A Mickey Mantle rookie baseball card that is in mint condition sold for a record $12.6 million U.S. at an auction held over the weekend, making it the most money ever spent on a piece of sports memorabilia.
The rare Mickey Mantle baseball card surpassed the previous record of $9.3 million U.S. paid for the soccer jersey worn by Diego Maradona when he scored the infamous “Hand of God” goal in the 1986 World Cup.
The Mickey Mantle card also blew past the $7.25 million U.S. paid for a century old Honus Wagner baseball card that was sold earlier this year in a private sale.
Prices for sports memorabilia have been rising in recent years, with many items sold on consumer auction websites such as eBay (EBAY) in addition to professional auction houses.
Because of its near-perfect condition, the Mickey Mantle baseball card was expected to sell for a high price, according to Heritage Auctions, which ran the sale on August 28.
Before the pandemic, the worldwide sports memorabilia market was estimated at $5.4 billion, according to Forbes magazine. However, by 2021, the market had grown to $26 billion, and it is forecast to reach $227 billion within the next decade, according to market research firm Market Decipher.
Sports cards are increasingly in demand among collectors. The Mickey Mantle baseball card is from 1952 and is one of only a handful of the baseball legend’s rookie cards that is in near-perfect condition.
Mickey Mantle, a legendary switch-hitter, was a Triple Crown winner in 1956, a three-time American League MVP and a seven-time World Series champion. The Hall of Fame player died in 1995.
The card was sold by Anthony Giordano, a New Jersey entrepreneur who bought it for $50,000 U.S. at a New York City sports memorabilia show back in 1991.
The Mickey Mantle baseball card was one of dozens of sports collectibles up for auction over the weekend. In all, $28 million was spent at the Heritage Auctions event.
