Mastro Auctions December Premier Sale Generates Optimistic Results High-end sports memorabilia and non-sports items perform well despite challenging economy
Any way you look at it, 2008, especially the last few months, have been difficult for just about every one. There has been tremendous uncertainty, tempered by hope of improvement and steadying of the economic ship. But, there have also been some definite bright spots. Among some of the more encouraging were the recent results of Mastro Auction’s December Premier auction. “You would have to be naïve not to acknowledge that the economy is having a definite impact on our industry,” said Doug Allen, COO and president of Mastro Auctions. “Consignments have tightened due to the hesitancy to act. As with most asset categories, individuals just aren’t sure as to whether they should sell their
valuables or hold onto them.” The result, according to a Allen, is a decrease in the amount of high end items available for auction.
Despite this industry obstacle and the overall state of the global economy, Allen says that the results of Mastro Auctions’ December Premier sale suggest high-end Sports & Americana items are holding their value, especially when compared to other auction categories such as fine art. “Overall, our prices realized were encouraging and bidding, in general, was quite vigorous,” said Allen. “Good news is hard to come by these
days, but for Sports & Americana buyers and sellers, the trends we see appear to be tracking in their favor.”
Specific highlights of Mastro Auctions’ December Premier 2008 sale include:
TOP LOTS
A 1924 Babe Ruth Personalized Game Used Bat – PSA 10, MEARS A-10
Hailing from the 1922-1925 labeling period, this 36-inch, 42-ounce war club features telling attributes that place it directly in Ruth's hands. Uncracked, the lumber shows evidence of outstanding game use. The bat sold for $105,000.
A 1910 T210 Old Mill Cigarettes Joe Jackson – PSA Authentic
The offered card originates from an estate sale in the Baltimore area in the 1980s. It is an outstanding example of a card for which the total known population stands in the neighborhood of just ten copies. The final price for owning such exclusivity was $102,000.
Magnificent Collection of 1898 Cameo Pepsin Gum Pins (64 Different)
The Whitehead & Hoag Company of Newark, NJ produced these early 1-1/4" celluloid baseball pins as premiums for their neighboring firm, the American Pepsin Co. These pins were distributed with that latter firm's Cameo Pepsin Gum product and carried back paper advertisements for the confection. This is easily one of the finest holdings in our hobby as was evidence by heavy bidding and price realized of $87,000.
1971 Topps Complete Set (752) - An Extremely High Grade "Black Beauty" Including PSA GEM MT 10 #525 Ernie Banks "1 of 1" and Fifty-Eight PSA MINT 9 Examples!
The solid-bordered "Black Beauty" (a reference to its delicate and distinctive, full-bleed edge design) is famous for its tremendous star content, its glamorous visual appeal in high grade, and, above all, its rarity in pristine, unhandled condition. The set’s excellence commanded a final price of $69,000.
