New All-Time High for a Willie Mays Rookie and High-Grade Sets Highlight Record-Setting Summer Auction at REA

Chester, NJ - August 12, 2024 - REA’s Summer Catalog Auction closed Sunday night with a 1951 Bowman #305 Willie Mays rookie PSA NM-MT+ 8.5 selling for $390,935, an auction record for the card in any grade. Numerous additional record prices were achieved, including a 1933 R319 Goudey #106 Napoleon Lajoie PSA VG-EX+ 4.5 that sold for $162,000, a record for the grade, and a signed 1949 Bowman #84 Roy Campanella Rookie PSA VG 3 with a MINT 9 signature - one of only two graded by PSA - that sold for $132,000, a record for the card in any grade.

The event included a variety of signed cards, including a signed 1986-1987 Fleer Basketball #57 Michael Jordan Rookie PSA NM 7 with a NM 7 signature that sold for $120,000. 

There were also numerous high-grade complete sets that saw very strong results, including a 1956 Topps complete set that sold for $111,000, as well as a 1960 Topps complete set and a 1912 T202 Hassan Triple Folders complete set ranked third on the PSA Set Registry, both of which sold for $96,000. Meanwhile, a 1972 Topps Football complete set ranked sixth on the PSA Set Registry sold for $36,000. 

Additionally, game-used memorabilia had a strong presence in this event. The top seller was a newly discovered 1936-1937 Dizzy Dean St. Louis Cardinals game-used road jersey that sold for $114,000, the highest price ever realized for a Dizzy Dean game-used item.

The event featured nearly 3,200 sport and non-sport items, generating more than $13.3 million in sales across 82,000+ bids. 

Some of the other notable sales in the Summer event included:

• 1933 R338 Sport Kings #2 Babe Ruth PSA NM-MT 8 - $120,000 

• 1915 Boston Red Sox Real-Photo Team Postcard with Babe Ruth Rookie - $114,000

• 1980 Topps #482 Rickey Henderson Rookie PSA GEM MINT 10 - $111,000

• 1909-1911 T206 White Border Cy Young Glove Shows PSA EX+ 5.5 - Broad Leaf 460 Back - The ONLY PSA-Graded Example! - $111,000 

• 1979-1980 O-Pee-Chee Hockey #18 Wayne Gretzky Rookie PSA MINT 9 - $105,000

• 1914 E145 Cracker Jack #103 Joe Jackson SGC GOOD+ 2.5 - $102,000 (record for the SGC grade)

• 1933 V353 World Wide Gum Canadian Goudey #80 Babe Ruth PSA NM 7 - $96,000 (record for the card)

• 1984-1985 Star Company Basketball #101 Michael Jordan Rookie BGS NM-MT+ 8.5 - $52,800 (record for this Beckett grade)

“This was a very exciting auction across the board and we’re pleased with the countless new record prices that were established in so many different areas of the hobby,” said Brian Dwyer, President of REA. “As always, we owe a huge thank you to the consignors who entrust us with these incredible items, and the bidders who made this yet another record-setting catalog auction for us.”