The high-end modern sports cards and memorabilia market witnessed a whirlwind of bids at Goldin’s August Elite Auction, with several items soaring past the six-figure mark. The spotlight was squarely on a PSA 8 1984-85 Star Company Michael Jordan card, which stole the show by fetching an eye-watering $244,000, setting a new record for that grade.
Fresh off the heels of this monumental sale was the auction of a PSA 7 Jordan Star Company rookie card that commanded $62,000 on eBay. The frenzy surrounding Jordan’s first NBA licensed trading card shows no signs of slowing down, as evidenced by the $52,460 price tag on a PSA 6.5 version of the card also sold by Goldin.
Not to be outdone, a 1-of-1 2009 Bowman Sterling Red Refractor Autograph card of MLB phenom Mike Trout, graded PSA 9, drew hefty bids amounting to $192,030, despite recent injury setbacks for the player.
The modern baseball card segment also saw new records being set, with a 2011 Bowman Chrome Red Refractor Bryce Harper #5/5, graded PSA 9, selling for a remarkable $184,720. Additionally, a 2014 Bowman Chrome Red Refractor Mookie Betts #3/5, graded PSA 10, raked in $123,220 in bids.
Standout performances weren’t limited to baseball, as shown by the 1-of-1 SuperFractor cards: the 2024 Topps Chrome Autographed SuperFractor Elly De La Cruz PSA 10 snagged $116,534, while a Jackson Holliday SuperFractor PSA 10 fetched $68,527, setting new benchmarks for both players.
A highlight from the auction was the sale of a dual autograph Ronaldo/Messi SuperFractor extracted from the 2023-24 Topps UEFA series. Graded PSA 9, the card changed hands for $67,100 and originated from a breaker in England, eventually consigned to Goldin at the London Card Show.
Shifting gears to memorabilia, all eyes were on Travis Kelce’s 2020-21 Super Bowl LV jersey, matched to the fateful game where the Kansas City Chiefs fell to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a scoreline of 31-9. The jersey commanded a significant sum of $52,460, with Kelce’s AFC Championship ring from the same season also fetching a respectable $34,404.
Notable among the memorabilia sales was an Aaron Judge 2017 rookie season jersey, meticulously photomatched to one of his record-breaking 52 home runs, which found a new owner at $51,240.
Rounding out the top sales from the auction were some impressive items:
– 2017 National Treasures Patrick Mahomes RPA #77/99: $95,770
– 2018 Bowman Orange Refractor Shohei Ohtani #22/75 PSA 9: $74,450
– 1996 Mariano Rivera game-used jersey, matched to eight trading cards: $51,240
– 1969 Topps Football Series 1 wax box: $32,940
– 1969 Topps Football Series 2 wax box: $31,721
The August Elite Auction at Goldin’s once again underscored the enduring appeal of vintage and modern sports collectibles, with bidders shelling out record-breaking amounts for prized items from the sports pantheon.
