Robert Edward Auctions’ (REA) March Encore sale recently made waves in the vintage card collecting community, breaking multiple records and fetching staggering prices for coveted pieces of sports memorabilia. The highlight of the auction was the sale of a 1933 V353 World Wide Gum Canadian Goudey #80 Babe Ruth card in PSA EX-NM 6 condition, which sold for an impressive $32,400.
Among the other standout sales were a 1911 E94 George Close Candy Ty Cobb graded SGC POOR 1, which sold for $28,000, and a 1909-1911 T206 White Border Ty Cobb Bat Off Shoulder card in PSA EX 5 condition with a Tolstoi Back, fetching $27,600. These sales set new records and underscored the fervent interest in vintage sports cards among collectors.
In total, the auction featured an extensive lineup of more than 3,300 lots, ultimately generating over $1.3 million in sales from nearly 66,000 bids. Some of the other noteworthy transactions included a 1976 Topps #500 Reggie Jackson in PSA GEM MINT 10 condition, which sold for $30,000, a 1980-1981 Topps Basketball Larry Bird/Magic Johnson Rookie in PSA MINT 9 for $25,200, and a 1948-1949 Leaf #79 Jackie Robinson Rookie in PSA VG+ 3.5 condition, going for $23,400.
The auction also saw impressive sales of rare items, such as a 1911 M110 Sporting Life Cabinet Honus Wagner in PSA GOOD 2 (MK) condition and a 1951 Bowman #253 Mickey Mantle Rookie graded SGC GOOD+ 2.5, both fetching $14,400. Additionally, items like an Extremely Rare 1921 Schapira Bros. Candy Babe Ruth box part and an 1888 N28 Allen & Ginter John Clarkson card in PSA EX-MT 6 condition commanded prices of $10,800 and $8,100, respectively, setting new records for these items.
Setting even more records were a Billy Southworth Single-Signed Baseball, a 1909-1911 T206 White Border Cy Young Portrait card in PSA POOR 1 condition with a Brown Hindu Back for $7,500, and a 1934 R320 Goudey #37 Lou Gehrig in SGC GOOD+ 2.5 condition selling for $5,280.
Brian Dwyer, the President of REA, expressed his excitement over the auction’s success and the strong performance of the vintage market. The impressive results of the March sale have set a positive tone for the upcoming Spring Catalog Auction, hinting at even more exciting opportunities for collectors and enthusiasts in the realm of vintage sports memorabilia.
