The year 2021 was a major year in sports collectibles. Many price records were shattered with major multi-million sales. Elsewhere, some prices spiked in many modern collectibles to unsustainable levels and then corrected sharply. The major grading houses were also basically on lock-down for part of the year due to taking in so many cards for grading — it would have taken years to get through the backlog. And there was serious news about consolidation and investment in the grading companies, auction houses, price providers and in content.

All of this adds up to one major question — Just what is the sports collectibles community to expect in 2022?

Collectors Dashboard has started a preview of what key sports collectibles auctions are already scheduled, or which will be announced soon, to hit the auction blocks in 2022. What is coming up for auction in early 2022 is an unbelievable trove of collectibles and the tally of just these top items already appears to be valued in the tens of millions.

Just a few names like Honus Wagner, Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Michael Jordan, and many more. Again, it already looks to be well into the tens of millions of dollars in committed items coming for auction in 2022.

Collectors Dashboard evaluates high-end collectibles as an alternative asset class. The same capital that could have bought stocks and bonds (or even real estate) is being used to buy collectibles. And it is an environment where collectors are also having to compete directly against investors for the exact same assets. And for the record, the language has rotated from “collectibles” into “assets” and “investments” in their descriptions.

So far we have collected data from Auction of Champions, Goldin, Heritage (multiple events), Leland’s and The Mint 25, Memory Lane, Mile High Card Co., PWCC Marketplace and SCP Auctions. There will be more key auctions coming in 2022 and some photos were either not included due to space or image resolution issues. We have yet to hear back from some of the auction houses for their top auction items already on the books for 2022.

AUCTION OF CHAMPIONS (Jan. 3 MVP Auction)

This is their first 2022 auction that is already taking bids. The items have been featured by current bidding price rather than by lot numbers, which means that the prices and order may be very different as the week progresses. (Image below by Auction of Champions).

• Michael Jordan Signed Spalding NBA Official Game Ball Basketball (JSA LOA & UDA Hologram)
• Tom Brady Signed Full Size Authentic New England Patriots Speed Helmet (Fanatics Certified)
• Wilt “The Stilt” Chamberlain “3-2-62 = 100” Signed Spalding NBA Indoor/Outdoor Basketball (Beckett LOA)
• Ted Williams Signed Boston Red Sox Mitchell & Ness Cooperstown Collection Baseball Centennial (1839-1939) Authentic Wool Jersey (Beckett LOA)
• Aaron Rodgers Signed Full Size Green Bay Packers Speed Eclipse Alternate Authentic Helmet (Fanatics Certified)
• Tom Brady “9x SB Starts – Most Ever” Signed Lmt Ed. Full Size Authentic Proline Patriots 6x SB Champs Helmet – Lmt Ed. #5 of Only 6 (Steiner & Tristar Certified)
• Joe Montana, Steve Young & Jerry Rice Signed Full Size San Francisco 49ers Eclipse Alternate Authentic Helmet (Radtke Sports COA)
• Davante Adams Signed Full Size Green Bay Packers SpeedFlex On-Field Authentic Helmet (Radtke Sports COA)
• Mickey Mantle 1953 Topps Baseball Card #82- Graded EX+ 5.5 (PSA)

GOLDIN’s HOLIDAY AUCTION, Closing January 8-9, 2022

Goldin.co is kicking off 2022 in a multi-sport bonanza featuring two 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle cards, Babe Ruth items, Nolan Ryan rookie cards, a nearly flawless Wilt Chamberlain rookie and many more items. Perhaps one of the most stunning LeBron James “Exquisite Collection” RPA (Pop. 1) cards is up for grabs as well. (Goldin auction images by Goldin.co.)

Lot 23 – 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle PSA NM 7

Lot 2 – 1961-62 Fleer #8 Wilt Chamberlain Rookie Card PSA MINT 9

Lot 24 – 1968 Topps Milton Bradley #177 Nolan Ryan Rookie Card PSA MINT 9 “1 of 3!”

Lot 1 – 2003-04 UD “Exquisite Collection” Rookie Patch Autograph (RPA) #78 LeBron James Signed Patch Rookie Card (#30/99) PSA NM-MT+ 8.5, PSA/DNA 10 LeBron’s First “Exquisite Collection” Rookie Card! (POP 1!)

Lot 3 – 2021 Tom Brady Game Used, Photo Matched, Signed & Inscribed “GOAT” Tampa Bay Buccaneers Alternate Jersey-Super Bowl Winning Season Matched To 1/3/21-4 TD’s & 399 Yards Passing! (Fanatics & Sports Investors)

These are some of the additional items that are in the sale without photos included:

• Lot 65 – 1933 Goudey Sport Kings Baseball #2 Babe Ruth PSA NM 7
• Lot #70 – 1952 Berk Ross Mickey Mantle – PSA NM-MT 8
• Lot 1308 – 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle PSA VG 3
• Lot 5 – 2003-04 Topps Chrome Gold Refractors #111 LeBron James Rookie Card (#24/50) BGS GEM MINT 9.5
• Lot 217 – 2003 UD SP Legendary Cuts Green Autograph #BA Babe Ruth Cut Signature Card (#1/1) PSA Authentic, PSA/DNA Certified
• Lot 292 – 2009 Bowman Chrome Draft Prospects X-Fractors #BDPP89 Mike Trout Signed Rookie Card (#085/225) – BGS GEM MINT 9.5/BGS 10
• Lot 35 – 2011 Bowman Platinum “Prospect Autographs” Superfractor #BH Bryce Harper Signed Card (#1/1) – BGS MINT 9/BGS 9
• Lot 339 – 2016 Bowman Chrome Prospect Autographs Orange Refractor #CPAVG Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Signed 1st Bowman Card (#17/25) – PSA GEM MT 10
• Lot 154 – 1993 Upper Deck SP Foil #279 Derek Jeter Rookie Card BGS GEM MINT 9.5
• Lot 156 – 1994 Upper Deck #GM1 Ken Griffey Jr/Mickey Mantle Dual-Signed Card BGS GEM MINT 9.5/BGS 10

HERITAGE AUCTIONS – MULTIPLE FEATURE EVENTS!

JACKIE ROBINSON 75th Anniversary of MLB Debut

Heritage Auctions February 2022 Platinum Night auction is in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Hall of Famer’s Major League debut. Heritage is already touting spectacular Robinson material that is already in house for this auction valued at well over $1 million and counting. Here are some of those Jackie Robinson items (Image below by Heritage Auctions):

• 1946 American Baseball Bureau Questionnaire Filled out by Jackie Robinson – With amazing Content (Estimate: $1,000,000+)
• 1947 Brooklyn Dodgers Ebbets Field Opening Day Ticket Stub – Debut of Jackie Robinson (Estimate: $100,000+)
• 1948 Leaf Jackie Robinson Rookie # 79 PSA NM-MT 8 (Estimate: $300,000+)
• Jackie Robinson Single Signed Baseball (Estimate: $50,000+)

The run of #1s will be in the weekly Heritage Sunday auctions slated for Jan, 2, 2022 as one of the first featured auctions of the year. This has many offerings but the #1 refers to the first card of each set, with the consignor also having collected these in the best conditions that could be found. Back in the time that vintage card collectors didn’t know they were sitting on a fortune rubber bands indented and abused the first and last card of each set. And if rubber bands were not enough them moisture or rough boxes also worked against the future value and condition.

HERITAGE 1914 Cracker Jack Collection (Jan. 27-28, 2022)

The 1914 and 1915 Cracker Jack baseball card sets were cut from a different cloth than the tobacco era cards. They were promoting Cracker Jacks rather than cigarettes and their size was different. Now more than 100 years later comes a major assortment of the 1914 Cracker Jack cards by Heritage Auctions. Bidding opens on January 6, 2022 and many would-be buyers have already been penciling in how much they are willing to spend.

• 1914 Cracker Jack Ty Cobb #30 PSA NM-MT 8 (Guide Value or Estimate: $300,000+)
• 1914 Cracker Jack Christy Mathewson #88 PSA EX 5 (Guide Value or Estimate: $300,000+)
• 1914 Cracker Jack Joe Jackson #103 PSA EX 5 (Guide Value or Estimate: $150,000+)
• 1914 Cracker Jack Walter Johnson #57 PSA EX 5 (Guide Value or Estimate: $30,000+)
• 1914 Cracker Jack Tris Speaker #65 PSA NM-MT 8 (Guide Value or Estimate: $25,000+)
• 1914 Cracker Jack Honus Wagner #68 PSA VG 3 (Guide Value or Estimate: $20,000+)
• 1914 Cracker Jack Del Pratt #93 PSA VG-EX 4 (Guide Value or Estimate: $20,000+)
• 1914 Cracker Jack Eddie Plank #6 PSA NM 7 (Guide Value or Estimate: $15,000+)

Other names featured for this Cracker Jack auction: Cady, Konetchy, Alexander, Mack, Gandil, Lajoie, Moriarity, Evers, Wood and about 100 more.

HERITAGE AUCTIONS Winter Sports Card Auction (Jan. 27-28, 2022)

While this has an overlap with the Cracker Jack auction, Heritage Auctions’ is starting bids on January 6 for the January 27-28 ending dates. Outside of some of the top estimates above for Cracker Jack cards is the following in a Top 13 by “guide or estimate value” (noted as “+” rather than “- up” in their own notes).

• 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle Rookie #253 PSA NM-MT 8 (Guide Value or Estimate: $400,000+)
• 1933 Goudey Napoleon Lajoie #106 PSA Mint 9 (Guide Value or Estimate: $300,000+)
• 1961 Fleer Wilt Chamberlain Rookie #8 PSA Mint 9 (Guide Value or Estimate: $250,000+)
• 1986-87 Fleer Basketball Wax Box with 36 Original Unopened Packs (Guide Value or Estimate: $200,000+)
• 1925 Exhibits Lou Gehrig PSA Good 2 (Guide Value or Estimate: $100,000+)
• 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle #253 PSA NM 7 (Guide Value or Estimate: $80,000+)
• 1951 Bowman Graded Complete Set (324) – PSA Grade of 6.25 (Guide Value or Estimate: $80,000+)
• 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth #144 SGC NM 7 (Guide Value or Estimate: $75,000+)
• 1909-11 T206 White Border Baseball Near Set (515/524) (Guide Value or Estimate: $60,000+)
• 1962 Topps Roger Maris #1 PSA Mint 9 (Guide Value or Estimate: $60,000+)
• 2007 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection LeBron James (Number Pieces) #EN-LJ PSA Gem Mint 10, Auto 10 – #’d 15/23 (Guide Value or Estimate: $60,000+)
• 2000 Playoff Contenders Tom Brady (Rookie Ticket Autograph) #144 BGS NM-MT+ 8.5, Auto 10 (Guide Value or Estimate: $60,000+)
• 2017 Panini Contenders Patrick Mahomes II (Rookie Ticket RPS Autograph) #303 PSA Gem Mint 10 (Guide Value or Estimate: $60,000+)

HERITAGE FEB. 22, 2022 – FEATURE IS MANTLE’s LAST JERSEY!

Feb. 26, 2022 – Heritage is auctioning off Mickey Mantle’s last worn game jersey from 1968. This is the jersey that was also worn in the 1968 All-Star Game and for career home runs #534 and #535 (MEARS A10). The jersey is signed and photo matched. According to Heritage, this is the third time that this specific jersey is being auctioned by Heritage. The first sale was for $486,000 in Feb. 2017 and it later sold for $850,000 in Aug. 2020. (Image by Heritage Auctions below)

The Mint25 Auction by Leland’s at The Mint Collective (Jan. 28, 2022)

The MINT25 will run online from January 2 through January 29, 2022, with extended bidding taking place over the phone and in person at The MINT Collective (presented by eBay). The auction is being limited to only 25 lots with a minimum expected appraised value of $250,000 per lot. This has been updated to add some items that were sent out after the publishing of this article.

One of the lots that will be featured in this upcoming auction is a signed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ball that had originally been valued at $375,000.00. The signed ball has been inscribed as Kareem’s record-breaking 38,387th point ball. Image below by Collectable App.

These are the additional items that were sent out by Leland’s on December 30, 2021. 1918 Babe Ruth Signed Bat Contract – PSA Gem Mint 10 Michael Jordan Rookie – 1910 E98 Gem Mint 10 Ty Cobb – Tom Brady Signed Game Worn Jersey – Pokemon 1st Edition Sealed Box – T206 Set Missing Only Wagner – 1951 Bowman Willie Mays Rookie – Patrick Mahomes Rookie Patch Autograph – 1961 Fleer Basketball Unopened Box – T3 Turkey Red Complete Set

Memory Lane, Inc. – Winter 2022 Auction

1927 “Babe Comes Home” Theater Banner featured lot!

MILE HIGH CARD CO. – T206 Wagner

A PSA 1 (poor-Fair) graded T206 Honus Wagner is being auction via Mile High Card Co. in its Feb/March 2022 auction. This Wagner comes with some provenance as well as it is dubbed the “Charlie Sheen All-Star Cafe” Honus Wagner.

The Feb. 2022 Auction also features a 2021 Panini National Treasures #RS10 Mac Jones Rookie Silhouettes Platinum Championship Logo 1/1 PSA 9 Mint.

PWCC PREMIER JAN. 22, 2022 (and INTRODUCING WEEKLY AUCTION)

PWCC Marketplace’s January Premier Auction will be live from January 5 to January 22 and we have received a list of what are expected to be the top 10 cards from that auction. PWCC also has a 1/1, 1/5, and 1/10 Mahomes National Treasures RPA ending in January and a mix from other sports. (Images after first Brady are not included)

• 2000 Playoff Contenders Championship Tom Brady ROOKIE AUTO /100 #144 BGS 8 NM-MT
• 2000 SP Authentic Tom Brady ROOKIE RC /1250 #118 BGS 10 PRISTINE
• 2017 National Treasures Blue Patrick Mahomes II ROOKIE PATCH AUTO 1/1 PSA 9 MINT (1 of 1 Masterpiece – Only Copy Ever Made)
• 2017 National Treasures Black Patrick Mahomes ROOKIE PATCH AUTO 1/5 BGS 9 MINT
• 2017 National Treasures Gold Patrick Mahomes II ROOKIE PATCH AUTO /10 #161 BGS 9
• 2018 National Treasures Luka Doncic ROOKIE RC PATCH AUTO 7/99 BGS 9.5 GEM MINT (PSA Pop 1 or 4)
• 1958 Alifabolaget Soccer Pele ROOKIE #635 SGC 7.5 NRMT+ (SGC Pop 1 of 1 – None Graded Higher)
• 1960 Hemmets Journal Cassius Clay Muhammad Ali ROOKIE RC #23 PSA 9 MINT (Pop 1 of 11 from PSA)
• 1952 Topps Willie Mays #261 PSA 8 NM-MT
• 2014 Panini Prizm World Cup Gold Prizm Lionel Messi /10 #12 PSA 9 MINT (PSA Pop 1 of 1)

PWCC’s Weekly Auction is also the new format for the monthly auctions. According to PWCC, this allows investors to bid on cards and collectibles every day of the year. Auctions will start on Thursdays and will run for 10 days with closing times starting at 7:00pm (Pacific) on Sundays. They also have some extended bidding features and high-resolution images for buyers. The Weekly Sunday Auction will have a 20% buyer’s premium added to every sale.

ROBERT EDWARD AUCTIONS – Mantle, Joe Jackson & More

We do not yet have the full details of this upcoming auction for 2022, but the @REAOnline Twitter account has posted these as previews for 2022. Only the Joe Jackson Image was included from the tweets.

• 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle PSA 8 (OC) Rookie
• 1909-11 E90-1 American Caramel SGC 1.5 Shoeless Joe Jackson (Rookie)
• 1961 Fleer #28 PSA 8 Bill Russell
• 1970-71 Topps #123 PSA 8 Pete Maravich Rookie
• 1909-11 T206 Cy Young Portrait (Sovereign 350 Back) PSA 5
• 1953 Topps #82 Mickey Mantle PSA 7
• 1911 T3 Turkey Red #9 Ty Cobb PSA 3.5

SCP AUCTIONS – Wagner, Jordan, Mantle, Abdul-Jabar, Pele & More

SCP Auctions is featuring multiple items for its Winter 2022 Auction. The prize is a partial T206 Honus Wagner that is torn and missing about 40% of the card, but his face and name are still there. This is on the heels of SCP’s last T206 Wagner still fetching $1.1 million despite the card being restored. (Image below by SCP Auctions)

Another item, one of three Game 6 of the 2021 World Series Home Run balls, is Jorge Soler’s 3-Run homer ball with a letter of provenance attached. And there are two prized Michael Jordan items: 1984 Michael Jordan Olympic trials game worn and team-signed Converse basketball sneakers; and a signed 1984-85 Star card of Michael Jordan (#101) graded BGS NM-MT+ 8.5 and graded as AUTO 10.

Here is a brief snapshot of 2022 items loaded up (Images by SCP Auctions) as a preview that have also been added:

1952 Topps Eddie Mathews #407 PSA 8

1980-81 Topps Scoring Leaders Bird/Erving/Johnson BVG 9.5

1952 Bowman #101 Mickey Mantle autograph PSA 4 Auto grade 9

Early 1980s Jareem Abdul Jabbar L.A. Lakers home jersey (auto)

Pele Brazil Match worn shirt Circa 1970

1993 SP #279 Derek Jeter Foil rookie card PSA 9