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.

First Buzz: 2018 Panini Diamond Kings baseball (early retail details)

What: 2018 Panini Diamond Kings baseball cards
Arrives: March 28
Box basics: Three retail-exclusive insert cards per seven-pack blaster box (20 boxes per case)

What’s buzz-worthy: We’ve got early word on what’s coming to the retail aisle from Panini America in 2018, and it’s the newest crop of Diamond Kings will be the second set to arrive next March.

Keep reading for more info.

First Buzz: 2017 Panini Flawless baseball cards

What: 2017 Panini Flawless baseball cards
Arrives: June 1
Box basics: Six autos, two memorabilia and two jewel cards per box (two boxes per case)
Checklist: Click here to view

What’s buzz-worthy: Flawless returns to the baseball diamond once again with elite names from the past and the biggest names of the present all in one place — “more All-Stars, legends and superstars than ever before,” according to the company.

Keep reading for more info and a full gallery of images released so far.

Board Buzz: Must-read threads on the Blowout Forums (Sept. 22)

The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What’s Buzzing Today: Landing legendary vintage, Neshek vs. Greinke, ripping new MLB wax, shredding WWE Women’s Division boxes, new Panini XR football, Topps Chrome UFC.

First Buzz: 2017 Panini National Treasures baseball cards

What: 2017 Panini National Treasures baseball cards
Arrives: Oct. 25
Box basics: Eight autographs or memorabilia cards — including one booklet — per box (four boxes per case)
Checklist: Click here to view

What’s buzz-worthy: The fourth edition of National Treasures baseball arrives with some of the biggest names in the history of the game and among those cards is a Mickey Mantle tribute set.

Keep reading for more as well as a full gallery of images.

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.

Buzz Break: 2017 Topps Allen & Ginter baseball cards (blaster box)

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there’s a box you’d want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2017 Topps Allen & Ginter baseball cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 8
Cards per pack: 6
Cards in this box: 48
Base set completion: 
28 of 300 (9 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Albert Pujols, Rickey Henderson, Miguel Cabrera, Sandy Koufax, Honus Wagner, Carlos Correa, Carl Yastrzemski, Lou Gehrig, Willson Contreras

Rookie Cards (2) – Andrew Benintendi, Yoan Moncada

Buzz Break: 2017 Topps Allen & Ginter baseball cards (blaster box)

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there’s a box you’d want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2017 Topps Allen & Ginter baseball cards (blaster box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 8
Cards per pack: 6
Cards in this box: 49
Base set completion: 
28 of 300 (9 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Lou Gehrig, Ty Cobb, Ted Williams, Sandy Koufax, Ichiro Suzuki, Miguel Cabrera, Buster Posey, Carlos Correa

Rookie Cards (4) – Teoscar Hernandez, JaCoby Jones, Mitch Haniger, Trey Mancini (SP)

Buzz Break: 2007 Upper Deck SP Legendary Cuts baseball cards

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there’s a box you’d want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2007 Upper Deck SP Legendary Cuts baseball cards
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 12
Cards per pack: 4
Cards in this box: 50
Base set completion: 
46 of 100 (46 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Frank Robinson, Cal Ripken Jr., Carl Yastrzemski, Wade Boggs, Carlton Fisk, Harmon Killebrew, Tom Seaver, Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig, Yogi Berra, Robin Yount, Willie Stargell, Tony Gwynn, Willie McCovey

Buzz Break: 2017 Topps Series 2 baseball cards (hobby box)

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there’s a box you’d want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2017 Topps Series 2 baseball cards 
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com
Packs per box: 36
Cards per pack: 10
Cards in this box: 365
Base set completion: 
305 of 350 (87 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Base cards of note – Yu Darvish, Nolan Arenado, Jake Arrieta, Michael Conforto, Buster Posey, Justin Verlander, Yasiel Puig, Ichiro Suzuki, Albert Pujols, Manny Machado, Jose Altuve

Rookie Cards (22) – Manny Margot, Roman Quinn, Adalberto Mejia, Jorge Alfaro, Jharel Cotton, Hunter Renfroe, Koda Glover, Bruce Maxwell, Hunter Dozier, Jesus Aguilar, Rob Zastryzny, Jose Martinez, German Marquez, Renato Nunez, Stephen Cardullo, Rob Segedin, Ty Blach, T.J. Rivera, Matt Olson, Gavin Cecchini, Pat Valaika, Trey Mancini

Bill Madden collection auction closes Tuesday with legendary items

If you’re a younger collector, you may not know the name, but the memorabilia of a long-time (and Hall of Fame honored) sports writer is headed to the auction block.

He’s Bill Madden — fun fact for collectors is that he literally helped Donruss build its roster of Rated Rookies in 1984 Donruss — and a number of his treasures will be sold next week.

Among the more than 400 lots will be photos, programs, signed items, signed books, press pins and more from some of the biggest names in MLB history.

Buzz Break: 2017 Topps Archives baseball cards (hobby box)

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there’s a box you’d want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2017 Topps Archives baseball cards (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 24
Cards per pack: 8
Cards in this box: 192
Base set completion: 
176 of 300 (59 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Dennis Eckersley, Sandy Koufax, Anthony Rizzo, Jackie Robinson, Roberto Alomar, Anthony Rizzo, Eddie Murray, John Smoltz, Gary Sanchez, Ivan Rodriguez, Clayton Kershaw, Ivan Rodriguez, Carlos Correa, Tony Clark, Jimmie Foxx, Francisco Lindor, David Ortiz, Jose Altuve, George Brett, Derek Jeter, Ted Williams, Warren Spahn, Tom Seaver, Randy Johnson, Addison Russell, Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, Roberto Clemente, Joe Morgan, Rollie Fingers, Ichiro Suzuki, Tony Perez, Carl Yastrzemski, Don Mattingly, Mike Piazza, Willie McCovey, Albert Pujols, Bo Jackson, Jim Palmer, Lou Gehrig, Buster Posey

Rookie Cards (24) – Ryon Healy, Raimel Tapia, German Marquez, David Dahl, Manny Margot, Tyler Glasnow, Jorge Alfaro, Rio Ruiz, Roman Quinn, Jose DeLeon, Teoscar Hernandez, Gavin Cecchini, Carlos Asuaje, Andrew Benintendi, Yulieski Gurriel, Jake Thompson, Alex Bregman, Hunter Dozier, T.J. Rivera, Tyler Austin, Jacoby Jones, Matt Strahm, Seth Lugo, Matt Olson

Rare Kris Bryant autos, party passes, sketches & cuts command cash from Topps’ historic Transcendent release

With 52 autographs in every box — as well as a posh party invitation — it doesn’t take a lot to see the dollar signs inside each $25,000 box of 2016 Topps Transcendent Collection baseball cards.

Those invites alone get a good chunk of change back (details here) and each case’s 1/1 Kris Bryant autograph using one of the 65 historic Topps designs commands some, too. Those cards have sold for as much as $2,182 on eBay (so far) and all seven sold have gone for at least $1,000.

Meanwhile, the asking or bid prices in current auctions are over the $1,000 mark in all but one instance and range as high as $7,250 for those in the historic set.

But the priciest find found inside one of those 65 silver briefcases? It’s much more impressive.

Unique Mickey Mantle autograph among cool items in Steiner auction

Sometimes they just want a unique autograph.

Some vintage collectors out there may have a little bit of everything, which leaves them searching for unique pieces once they have all of the basics from when a past player was on the field. Sure, there are countless new cardboard creations for icons like Mickey Mantle, but this piece on the auction block from Steiner Sports is a bit different than the typical Mantle autograph.

Need a 2016 Topps Dynasty baseball card checklist? It’s right here …

The latest high-end Topps baseball card set is on its way soon and that means it’s time to see a checklist.

Topps released the final list for 2016 Topps Dynasty on Wednesday — a week before its release — and this will be one of the first places where Derek Jeter‘s autographs will be found as part of his new deal with the company.

But he’s not alone.

Need a 2016 Panini Prime Cuts baseball checklist? It’s here + gallery

Prime Cuts is almost here — but the wait for its checklist is now over.

How many Babe Ruth memorabilia cards will there be? How many rookies made the cut? Who’s signing and whose memorabilia can be found for the first time?

Oh and who made it onto the eight-player autograph booklets?

Keep reading to find out what’s in store for 2016 Panini Prime Cuts baseball cards …

First Buzz: 2017 Leaf Cut Signature Edition History of Baseball

What: 2017 Leaf Cut Signature Edition History of Baseball
Arrives: January
Box basics: One cut signature card per box (20 boxes per case)

What’s buzz-worthy: Leaf’s newest cut autograph product will be all Hall of Famers as part of a made-to-order product with all serial-numbered cards encapsulated and printed on Metal Prismatic stock.

Buzz Break: 2016 Topps Stadium Club baseball cards (hobby box)

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there’s a box you’d want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2016 Topps Stadium Club baseball cards (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 16
Cards per pack: 8
Cards in this box: 128
Base set completion: 
110 of 300 (37 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notable players on base cards – Jake Arrieta, Lou Gehrig, Ted Williams, Yu Darvish, Nomar Garciaparra, Addison Russell, Willie Mays, Greg Maddux, Hank Aaron, Willie Stargell, Mike Trout, Carlos Correa

Rookie Cards (13) – Nomar Mazara, Trevor Story, Corey Seager, Blake Snell, Tyler White, Hector Olivera, Luke Jackson, Zach Lee, Luis Severino, Michael Reed, Ketel Marte, Max Kepler, Colin Rea

Buzz Break: 2016 Topps Series 2 baseball cards (hobby box)

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there’s a box you’d want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2016 Topps Series 2 baseball cards (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 36
Cards per pack: 10
Cards in this box: 360
Base set completion: 
321 of 350 (92 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notable players on base cards – Stephen Strasburg, Prince Fielder, Yoenis Cespedes, Albert Pujols, David Price, David Ortiz, Francisco Lindor, Madison Bumgarner, Ichiro Suzuki, Steven Matz, Alex Rodriguez, Addison Russell, Yu Darvish, Byron Buxton.

Rookie Cards (44) – Notables include Adam Duvall, Kenta Maeda, Max Kepler, Raul Mondesi.

Gallery: 2016 Panini Flawless baseball cards (updated)

We’re less than two weeks away from the arrival of 2016 Panini Flawess and its game-changing high-end potential being unleashed upon the hobby.

But that doesn’t mean we can’t yet get a sneak peek of what’s coming.

Panini America is busy readying those silver briefcases with baseball cards for the first time, and they’ll include 10 cards per box (or 20 total if you go the sealed case case route).

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.

Board Buzz: Must-read threads on the Blowout Forums (May 11)

The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are five threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What’s Buzzing Today: Bartolo Colon’s home run card, The Golden Bear, vintage debates, vintage pulls and Superfractors … plenty of Superfractors.

Board Buzz: Must-read threads on the Blowout Forums (May 8)

The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are five threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What’s Buzzing Today: Showing off your Top 10 cards, 1990s NBA box breaks, Bartolo Colon‘s historic homer, 2015 Topps Diamond & Tim Duncan‘s cardboard.

Gallery: 2016 Panini Diamond Kings baseball cards

The latest edition of Diamond Kings arrived with a unique look and some of the biggest players in the history of the game available on memorabilia cards.

Guys like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Ken Griffey Jr., Roberto Clemente and “Shoeless” Joe Jackson to name a few.

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.

Topps Fire baseball set returns for second season as wall art & jumbos

Topps Fire is back.

The colorful and energetic release of last year is back on the same platforms — wall art and jumbo card sets — for this year as Topps unleashed 2016 Topps Fire Wednesday on Topps.com.

First Buzz: 2016 Panini Flawless baseball cards

What: 2016 Panini Flawless baseball cards
Arrives: June 1
Box basics:  Six autographs, two memorabilia cards and two jewel cards per box (two boxes per case)

What’s buzz-worthy: Flawless comes to baseball with the elite names from the past and the biggest names of the present to go with the elite high-end price tag.

Keep reading for more info and a full gallery of images released so far.

First Buzz: 2016 Panini Diamond Kings baseball cards

What: 2016 Panini Diamond Kings baseball cards
Arrives: March 30
Box basics: Two autographs or memorabilia cards per 12-pack box (24 boxes per case; 12 per inner case)

What’s buzz-worthy: Diamond Kings returns for another season with a heavy amount of inserts in every box and some of the biggest names in the past and present of the game.

Keep reading for more.

High-grade Hank Aaron 1954 Topps Rookie powers big Mile High sale

A near-perfect PSA 9 Hank Aaron 1954 Topps Rookie Card led the way in the Mile High Card Company auction that ended during the weekend — and it was just one of 10 lots that topped the $20,000 mark.

All were graded vintage cards in high grades or key specimens slabbed by PSA or SGC — meanwhile 13 other auctions topped the $10,000 plateau in the sale.

Click the first image below to enter our gallery and get a closer look at the top 10 lots as well their final sale prices. We added an extra one so you can see a surprising sale price on the only PSA 10 Joe Torre 1962 Topps Rookie Card in existence.

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

>> Click here to buy baseball cards on BlowoutCards.com.

1954 Topps #128 Henry Aaron PSA 9 MINT # Bids: 25 Min Bid: $25,000 Final Price: $192,527

1933 Goudey #92 Lou Gehrig SGC 96 MINT 9 # Bids: 27 Min Bid: $12,000 Final Price: $57,183

1970 Topps #140 Reggie Jackson PSA 10 GEM MINT- (Only PSA 10) # Bids: 32 Min Bid: $3,500 Final Price: $43,101

1980 Topps #482 Rickey Henderson PSA 10 GEM MINT # Bids: 12 Min Bid: $5,000 Final Price: $29,872

1954 Topps #128 Henry Aaron PSA 8 NM/MT # Bids: 18 Min Bid: $5,000 Final Price: $28,449

1954 Bowman Football Set (#3 On PSA registry, 9.59 rating) # Bids: 12 Min Bid: $7,500 Final Price: $27,751

1952 Bowman #101 Mickey Mantle SGC 96 MINT 9 # Bids: 16 Min Bid: $5,000 Final Price: $27,095

1915 Cracker Jack #57 Walter Johnson SGC 96 MINT 9 # Bids: 21 Min Bid: $6,000 Final Price: $26,867

1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle PSA 2.5 GOOD+ # Bids: 18 Min Bid: $3,000 Final Price: $21,549

1956 Topps #135 Mickey Mantle SGC 96 MINT 9 # Bids: 14 Min Bid: $6,000 Final Price: $21,049

1962 Topps #218 Joe Torre PSA 10 GEM MINT (Only PSA 10) # Bids: 17 Min Bid: $1,800 Final Price: $15,536

 

Buzz Break: 2012 Panini Cooperstown baseball cards

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and break down the results here. Like this and want to see more — or maybe there’s a box you’d want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2012 Panini Cooperstown baseball cards (hobby box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com

Packs per box: 24
Cards per pack: 5
Cards in this box: 120
Base set completion: 
86 of 150 (57 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notable names pulled on base cards: Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig, Jackie Robinson, Christy Mathewson (all base cards are Hall of Famers)

Buzz Collector Profile: Mike Moynihan aka Moyni

Mike Moynihan
Also known as: Moyni
Website: None
Email: gonzaleznut@hotmail.com
Location: Texas
Work away from cards: Financial planner
Collecting since: 1981

Main focuses: I collect Hall of Famer autos and Hall of Famer game-used cards. I also have big Josh Hamilton (almost 2,000 different and more than 100 1/1s) and Ivan Rodriguez (more than 2,500 different with 60 1/1s) player collections. I also have every Topps base set from 1973 to present as well as a bunch of Topps Heritage sets.

Favorite players/teams: Texas Rangers are my favorite team, and I am a big Josh Hamilton and Ivan Rodriguez fan.

Current collecting projects: I am trying to complete the 2015 Panini Immaculate Accolades Materials set. I only need one more card — the Babe Ruth /5.

George Mikan Rookie Card sets record, while four other items top $100,000 mark in SCP Auctions sale

A perfect copy of a basketball legend’s Rookie Card reached legendary status on Saturday night in a sale via SCP Auctions.

The card is a PSA 10 1948 Bowman George Mikan Rookie Card, which is the only perfect copy in existence. It set what is believed to be a new record for a single basketball card with its sale.

The price?

Auction Buzz: Michael Jordan’s final Bulls home jersey, big bats top sales + PSA 10 George Mikan sale coming

Michael Jordan‘s final jersey worn for a regular-season home game as a member of the Chicago Bulls netted a new record for a piece of Jordan memorabilia with a sale price of $173,240 this weekend after 17 bids in Goldin Auctions‘ latest sale.

It wasn’t the only six-figure sale of the weekend, either.

BlowoutTV Buzz: One legendary pull from 2015 SuperBreak Big Boppers

From time to time, we’ll highlight some crazy pulls from breaks done via BlowoutTV — you know, the stuff that’s truly buzz-worthy. 

Keep reading for the details of a big pull on Friday.