According to auction houses, the 1952 baseball trading card of Mickey Mantle, Major League Baseball Hall of Famer, was sold for $12.6million, a new high for collectibles.
The price topped the $9.3 million paid earlier this year for the jersey worn by Argentinian football player Diego Maradona when he scored the so-called “Hand of God” goal in the 1986 World Cup. The previous record for sports cards was twice this high.
Over the past year, sports collectibles and sneakers have seen a surge in popularity and value. Fanatics Inc. made deals with Legendary Entertainment in order to make collectibles earlier in the year. It also purchased Topps Co.’s trading card division for $500m in January.
According to Sports Collectors Digest, Anthony Giordano purchased the card for $55,000 in 1991.
Mantle played in the 50s and 60s for the New York Yankees.
“We always knew this card would shatter records and expectations,” Heritage Director of Sports Auctions Chris Ivy said. ‘That doesn’t make it any less of a thrill to be part of an auction during which a single item breaks the eight-figure threshold for the first time.”
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