Sports Memorabilia, Trading Cards, and Americana May 16'26
Lot 394:
Description
BID PER WHAT YOU SEE IN THE PHOTO, NOT THE AI GENERATED TITLES AND DESCRIPTIONS! A Collection of Vintage and Modern Sports Trading Cards Including 1981 and 1982 Topps Traded Sets
This extensive collection of professional sports trading cards primarily features Major League Baseball with an additional selection of professional football cards. The assortment spans several decades, from the late 1960s through the early 2010s. Included are two complete Topps Baseball Traded Series sets in their original boxes: the 1982 blue box (numbers 1-T through 132-T), which contains the Cal Ripken Jr. rookie card, and the 1981 red box (numbers 727 through 858), featuring the Fernando Valenzuela rookie card. A large portion of the collection consists of individual star and rookie cards stored in protective top-loaders and plastic cases. Identified players include Bo Jackson (including 1986 Topps Traded), Frank Thomas (Upper Deck rookie), Orel Hershiser (1985 Topps rookie), Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, Nolan Ryan, Barry Bonds, Rod Carew, Carl Yastrzemski, and Ivan Rodriguez. Represented brands include Topps, Bowman, Upper Deck, Fleer, Donruss, Score, Classic, and Star. Two informational tobacco-style cards are present, featuring yellow labels on the reverse with historical data on the T-207 Lewis and T-206 Sherry Magie error cards. The cards are organized in multiple storage boxes with handwritten labels such as Older Baseball, Rookie Baseball, and 93 Classic.
Provenance / Authentication Note: This item originates from a single-owner collection assembled by a dedicated sports fan (with a strong focus on Notre Dame and New York Yankees memorabilia). The collector actively pursued autographs over many years through in-person events, including games, autograph shows, and visits to National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum during player events, as well as through direct mail requests to athletes and celebrities. The collection included supporting material such as handwritten correspondence sent to athletes (in some cases with payment enclosed), along with photographs of the collector with various signers. A portion of this same collection was featured in our March 21st auction, where multiple items were authenticated by James Spence Authentication (JSA). In regards to any items with signature(s): While this specific item(s) may not be individually submitted for third-party authentication, it originates from the same collection and shows consistency with previously authenticated pieces. As with many large autograph collections, there may be a small number of facsimile or clubhouse-style signatures present, but for the most part we have seen AUTHENTIC SIGNATURES within the collection. Based on the overall provenance and our review, we maintain a strong level of confidence in the authenticity of most items. Bidders are encouraged to review all photos carefully and bid according to their own level of comfort. No additional authentication documentation is included unless visible within the lot photos. Please reach out with any questions.
Condition report:
The cards generally appear to be in Excellent to Near Mint condition, having been well-preserved in top-loaders, clear cases, and storage boxes. No cards in this lot are professionally graded by third-party services. Individual cards may exhibit minor corner wear, surface marks, or centering issues typical for these production eras. The original Topps Traded set boxes show light shelf wear, including minor creasing and edge scuffs, but remain intact.
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