The holiday season of 2021 is being impacted positively and negatively by many factors. Inflation means higher prices. Supply chain issues have led to product shortages, which at a minimum means fewer “deals” and “holiday sales” for consumers ahead of Christmas. One area that may have a holiday rush in the final weeks of the holidays is collectibles, with less classic supply chain issues other than the timing and cost of grading.

Graded cards have been incredibly popular over the years in the hobby. Parents can give great gifts of players or nonsports cards to their kids. Spouses can give cards to their loved ones. And friends can gift cards to each other. No worries about whether the cards are stuck on a dock or stuck on a ship outside of the port!

Collectors Dashboard is featuring multiple sports and hobby auctions heading into the 2021 holiday season. One great auction is coming soon from Heritage Auctions and Collectors Dashboard has pulled out what are the highlights from this event. Have Michael Jordan and Stephen Curry ever been compared for either athletic talent or card value? Absolutely!

Steph Curry’s rookie card (image above by Heritage Auctions) is the leader when organizing Heritage Auctions 2021 December 18 Sports Showcase Auction by price. Curry is ahead of several high-grade Michael Jordan Rookie cards, however collectors and investors would be better informed by listing the auction items by views. Viewing a card is innocent, here are the top five items in the auction by price and the top 20 in the auction by views.

Here are the top five cards by price:

• 2009 Topps Chrome Stephen Curry Rookie #101 PSA Gem Mint 10 (Guide Value or Estimate: $40,000+; Current Bid: $23,000)
• 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle Rookie #311 PSA Poor 1 (Guide Value or Estimate: $30,000+; Current Bid: $22,000)
• 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan Rookie #57 PSA Mint 9 (Guide Value or Estimate: $25,000+; Current Bid: $16,500)
• 1955 Topps Sandy Koufax Rookie #123 PSA NM 7 (Guide Value or Estimate: $8,000+; Current Bid: $5,500
• 1986 Fleer Basketball Cards & Stickers Near Set (132+9) – With PSA NM-MT 8 Jordan (Guide Value or Estimate: $12,000+; Current Bid: $5,250)

The high-priced cards and items may be the ones that land in sports sections of local newspaper websites, but what about “those most views” and those with the most followers? That is where the broadest interest actually is. And some of the cards are also more affordable for the average collectors. Here are the top 20 items by views in Heritage’s December 18, 2021 auction, with the guide value/estimate and the current bid as of December 2, 2021:

• 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle Rookie #311 PSA Poor 1 (Guide Value or Estimate: $30,000+; Current Bid: $22,000)
• 1908 Reach Monte Cross Retirement Miniature Bat and Ball (Guide Value or Estimate: $1,000+; Current Bid: $260)
• 1909-11 T206 Sweet Caporal 350-460/42 Ty Cobb (Portrait Red) PSA VG 3 (Guide Value or Estimate: $7,000+; Current Bid: $4,700)
• 1909-13 M101-2 “Sporting News” Supplements Near Set (99/100) (Guide Value or Estimate: $5,000+; Current Bid: $2,700)
• 1948 Leaf Jackie Robinson Rookie #79 PSA Poor 1 (Guide Value or Estimate: $8,000+; Current Bid: $2,800)
• 2009 Topps Chrome Stephen Curry Rookie #101 PSA Gem Mint 10 (Guide Value or Estimate: $40,000+; Current Bid: $23,000)
• 2001 Tiger Woods Titleist Limited Edition (2500) S400 Set of Irons (Guide Value or Estimate: $500+;
  Current Bid: $260)
• 1908 World Series Game Four Full Ticket (Guide Value or Estimate: $4,000+; Current Bid: $1,300)
• 1997 Fleer Ultra Michael Jordan (Ultra Stars-Gold) #1 PSA NM 7 (Guide Value or Estimate: $1,500+; Current Bid: $3,300)
• 1907 World Series Game Four Full Ticket (Guide Value or Estimate: $4,000+; Current Bid: $1,350)
• 1985 Topps Hockey High Grade Complete Set (165) Plus All-Star Sticker Set (33) (Guide Value or Estimate: $800+; Current Bid: $210)
• 2000 Bowman Tom Brady Rookie #236 PSA Gem Mint 10 (Guide Value or Estimate: $10,000+; Current Bid: $4,100)
• 1952 Topps Willie Mays Rookie #261 PSA VG 3 (Guide Value or Estimate: $7,000+; Current Bid: $3,500)
• 2000 Bowman Tom Brady Rookie #236 PSA Gem Mint 10 (Guide Value or Estimate: $10,000+; Current Bid: $5,000)
• 1952 Topps Jackie Robinson #312 PSA VG 3 (Guide Value or Estimate: $8,000+; Current Bid: $3,100)
• 1989 Shaquille O’Neal & Maurice Williamson Original Photograph, PSA/DNA Type 1 (Guide Value or Estimate: $1,000+; Opening Bid: $250)
• 1909-11 T206 Sweet Caporal 350/30 Walter Johnson (Portrait) PSA Good+ 2.5 (Guide Value or Estimate:$3,500+; Current Bid: $3,000)
• 1996 Michigan Wolverines Tom Brady Collegiate Debut Full Ticket, PSA VG-EX 4 (MK) (Guide Value or Estimate: $8,000+; Current Bid: $2,000)
• 2020 Davante Adams Game Worn & Signed Green Bay Packers Cleats with Adams Letter (Guide Value or Estimate: $800+; Current Bid: $270)
• 1955 Topps Sandy Koufax Rookie #123 PSA NM 7 (Guide Value or Estimate: $8,000+; Current Bid: $5,500)

Collectors Dashboard evaluates high-end collectibles as an alternative asset class. This means collectibles are attracting the same capital that could have been invested into stocks or bonds. Many collectibles now cost thousands of dollars (or much more). Collectors with a passion to own a collectible for years frequently have to compete directly against investors whose only desire is to make a profit in the future.

The Stephen Curry Rookie card may lead the pack today but the views as tallied by Heritage Auctions indicates changes ahead for the desirable lead auction spot. The varied range of Michael Jordan Rookie cards create opportunity for all stages of collector. We can’t forget this auction is just before the holiday season, it should be noted that graded cards fit well into stockings.