Step into the nostalgic realm of sports memorabilia as Miller & Miller Auctions rolls out a captivating event on June 22nd, reserved for enthusiasts of vintage collectibles and legendary sporting feats. This isn't your run-of-the-mill affair, but an online-only spectacle where card collectors and sports fans will find themselves ensnared in a virtual tug-of-war over historic pre-1980 treasures, of which 235 lots are on the block.
The luminary dazzling collectors' eyes is, without a doubt, the iconic Mickey Mantle. Lock your sights on the 1952 Topps #311 Mantle rookie card, a veritable holy grail in baseball lore. Despite its "PSA 2 Good" grading, which reveals corners marred by time, this card stands strong with an expected bidding apex between $40,000 and $50,000 CAD. Mantle aficionados are poised to engage in a spirited bidding swashbuckle over this relic that reverberates with the echo of baseball past.
Not one to hog the spotlight alone, Mantle finds his peers sharing the tableau. A symphony of 40 cards from the elusive 1952 Topps Sixth Series — known affectionately as the "High Numbers" — makes an entrance. Although they bear the scars of years gone by, they remain highly sought-after, with anticipated sales between $3,000 to $5,000 CAD. For those entrenched in the history and craft of card collecting, these pieces offer a tangible link to the capstone year of 1952.
Hockey familiars and lore nullifies any baseball bias in this sensational line-up. Cue the entrance of the 1951 Parkhurst #66 Gordie Howe rookie card, an emblem of hockey's rugged allure. Graded as “PSA 3 Very Good,” it may not shine in pristine condition, yet its value, estimated at $8,000 to $10,000 CAD, is buoyed by the steadfast image of Gordie's grandeur on ice.
Cruising alongside Gordie in this icy reverie is the revered Bobby Orr, with his 1966 Topps #35 rookie card, a magnet for collectors hunting excellence. Boasting a KSA 6 Excellent-Near Mint grading, this card beckons fierce collectors and prudent investors alike, with values projected between $8,000 and $9,000 CAD.
The auction wouldn’t be complete without items etched in the annals of game history like phantoms of thrilling seasons past. Enter a game-used, team-signed Bill Barilko hockey stick from the Toronto Maple Leafs’ electrifying 1951 Stanley Cup victory. This stick, marked with Barilko’s number 5 and inscribed with his teammates' signatures, emerges as a totem of an era estimated at $3,000 to $5,000 CAD.
A delicate shadow box awaits those with a penchant for curated presentation, brandishing Parkhurst rookie cards for Maurice and Henri Richard, graded KSA 4 and 3 respectively. Stretching 24 inches by 72 inches, it presents a tableau of a Louisville Pro Flex stick, autographed by both francs-tireurs themselves, a Canadiens puck, and a commemorative bronze plaque — estimated at $4,000 to $6,000 CAD.
Collectors can fill their album with history aplenty from a complete 1964-65 Topps “Tall Boys” hockey card set — an elongated card legacy showcasing icons like Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull, and Tim Horton. Graded in styles from good to very good, these elongated gems could fetch $4,000 to $6,000 CAD.
The heart of any Gretzky fan will race at the sight of a 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee uncut sheet, a tableau of 226 cards featuring a meticulously intact #18 Wayne Gretzky rookie amidst its cohort. Expect this sheet to garner between $3,500 and $4,500 CAD, showcasing the great’s debut in splendor unmarred except for a whisper of edge wear.
Ben Pernfuss, the maestro and Consignment Director at Miller & Miller, orchestrates this grand show as a harmonic convergence of sports narrative and collectible veneration. “Collectors will find key cards from the groundbreaking 1951 Parkhurst hockey and 1952 Topps baseball sets featuring some of the most iconic names in sports,” he enthuses, promising bidders an unrepeatable moment in time.
So, as the virtual gavel hovers, prospective bidders with their collector’s hearts pounding, can immerse themselves by perusing the online catalog or diving headlong into the bidding at LiveAuctioneers. Behind the curtain, Miller & Miller Auctions maintains its hallmarked prestige, handling each collection with the same dexterous care a new rookie reserves for their inaugural grip on a bat or stick. For those wishing to walk the line where sports history and card collecting intersect, Miller & Miller is your gateway.
Mickey Mantle Rookie At Auction
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