Consider yourself lucky if you’re a sports memorabilia enthusiast or a vintage card collector, because Miller & Miller Auctions is about to serve up a feast of nostalgia on June 22nd. Forget the bustling auction rooms filled with lively bidders — this is all happening online, where eager collectors will engage in an old-fashioned digital duel over some of the most coveted cards from pre-1980 sports history.
The limelight in this delectable collection shines brightly on a 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle rookie card, a true heavyweight in the sporting card universe. Don’t let its PSA 2 Good grading fool you; this piece might have seen a bit of love through the years, evident from its slightly dog-eared corners, but its surface and edges still whisper tales of potential. Eyeing the prize, bidders should anticipate this holy grail demanding anywhere between $40,000 and $50,000 CAD, a modest sum for a card that inspires such reverence.
While Mantle may be the talk of the auction town, he isn’t flying solo. Decked out in their own mystique, a set of 40 cards from Topps’ elusive 1952 Sixth Series will make an appearance. These cards, often referred to as the “High Numbers,” span from #311 to #407 and wear their age with pride, showing signs of war and the occasional dog-ear. Yet, their historical significance places their value estimations between $3,000 and $5,000 CAD. They afford collectors the rare opportunity to clutch a piece of sporting history.
Swapping baseball bats for hockey sticks, the auction extends into the icy realm with the 1951 Parkhurst #66 Gordie Howe rookie card, staking its claim with an expectation of $8,000 to $10,000 CAD. Boasting a PSA 3 Very Good grade, it may not qualify for museum robes but nevertheless exudes a confident charm sufficient to enrapture bidders, proving once more it’s the finesse, not the grade, that counts.
Joining the ice-bound icons is the legendary Bobby Orr with his 1966 Topps #35 rookie card. Rated KSA 6 Excellent-Near Mint, this card promises to tempt the wallets of both hockey devotees and astute investors alike, with estimated worth between $8,000 and $9,000 CAD.
Turning our gaze to novelty, the auction flaunts a game-used, team-signed Bill Barilko hockey stick from Toronto Maple Leafs’ victorious 1951 Stanley Cup season. Bearing witness to Barilko’s noteworthy tenure, this stick is not merely wood but a treasure trove of hockey lore, valued at $3,000 to $5,000 CAD.
For those keen on crafting a display, consider the shadow box delighting in two Parkhurst rookie cards for Maurice and Henri Richard. Each graded KSA 4 and 3 respectively, this extravagant 24-inch by 72-inch display case holds more than cards; it encloses cherished Canadiens collectibles such as a signed Louisville Pro Flex stick, a Canadiens puck, and a bronze plaque. Altogether, this homage to the Montreal Canadiens has estimates around $4,000 to $6,000 CAD.
Another tantalizing ensemble is the full set of 110 “Tall Boys” hockey cards from 1964-65 Topps, famed for their elongated frame housing legends like Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull, and Tim Horton. With conditions varying from good to very good, this expansive collection is happily tagged between $4,000 and $6,000 CAD.
As a sweet finale, a 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee uncut sheet unfurls, with a mint #18 Wayne Gretzky rookie card gracing its portfolio. This rarity, despite a tinge of edge wear, embodies an immaculate testament to hockey memorabilia, promising a final bid prediction of $3,500 to $4,500 CAD.
In the words of Ben Pernfuss, Consignment Director extraordinaire at Miller & Miller, this auction is the sports card Olympus, presenting a constellation of iconic offerings from the celebrated 1951 Parkhurst hockey and 1952 Topps baseball sets. Harness your bidding prowess, as only the spirited collector will triumph.
Keen to dive into this enchanting auction? Browse through the auction catalog online at Miller & Miller’s website, or keep your adrenaline punctuated with live action through LiveAuctioneers. As Canada’s go-to powerhouse for appraising high-value collections, Miller & Miller stands testament to treating each collectible, from sports heroes to jewels and timepieces, with the reverence usually reserved for a rookie’s first glove.
