in June. The latest sale is a positive move from a $24,000 price realized in August but investors should monitor upcoming sales as the NBA season heats up to see if Kawhi cards continue an uptick.
Asset: 1996-97 Topps Chrome Refractor #171 Allen Iverson Rookie Card (PSA 10)
Goldin: $19,680
Otis: $28,209
Review: Although the Goldin card is a drop in value from previous sales, the centering on the card sold by Goldin is slightly off-line, an error emphasized by the chrome refractor border. Investors should continue to watch upcoming sales to see if prices stabilize back in the $20,000-$25,000 range. The Otis A.I. is up 8% since IPO but has dropped -11.84% over the last month.
Baseball
Asset: 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle Rookie Card (PSA 8)
Goldin: $2,029,500
Collectable: $1,382,250
Review: On March 6th, Goldin sold a PSA 8 Mantle for $1,320,000 and on October 23rd, the auction house sold that same exact card for $2,029,500. The sale represents a 53.75% appreciation in price in less than nine months and was the second public PSA 8 1952 Mantle sale to exceed $2 million this year. Collectable has a PSA 8 Mantle that does not display the same centering quality as the card sold by Goldin but has vibrant coloration and strong corners. The fractional Mantle is up 185% overall on their secondary market and the card climbed 17.3% in its first trading session since the Goldin result.
Asset: 1910 E98 "Set of 30" Ty Cobb, Red (PSA 9)
Goldin: $67,200
Rally: $75,000
Review: Rally’s 1910 Cobb has climbed 92.31% on their secondary market after opening at a $39,000 market cap in 2019. The Goldin sale represents a strong uptrend for the E98 Cobb and marks just the second time a PSA 9 example has sold for more than $60,000 at the auction house.
Goldin: $118,080
Rally: $75,000
Review: The auction result established a record as the most expensive Clemente bat ever sold by Goldin Auctions- outpacing all other sales by nearly $90,000. Although the Goldin bat is inscribed while Rally’s is not, both are PSA/DNA GU 10s, and H&B U1 models that would undoubtedly be used in a formal valuation appraisal. Rally’s Clemente lumber is dated to the 1959 season and is one of the earliest known graded examples. The bat has dropped -28.57% since IPO and sits at a $50,000 market cap. Based on the differences in inscription and production year, it is safe to give the Goldin bat a 1.4x multiple over Rally's example.
Asset: 1968 Topps #280 Mickey Mantle (PSA 9)
Goldin: $10,455
Collectable (2x cards): $37,804
Review: Collectable’s basket of 1968 Mantle’s has gained 4% since IPO and includes two of the 180 total PSA 9’s out of a population that exceeds 10,000 graded examples. The Goldin sale is a decline in price from the $14,400 a PSA 9 sold for in August.
Asset: 1968 Topps #177 Nolan Ryan Rookie Card (PSA 9)
Goldin: $136,530
Rally: $65,000
Review: Rally’s Jerry Koosman card has dropped -7.14% but the fall in valuation seems unwarranted given recent auction results. Sales data is limited as there are only 65 PSA 9 examples with just a single card graded higher but this is the third sale to exceed $60,000 at Goldin this year and the first to reach six-figures. The $136,530 valuation is 123.09% higher than the price paid for a PSA 9 that was sold in May- signaling a strong move for the fireball-throwing Hall of Fame legend.
Asset: 1993 Upper Deck SP Foil #279 Derek Jeter Rookie Card (BGS 9.5)
Goldin: $15,990
Collectable (2x):
Rally: $16,000
Review: Although Goldin sold two BGS 9.5 Jeter’s, only one should be used when curating comps due to subgrade differences. Rally’s Jeter, scheduled to IPO on 10/27, carries the exact same subgrades as the card that was sold by Goldin for $15,990. The other BGS 9.5 Jeter sold for $13,530 but carried visible deficiencies including damage on two of its four corners. The $15,990 hammer price is the highest on Goldin since May. Collectable’s basket has dropped -41.5% since IPO and both cards in the offering carry subgrades that are identical to the card that sold for $13,530.
Asset: 2009 Bowman Chrome Draft Prospects Refractors #BDPP89 Mike Trout (BGS 9.5)
Goldin: $31,980
Otis: $29,770
Review: Both the Goldin and Otis example carry the same average subgrades with two 9.5s and one 10. Goldin’s sale is the lowest realized price struck at the auction house in 2021 and represents a continuation of a downward trend that started after a BGS 9.5 sold for $61,000 in March. The Otis card has dropped -35% since IPO and is down -18.75% in the last month.
Boxing
Asset: 1997 Brown's Boxing #51 Floyd Mayweather Jr. Rookie Card (PSA 10)
Goldin: $19,200
Collectable: $22,750
Otis: $25,220
Review: Goldin’s sale is an uptick from its September sale when a PSA 10 Mayweather $16,800. The Floyd on Otis is down -35% since IPO while Collectable’s is scheduled to trade in November.
Football
Asset: 2000 Playoff Contenders #144 Tom Brady Signed Championship Ticket Rookie Card /100 (BGS 8.5)
Goldin: $1,500,000
Collectable: $2,150,000
Review: One of three cards to close above seven-figures at the Golden event, Tom Brady’s Championship Ticket Rookie Card continued to establish itself as a million dollar piece of cardboard. Collectable’s Brady was filled by 1,299 investors and is scheduled to begin trading on November 19th. The Collectable card carries an average subgrade of 8.63 compared to the example sold by Goldin which had an average subgrade of 8.75.
Asset: 2000 Playoff Contenders Football Unopened Hobby Box
Goldin: $40,590
Collectable: $41,850
Review: Tied for the third highest sale on the platform all-time, the 2000 Playoff Contenders box continued to find success at Goldin during the weekend. After prices dipped below $30,000 in May, the auction house has led a recovery as sales have stabilized above $40,000. Collectable’s hobby box has gained 80% since IPO and is up 22% in the last month.
Asset: 2017 Panini National Treasures Holo Silver #161 Patrick Mahomes RPA /25 (BGS 9.5)
Goldin: $270,600
Otis: $310,359.70
Review: The Otis Mahomes has dropped -18.8% over the last month. The secondary market performance correlates with the play of Mahomes and their Chiefs as the Super Bowl runner-up sits at 3-4 and in third place through the first seven games in a competitive AFC West. The Otis card does carry better subgrades as their examples earned four 9.5s compared to the Goldin Mahomes which has a 9 for edges.
Asset: 1976 Topps #148 Walter Payton Rookie Card (PSA 10)
Goldin: $57,600
Rally: $62,500
Review: Goldin’s PSA 10 Payton sale fell short of reaching $60,000 for the first time since 2021. The final price still settled in a range similar to previous results though and the Payton attracted 21 bids. There are only 52 PSA 10’s out of a total graded population of 10,757. Rally’s “Sweetness” rookie slipped -3.85% in its last trading session.
Hockey
Asset: 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee #18 Wayne Gretzky Rookie Card (PSA 9)
Goldin: $137,760
Collectable: $167,500
Review: Although the Goldin price still falls well below the $250,000 range that examples were selling for in April, it does represent a positive move after prices dipped under $120,000 this summer. Collectable’s Gretzky is up 150% since IPO but has slid -11.3% in the last thirty days.
Asset: 2005-06 Upper Deck "The Cup" #179 Alexander Ovechkin RPA /99 (BGS 9)
Goldin: $105,780
Collectable (BGS 8.5): $45,117
Review: This sale represents an all-time record for any Ovechkin card and is the first Ovi card to reach six-figures. Collectable’s Ovi climbed 10.8% in its first session post-sale and the card is up 14.3% in the last month. The Collectable card carries a BGS 8.5 but has arguably better eye appeal due to the off-centered signature on the Goldin card. While that alone doesn’t justify an equal valuation, a reasonable appraisal for a BGS 9 carrying the same subgrades and visual appeal of the Goldin card would signify a 1.8x - 2.1x multiple over a BGS 8.5 that has the same subgrades as Collectable’s card.
Tennis
Asset: 2003 NetPro Elite Glossy #G2 Serena Williams Rookie Card /100 (PSA 9)
Goldin: $27,060
Otis (BGS 9.5): $16,596.80
Review: Serena Williams cards continue to soar as the Goldin event established new records for the tennis legend. This sale is particularly interesting because it highlights the dramatic shift in price within the last few months. Goldin sold a PSA 10 version of this same card for $26,400 in June- which is a price that was surpassed by this PSA 9 example over the weekend. Otis has a BGS 9.5 graded glossy variant that IPO’d at a $18,400 market cap in May but has actually dropped in price on their secondary market. At the time of writing, the Otis Serena is down -9.26% in the last month- representing a massive disconnect between the fractional world and auction trends.
Soccer
Asset: 2004-05 Panini Megacracks Lionel Messi Rookie Card (PSA 9)
Goldin: $62,730
Otis: $62,513.50
Rally: $46,800
Review: Goldin’s Messi continued to trend downward after sales surpassed $70,000 but the pr
