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Over the next four days, three different sports auction houses will close events that feature historic pieces of sports memorabilia and well-conditioned collections of vintage cards. Before the auctions close Altan Insights previews the top lots to watch and explores the history behind some of the rare items that are scheduled to find new owners.
Lot #1: Diego Maradona Game-Used, Photo-Matched Argentina Primary Jersey From 1982 FIFA World Cup
Historic World Cup threads will sell this weekend at Goldin as this 1982 Diego Maradona Game-Used Jersey will find a new home and is poised to sell for at least six-figures. From Maradona's first World Cup, the classic striped Argentinian jersey has been photomatched by Resolution Photomatching to his third match of the 1982 event. With two days remaining in the auction the jersey has garnered a single bid and is priced at $120,0000 with buyer's premium.
Lot #2: 2014 Panini Prizm World Cup Gold Power Prizm #12 Lionel Messi (#2/5) – BGS GEM MINT 9.5
Does that jersey look familiar?
Yes, the sky blue and white #10 jersey is iconic for more than just Maradona.
Lionel Messi and the 2022 Argentinian squad survived a first-match loss to Saudi Arabia to advance from their group and will continue their quest for a World Cup title - one that could act as a curtain close for Messi on the international stage. The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner has recorded the most goals in La Liga history and this Gold Power Prizm produced by Panini is already priced in excess of $75,000. The BGS 9.5 graded card carries a perfect 10 subgrade for its surface and dual 9.5's for centering and edges with its corners earning a 9 from Beckett.
Lot #43: Kylian Mbappe Match-Worn Ligue 1 Paris Saint-Germain Jersey
Kylian Mbappé and Les Bleus easily advanced to the Round of 16 with two dominating wins aided by a trio of goals from the young superstar. Mbappé made his first formal introduction to the soccer world when he scored in the 2014 finals in France's 4-2 win over Croatia. The sale of this jersey comes at a time when the French seem positioned to make a deep run after cruising through their group stage. One of the best young players in the game today, Mbappé signed his initial contract at 18-years-old with Paris Saint-Germain for €180 million which made him the most expensive teenage player in history. The match worn jersey is dated to the 2021 season and has attracted 16 bids so far with the price nearing $30,000 heading into the final days of the event.
Lot #2: 1909-11 T206 Complete Set With An Amazing 5.20 GPA All SGC Graded
Complete sets are always impressive impressive. Complete sets that are more than 110 years old are in another stratosphere of impressive. The time and resources it takes to accumulate a complete set, especially one that has been graded and contains multiple near mint examples, makes this set one that will likely command a hefty premium by the time the hammer drops.
One bidder will see an immediate boost to the quantity and quality of their collection this weekend with the purchase of this historic set. There are 518 total cards included in the collection with more than 95% carrying grades of SGC 4 or better. From Ty Cobb and Walter Johnson to Cy Young and Christy Mathewson, the T206 set is one of the most recognized collections in the hobby with its unmatched lineup of Hall of Fame players. With the auction nearing its close the current highest bid sits at $237,900 with 17 total bids already in.
Lot #4: 1952 Topps #261 Willie Mays PSA 8 NM-MT
There have been five PSA 8 graded examples of the 1952 Topps Willie Mays card sold at auction this year and all of them have realized prices between $180,000 - $240,000. This particular card is expected to close within that range and carries an incredible set of attributes related to its eye appeal and condition. The white boarder around the card is infamous for emphasizing poor centering, a quality that this card managed to avoid and the corners are as crisp as one could expect for a card that has survived more than 70 years.
Lot #18: 1964 Hank Aaron Milwaukee Braves Game-Used Road Jersey MEARS A8.5
This museum piece comes from Hank Aaron's 1964 season in which he tallied 24 home runs and 95 RBI while leading the Braves in their penultimate year in Milwaukee. There are only a few game-worn jerseys from Aaron's historic career in public hands and this particular road jersey has already captivated potential buyers with 21 bids and a current price tag that exceeds six-figures. Overall, the jersey has survived in great condition and carries an 8.5 grade from MEARS with the dark blue trimmed red lettering still displayed perfectly.
Lot #17: 1939 Ted Williams Boston Red Sox Rookie Contract
This contract between Ted Williams and the 'Boston American League Baseball Company' showcases the earliest days from one of baseball's most storied careers. Before Ted Williams could cement himself as one of the games finest hitters and become the last player to hit over .400 in a season, he had to put pen to paper and sign this contract. The agreement was for two years with pay between $3,000 and $4,500 for the 1938 and 1939 seasons respectively. Throughout his entire career, Williams would hit 521 home runs and drive more than 1,800 runners across the plate with 2,645 hits and a batting average of .344. The contract has yet to clear its reserve but has reaching $65,000 with 19 bidders already participating with more than 72 hours remaining in the sale.
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