If you’re a die-hard sports fan with a penchant for nostalgia, control your excitement as a sports memorabilia extravaganza unfolds at Miller & Miller Auctions on June 22nd. This isn’t your average card swap meet; it’s a digitized coliseum where serious collectors and spirited bidders alike will vie for treasures from the halcyon days of sports lore.
Set to its unique tune, this auction transports us back to eras where legends were born and sports cards were the quintessence of childhood dreams. With no physical fanfare, just a clicks-and-keystrokes battlefield of bids, this online-only affair offers a sumptuous selection of 235 lots featuring sports memorabilia dating pre-1980.
Headlining this cavalcade of collectibles is the card that many dream of clutching: the 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle rookie card. Widely regarded as the holy grail of baseball cards, even its PSA 2 Good grading—a nod to its corner-creased character—dims not the spotlight it commands. Estimated to rake in $40,000 to $50,000 CAD, this card is more a battle flag than a collector’s item, assured to ignite a fervent auction floor skirmish fueled by passion and nostalgia.
Mantle’s not the only name pulling fans into this show. The parade doesn’t cease as a captivating array from the 1952 Topps Sixth Series glows with intrigue. Known in collector circles as the “High Numbers,” these cards, ranging from #311 to #407, boast an air of exclusivity that casts a spell over potential bidders, with expectations of enchanting the room to the tune of $3,000 to $5,000 CAD.
As baseball lore takes a bow, hockey’s storied icons glide onto center ice. The 1951 Parkhurst #66 Gordie Howe rookie card promises to be a puck-snaring darling of the auction. With a PSA 3 Very Good grading, it stands proudly, perhaps offering more appeal in sentiment than in condition. Estimated to wrangle $8,000 to $10,000 CAD, it is the veritable centerpiece of a sport defined by heart and hustle.
Tantalizing as ever is Bobby Orr’s 1966 Topps #35 rookie card, graded KSA 6 Excellent-Near Mint. This collectible is tailored as much for the fans as it is for investors calculating returns beyond emotion, with estimates dancing between $8,000 and $9,000 CAD, and whispers of the puck’s timeless magic.
In a stellar twist of memorabilia allure, a team-signed, game-used Bill Barilko hockey stick stands as a relic from the Toronto Maple Leafs’ euphoric 1951 Stanley Cup triumph. Bearing Barilko’s legendary number 5 and signatures of his compatriots, this piece of history is poised in the $3,000 to $5,000 CAD range, promising a slice of glorious lore for the discerning collector.
A visual delight for those who fancy their fanaticism on the wall, a shadow box featuring Parkhurst rookie cards for Maurice and Henri Richard awaits. Carefully graded KSA 4 and 3, respectively, the ensemble further flaunts a Louisville Pro Flex stick marked by their signatures, a Canadiens puck, and a bronze plaque, all breathing echoes of Montreal Canadiens legacy for $4,000 to $6,000 CAD.
Adding a dash of size to significance, another sublime offering is a fully intact collection of 110 1964-65 Topps “Tall Boys” hockey cards. These longer-than-life cards bear snippets from the lives of Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull, and Tim Horton, with a good to very good condition collective grading projecting an allure priced between $4,000 and $6,000 CAD.
The crescendo of historic hockey splendor rounds out with a 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee uncut sheet of 226 cards, headlined by none other than Wayne Gretzky’s pristine #18 rookie card. Despite its gentle age, this sheet’s poetry of puck history pens a seductive lure estimated at $3,500 to $4,500 CAD.
Ben Pernfuss, the maestro at the helm of this auction, muses on the allure of yesteryear, stating, “Collectors will find key cards from the groundbreaking 1951 Parkhurst hockey and 1952 Topps baseball sets featuring some of the most iconic names in sports.” With an echo that reverberates through every lot, Pernfuss invites us to a realm where legends never die.
Contributors to this auction can peruse the enticing catalog for themselves through the Miller & Miller website and join the captivating ballet of bids via LiveAuctioneers. Miller & Miller upholds Canada’s reputation as a bastion handling elite collections with palpable reverence, making this auction not just an event, but a celebration of sports pioneering history.