PSA authenticated or graded 10 of most-expensive items sold in 2017

Just 10 of the most-notable items in the sports world that were sold in 2017 totaled more than $6.7 million in sales, ranging from the $1.68 million Norman Rockwell piece you see here to high-grade copies of Mickey Mantle‘s iconic 1952 Topps card.

And they all had one thing in common — PSA or PSA/DNA authentication.

“We certified a myriad of incredible items last year, and the list is full of sports history from top to bottom,” said Professional Sports Authenticator VP Steve Sloan. “We’ll continue pushing ourselves toward another great year in 2018, and look forward to what’s in store.”

The Newport Beach, Calif.-based company recently took the time to examine the markets last year and touted its Top 10 for 2017. Keep reading to see everything on the list.

Gwen Stefani ‘Hollaback Girl’ storyboard art hits auction block

A fun and so far inexpensive piece of pop culture history has hit the auction block via Heritage Auctions and it’s a bit bananas.

B-A-N-A-N-A-S.

It’s some artwork form Dan Fraga, an artist who also has worked in comic books and television, and they’re the storyboards for the “Hollaback Girl” video from Gwen Stefani — one of the hits from her debut solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. back in 2005.

Highest-graded Joe Namath Rookie Card hits open market via Heritage

It was today back in 1969 that New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath delivered on his guaranteed upset of the Baltimore Colts — and next month an elite specimen of his best football card will hit the auction block.

It’s a PSA 9 copy of his 1965 Topps Rookie Card, and it’s one of just five cards to get that grade — and none have ever graded higher.

Lou Gehrig’s 1925 New York Yankees contract heads to auction block

Steiner Auctions has a legendary piece coming in its next sale.

It’s Lou Gehrig‘s 1925 New York Yankees contract — his first full season — and it’s hitting the open market next month.

How much might it go for? Well, there was a recent auction of a previous contract that could set the stage for this one.

Heritage breaks up a legendary set of 1933 Goudey baseball cards

If you’ve ever been interested in grabbing some high-end copies of cards from the landmark 1933 Goudey set and have the bank account that lets you do so, then a new sale from Heritage Auctions is for you.

Active until Sept. 21 is an auction breaking up one of the best PSA-graded sets of the brand that contains the traditional in-pack Rookie Cards of many legendary names.

And they’re in sometimes-untoppable conditions.

Heritage rocks music fans with big memorabilia in latest auction

It was 50 years ago today, Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play and one of the faces you can see on the famed cover of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club band above can be yours.

No, seriously, one of the props on that cover of The Beatles’ iconic album that dropped in the United States on this day in 1967 is available in the newest Heritage Auctions sale running now until June 17.

Six-figure sales happen with vintage football greats’ Rookie Cards, too

The high-dollar auctions aren’t just for high-grade Mickey Mantle cards.

While “The Mick” has dominated the auction block in recent years — and did so again last weekend via Heritage Auctions — there were two six-figure NFL sales of note in that Heritage sale, too.

And they weren’t alone as a number of graded football cards topped the $10,000 mark.

Buzz Poll: Which Mickey Mantle item topped the auction block?

Mickey Mantle dominated the auction block on Saturday night in Dallas as Heritage Auctions‘ Platinum Night sports sale was topped by a pair of Mantles with very different attributes.

Yet both had very high demand.

Both items you see here — one a PSA 8 copy of his 1952 Topps card and the other being Mantle’s New York Yankees road jersey worn when he hit his 535th career home run on Sept. 19, 1968 — are six-figure items.

One went for $660,000 with a buyer’s premium while the other went for $486,000 and with that pair of facts we have these two questions for you.

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Spoiler: Highlight the text after this on this line to learn more. The card sold for more.

Follow Buzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz or send email to BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com. 

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Spider-Man’s debut commands big cash via Heritage Auctions + gallery of original art still up for grabs

A high-grade copy of an iconic comic book has commanded an impressive sum on the auction block.

It’s one of only 11 copies of Amazing Fantasy No. 15, which is the first appearance of Spider-Man, and it sold for six figures via Dallas-based Heritage Auctions on Thursday night.

How much?

Heritage comic book auction includes several six-figure gems

Update: The book above sold for $358,500, which is a new record.

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The newest Heritage Auctions comic book sale going on now includes some downright super books in CGC slabs.

How super? Six-figure super for three books with plenty of time remaining before they close.

The leader so far is one of three CGC 4.5 copies of Superman No. 1 in existence. There are just three copies of the 1939 book that have graded a CGC 6 and only two CGC 8s exist. Earlier this year, a CGC 4.0 sold for $299,000. Those are the kind of numbers that matter for such an iconic issue for an iconic star — and Heritage hasn’t sold a CGC 5 or higher since 2007.

The number that matters most here? You know … the price?

Heritage’s 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle auction could top $1 million

Update: Including a buyer’s premium, the card sold for $1,135,250

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A Heritage Auctions sale with more than 20 days remaining has a legitimate shot at yielding the hobby’s next million-dollar baseball card.

It’s a PSA 8.5 copy of Mickey Mantle‘s iconic 1952 Topps card and it’s already pushing the high six-figures in an auction that began earlier this month.

Original ‘E.T.’ poster artwork sells for six figures via Heritage Auctions

He definitely won’t have to call collect when he phones home.

There was big 1980s nostalgia news this week as the original poster art for E.T. sold for big bucks via Heritage Auctions.

The 1982 Steven Spielberg film made more than $359.1 million at the box office, and while the art didn’t quite fetch that much, it’s still quite impressive.

Mad magazine’s take on “Casey at the Bat” to hit auction block

The original art from an iconic story re-told in an iconic magazine will hit the auction block next month via Heritage Auctions.

It’s a six-page story from MAD magazine issue No. 6 and it’s Jack Davis‘ art re-telling “Casey at the Bat” in visual form.

“From the classic poem by Ernest Lawrence Thayer,” the auction description reads, “the saga of the Mudville Nine and the mighty Casey are depicted in this story that was reprinted at least five times in other MAD publications. (Proving they were too cheap to pay for new material.) One of the finest stories ever produced by the Usual Gang of Idiots at America’s premier low-brow humor mag.”

Muhammad Ali’s WBC heavyweight championship belt on auction block

One of The Greatest’s greatest belts is on the auction block this week.

It’s Muhammad Ali‘s WBC heavyweight championship belt from his win over George Foreman during the “Rumble in the Jungle” fight and it’s being sold by Heritage Auctions.

“The historical significance of the piece, arguably the most significant boxing award ever made available at public auction, is quite simply immeasurable,” reads the Dallas-based auction house’s listing. “Far more than just a trophy of elite athletic achievement, this belt serves as a mute witness to Muhammad Ali’s undaunted pursuit of justice itself, and as a symbol of the myriad complexities of race, religion and patriotism that challenge all of us to this day. It is a truly priceless artifact of the American experience.”

Charles M. Conlon photo archive coming to auction via Heritage

The glass negative plates for some of the most-iconic baseball photographs of all time are hitting the open market via Heritage Auctions.

It’s the Charles M. Conlon collection and it consists of 7,462 different images taken by the photographer whose work was owned by The Sporting News after his death in 1945. The collection was recently purchased by collector John Rogers so the negatives could be digitized for commercial reproduction.

“With audio and video recordings of the pre-war game extremely limited in population,” reads the auction house description, “The Charles Conlon Photographic Archive is, quite simply, the most important and comprehensive record of early twentieth century baseball that exists, the DNA that gave birth to our collective vision of that time.”

Rare copy of Superman’s debut hits market via Heritage Auctions

San Diego Comic-con will undoubtedly generate some buzz for fans and collectors when it kicks off this week, but Heritage Auctions has some big books on the auction block that could spark some discussions, too.

One of them is a copy of Action Comics No. 1.  

Christy Mathewson game-used jersey to be auctioned via Heritage

Christy Mathewson game-used memorabilia is elusive and expensive with the term “museum collection” being very applicable because there’s just one game-used jersey known to be in the hands of a private individual.

And that one gamer, a 1900-04 New York Giants jersey, is headed to the auction block in late August via Dallas-based Heritage Auctions.

“This Platinum Night auction will close within weeks of the centennial of Mathewson’s final pitching appearance, the last of a staggering tally of 373 major league victories, third best in baseball history,” reads the auction description. “The Sept. 4, 1916, contest against fellow pitching legend Mordecai Brown would likewise prove to be the last game of Three Fingers’ career. And in that century that has elapsed since that battle of aging titans, only a single example of Mathewson’s game-worn jerseys has surfaced within the collecting community.

“Heritage Auctions is honored and privileged by the opportunity to present that garment.”

Whitney Houston’s awards can’t compete with piece of a sports icon in Heritage sale … at least for now

Items from Whitney Houston‘s estate are currently on the auction block — a selection of awards, memorabilia, clothing and items given to the legendary performer — via Heritage Auctions as part of an entertainment and music memorabilia auction ending on June 24.

The priciest item so far? It’s not her Emmy for “Saving All My Love for You,” her Billboard Award for “I Will Always Love You” or her MTV Video Music Award for “How Will I Know?”

It’s a pair of black Air Jordan V basketball shoes.

D-Day invasion flag sells for $514,000 via Heritage Auctions

An American flag that led the first U.S. troops onto Utah Beach during D-Day on June 6, 1944, fetched legendary dollars on Sunday via Heritage Auctions.

It sold for $514,000 and was purchased by Bert Kreuk, a Dutch art collector who lives in New York as well as Switzerland.

“This is one of the most important historical American flags ever to come to auction, a symbol of our freedom,” Kreuk told the auction house, “And with our freedom I mean that of Europe in particular.”

Al Capone’s fingerprints up for grabs this week via Heritage Auctions

The impressive stash of 1992 Olympic Dream Team memorabilia will probably get the post-sale attention, but there are a few other big-ticket items presently the auction block and ending in the next few days via Heritage Auctions.

The weirdest? Al Capone‘s fingerprints.

In 1929, Capone provided these prints after he was sent to the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia. It’s an 8-inch square document that’s also signed by Capone — and it’s presently sitting at $44,000 ($52,580 with a buyer’s premium) with two days remaining in the sale.

Sure, it’s not a sports item — but there are some big pieces in that world that more than a few collectors would want to get their hands on in this auction. Keep reading for more.

Norman Rockwell original art expected to push $500,000 via upcoming Heritage Auctions sale

An original piece of Norman Rockwell promotional artwork is up for grabs via Heritage Auctions and is expected to fetch a hefty sum because of its famous creator.

But it’s also got a famous owner, too.

First Star-Lord appearance cover art hits market via Heritage Auctions

If you’re a fan of comic book movies, you might not recognize the character on this piece of original art that has hit the auction block. But if you’ve been to the movies in the past few years, you’ve seen the character.

And you’ll be seeing plenty more of him in the future.

It’s the painted cover from Marvel Preview No. 4 from way back in January 1976 and this issue from the bland-named series is the first appearance and origin of Star-Lord — the lead character in Guardians of the Galaxy.

USA Basketball Dream Team doctor opts to sell priceless collection

A priceless stash of autographed items and game-used shoes from the 1992 USA Basketball Dream Team is hitting the auction block via Heritage Auctions, giving deep-pocketed collectors a shot at owning items from the one team that arguably revolutionized basketball on a global scale.

More than 20 lots are up for grabs — all from the collection of Dr. David A. Fischer, who was the physician for the gold-winning squad, which is packed with legends.

“It’s arguably the most significant offering of Dream Team game-used gear ever to surface in the collectible marketplace,” said Chris Ivy, director of Sports Auctions at Heritage. “Due to the brief existence of the team, and the enormous fame and wealth of its members, very little Dream Team material has become available.

“This is a rare opportunity to acquire such significant material from the Dream Team,” he said. “Like the team itself, there will never be another auction like this again.”

PSA 9 Willie Mays 1952 Topps card opens Heritage sale at $200,000

Update: The card sold for $478,000.

“The Say Hey Kid” will likely be the next icon of the past to set a record on the auction block as one of the highest-graded specimens of a key card is now up for grabs via Heritage Auctions.

The card is a PSA 9 copy of Willie Mays‘ 1952 Topps card and the opening bid is $200,000.

High-grade Babe Ruth 1933 Goudeys dominate in Heritage Auctions sale

Four high-grade 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth cards sold for a total of more than $500,000 Thursday night as part of a Heritage Auctions sale.

Each had a PSA 8 NM-MT grade.

First Spider-Man appearance dominates on auction block

He’s no Deadpool, but Peter Parker raked in a few bucks this past weekend.

How? A Heritage Auctions sale of the first appearance of Spider-Man slabbed in an elite grade fetched six figures at auction.

PSA 8 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle sets new record with Heritage sale

Heritage Auctions‘ sale of a PSA 8 Mickey Mantle 1952 Topps card set another record for the card in its condition this week.

“The 1952 Topps Mantle rookie is a truly transcendent piece of Americana,” said Chris Ivy, the Director of Sports Auctions at Heritage. “It looms in the collective American imagination like a copy of Action Comics #1, an inverted Jenny stamp or an Abe Lincoln autograph. You don’t have to collect baseball cards to recognize it, so thoroughly is it woven into the national consciousness.”

So, how much for the icon of all post-war baseball card icons?

Sylvester Stallone puts iconic pieces of movie memorabilia on auction block via Heritage next week

When you think of Sylvester Stallone‘s career, one character probably comes to mind first.

Rocky Balboa.

The memorabilia left over from that big-screen boxer’s multi-film career are among countless lots being sold next week as Stallone has chosen Heritage Auctions to sell pieces from throughout his career. It’s a collection of memorabilia that spans from the first Rocky films and includes Rambo, The Expendables and plenty more.