Robert Edward Auctions’ (REA) March Encore sale recently made waves in the vintage card collecting world by breaking multiple sales records. The star of the auction was a 1933 V353 World Wide Gum Canadian Goudey #80 Babe Ruth card that fetched a whopping $32,400. This record-breaking sale was just one of many highlights from the auction, which amassed over $1.3 million from more than 3,300 lots.
Among the other notable sales was a 1911 E94 George Close Candy Ty Cobb that was graded SGC POOR 1, selling for $28,000. Additionally, a 1909-1911 T206 White Border Ty Cobb Bat Off Shoulder PSA EX 5 with a Tolstoi Back set a new record at $27,600. These sales, along with the Babe Ruth card, showcased the strong demand for vintage cards in the market.
The auction featured a diverse range of items, attracting nearly 66,000 bids in total. Some other standout sales included a 1976 Topps #500 Reggie Jackson graded PSA GEM MINT 10, which sold for $30,000. A 1980-1981 Topps Basketball Larry Bird/Magic Johnson Rookie in PSA MINT 9 condition fetched $25,200. Additionally, a 1948-1949 Leaf #79 Jackie Robinson Rookie graded PSA VG+ 3.5 went for $23,400, further underlining the popularity of iconic sports figures in the collectibles market.
Noteworthy sales also included 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, each selling for $14,400. The auction also saw the sale of rare items such as an Extremely Rare 1921 Schapira Bros. Candy Babe Ruth box part, which fetched $10,800, and an 1888 N28 Allen & Ginter John Clarkson graded PSA EX-MT 6 that sold for $8,100, both setting new records in their categories.
Additional records were achieved with the sale of a Billy Southworth Single-Signed Baseball, a 1909-1911 T206 White Border Cy Young Portrait graded PSA POOR 1 (Brown Hindu Back) for $7,500, and a 1934 R320 Goudey #37 Lou Gehrig graded SGC GOOD+ 2.5 that went for $5,280. These sales further demonstrated the robustness of the vintage collectibles market.
REA President Brian Dwyer hailed the success of the auction as a testament to the strength of the vintage market. The impressive results set an optimistic tone for the upcoming Spring Catalog Auction, indicating continued enthusiasm among collectors for rare and historic pieces.