Barry Bonds is an iconic sports legend. Having the all-time home run record for Major League Baseball just doesn’t mean as much after the his performance enhancing drugs (PED) scandal. What is interesting is that some Barry Bonds auctions are coming with high prices, and a key auction may show that collectors are willing to pay up for items pertaining to Barry Bonds.

A piece of history is catching up with Barry Bonds rookie cards. And it may be catching up in a good way.

There was a long time that collectors shunned Barry Bonds cards. Coming into play during the Junk Wax era of baseball cards was hard enough. Having 762 career home runs, as well as 2,935 hits and a .607 slugging percentage would have otherwise brought every collector to desire his cards.

THE COMING CATALYST

Two major Barry Bonds home run balls will be auctioned at the SCP Auctions’ 2-21 Fall Premiere taking place from October 13 to October 30, 2021. Joseph Figone, a former Candlestick Park groundskeeper, is the owner of these same two baseballs. Until this auction, the balls has been stored in a safety deposit box.

The first ball is Barry Bonds first home run into the water on May 1st, 2000. It was also the first ball hit into the water in Candlestick Park History. The hit was off Mets pitcher Rich Rodriguez in the 9th inning in dramatic fashion.

The second ball is from April 17, 2001. Figone also retrieved Barry Bonds’ 500th Home Run ball with a fishing net and quick maneuvering from the other boats in pursuit. Figone was then met on shore by Major League Baseball representatives who affixed stickers of authenticity to the baseball, the boat he used, and the net which retrieved it.

Neither ball has ever been up for sale to the public nor have they come up for auction. It’s not that they were unknown, but they just haven’t been up for grabs before. One estimate has been put at $250,000.00.

Collectors Dashboard used the publicity of these two balls being sold at auction for the first time to review sales of Barry Bonds Rookie cards by several major auction houses. As with almost anything from the Junk Wax era, the cards have to be nearly perfect to hold much value.

RECENT TOP LEVEL ROOKIE CARD SALES

After looking over the PSA Cardfacts data on sales, the PSA 10 grades have mostly averaged between $6,500 to $8,000 over the summer. That is down from a peak price of more than $10,000 early in 2021, with two zenith blow-off top sales at $16,000 or more. What is amazing is that this was a $3,000 to $4,000 just a year ago.

Heritage Auctions has seen two key recent sales of Barry Bonds rookie card, the 1986 Topps Traded Tiffany Barry Bonds (#11T). PSA counts 2,493 base grades of this card’s total population before half-point grades and qualifiers. There are only 443 graded a perfect PSA 10, follower by 1,357 PSA 9 and 567 PSA grades.

Heritage Auctions most recently had two key sales. Their description said, “The ‘Tiffany’ subgenre of Topps trading cards were upgraded versions of the company’s sets issued between 1984 and 1991, primarily differentiated by a glossy obverse coating.” Here are their last two sales:

• 1986 Topps Traded Tiffany Barry Bonds #11T PSA Gem Mint 10 sold for $6,146.40 on May 20, 2021 after 20 bids.
• 1986 Topps Traded Tiffany Barry Bonds #11T PSA Gem Mint 10 sold for $5,760.00 on August 22, 2021 after 22 bids.

Goldin Auctions has several of the rookie card sales to review:

• 1986 Topps Traded Tiffany #11T Barry Bonds Rookie Card – PSA GEM MT 10 sold for $6,765.00 on August 28 and 29th Goldin Auction after 17 bids.
• 1986 Topps Traded Tiffany #11T Barry Bonds Rookie Card – PSA GEM MT 10 sold for $7,800.00 on August 7 & 9 Goldin Auction after 27 bids.
• 1986 Topps Traded Tiffany #11T Barry Bonds Rookie Card – PSA GEM MINT 10 sold for $10,200.00 at the March Premium Auction by Goldin after 7 bids.
• 1986 Topps Traded Tiffany #11T Barry Bonds Rookie Card – PSA GEM MT 10 sold for $11,400.00 at the Winter Auction 2021 by Goldin after 18 bids.
• 1986 Topps Traded Tiffany #11T Barry Bonds Rookie Card – BGS PRISTINE 10 sold for $36,900.00 at the 2020 Holiday Auction by Goldin after 37 bids.

The online auction giant eBay has also been a helpful source in high prices paid for Barry Bonds rookie cards:

1986 Topps Traded Tiffany Barry Bonds Rookie Card #11T PSA 10 sold for $7,875.00 on August 8, 2021 after 37 bids.

1986 Topps Traded Tiffany #11T Barry Bonds RC Rookie PSA 10 sold for $5,350.00 on June 28, 2021 after 58 bids.

1986 Topps Traded TIFFANY BARRY BONDS RC ROOKIE CARD BGS 9.5 sold for $3,850.00 on August 8, 2021 after 86 bids.

1986 Topps Traded Tiffany Barry Bonds #11T SGC 10 sold for $2,125.00 on June 30, 2021 after 54 bids.

CONDITION & ROOKIE POPULATIONS DO MATTER

To show just how much the condition matters, a 1986 Topps Traded Tiffany Barry Bonds card graded PSA 9 sold on eBay for $1,057.00 on August 9, 2021 after 18 bids.

There is already a fairly large population of the Tiffany versions, but the population reports are massive for the base “Traded” rookie that is not a Tiffany example. Its total population for base grades without half-grades, signatures and other qualifications was last seen at 49,124. Of those, some 4,751 are a perfect PSA 10 and there are 21,780 PSA 9 and 19,874 PSA 8 examples.

Collectors Dashboard has also tracked recent eBay auctions of the more common 1986 Topps Traded #11T Barry Bonds rookie that is not the “Tiffany” variation. Here are recent eBay sales for a perfect PSA 10 of that base rookie from the Traded set:

• $335.00 after 29 bids on Sep. 6, 2021
• $325.00 after 37 bids on Sep. 6, 2021
• $339.00 after 19 bids on Sep. 5, 2021
• $386.00 after 21 bids on Sep. 5, 2021
• $375.00 after 17 bids on Sep. 1, 2021

The base rookie in the Traded set did have prices above $400.00 on some auctions earlier in some auctions around July and June. Still, with this many cards graded by PSA alone it is hard to ever expect that the value will be there for the cards with a huge population.

AND IN CONCLUSION…

Collectors Dashboard evaluates collectibles as an alternative asset class. The same capital that could have been invested into stocks or bonds is being used to buy high-end collectibles. True sports collectors and hobbyists have a passion to own certain cards or memorabilia for quite a long time. The investor class in collectibles is solely buying an asset to sell at a later date for a profit. This keeps collectors and investors in a constant battle for who can win in auctions.

As October approaches, Collectors Dashboard looks forward to covering the change of prices related to the sale of what some would say THE major home run balls in Barry Bonds’ career. While we cannot predict a price for Barry Bonds collectibles and rookie cards, it seems pretty safe to assume that the market could react to any positive news about the player in his post-career life after his 762 home runs.

If a bidding frenzy erupts for the 500th home run ball, more collectors may start to have some more rekindled respect for Bonds’ top rookie cards. Just don’t forget about the condition and the scarcity here.

(Image provided by Heritage Auctions)