The recent March Encore sale at Robert Edward Auctions (REA) was nothing short of spectacular, as vintage card collectors dug deep into their pockets to secure some rare gems. The star of the show was undoubtedly the 1933 V353 World Wide Gum Canadian Goudey #80 Babe Ruth card, which fetched an eye-watering $32,400, setting a new record in the process.
But Ruth wasn’t the only one breaking records that night. A 1911 E94 George Close Candy Ty Cobb SGC POOR 1 and a 1909-1911 T206 White Border Ty Cobb Bat Off Shoulder PSA EX 5 with a Tolstoi Back also made waves, selling for $28,000 and $27,600, respectively. These jaw-dropping figures were just a glimpse of the frenzy that unfolded over more than 3,300 lots, which collectively raked in over $1.3 million from nearly 66,000 bids.
The auction wasn’t all about Ruth and Cobb, though. Other notable sales included a 1976 Topps #500 Reggie Jackson PSA GEM MINT 10 that went for $30,000, a 1980-1981 Topps Basketball Larry Bird/Magic Johnson Rookie PSA MINT 9 selling for $25,200, and a 1948-1949 Leaf #79 Jackie Robinson Rookie PSA VG+ 3.5 fetching $23,400.
For the history buffs and connoisseurs, the auction also presented some rare finds, such as a 1911 M110 Sporting Life Cabinet Honus Wagner PSA GOOD 2 (MK) and a 1951 Bowman #253 Mickey Mantle Rookie SGC GOOD+ 2.5, each commanding a price of $14,400.
Unusual items also drew attention, with an Extremely Rare 1921 Schapira Bros. Candy Babe Ruth box fragment and an 1888 N28 Allen & Ginter John Clarkson PSA EX-MT 6 fetching $10,800 and $8,100, respectively, both setting new records in their categories.
But the surprises didn’t stop there. A Billy Southworth Single-Signed Baseball went under the hammer for $7,500, a 1909-1911 T206 White Border Cy Young Portrait PSA POOR 1 (Brown Hindu Back) commanded $7,500, and a 1934 R320 Goudey #37 Lou Gehrig SGC GOOD+ 2.5 closed the bidding at $5,280, all setting new benchmarks.
REA’s President, Brian Dwyer, expressed his delight at the auction’s success, lauding it as a strong indicator of the vintage market’s resilience and promising an exciting Spring Catalog Auction.
With records shattered and prices soaring, the March Encore sale at REA was a testament to the enduring popularity and value of vintage sports cards.