Collectibles auction house MastroNet, Inc. recently set a new multiconsignment sports and Americana auction record, according to the gallery.
At $11.6 million, the passed the existing auction record, previously set by the gallery, by nearly $1.5 million. In addition, several rdf_Descriptions set individual record prices.
Prior to the auction, William Mastro, chief executive officer of MastroNet, speculated that the DiMaggio streak bat, specific lots pertaining to George Washington and a huge find of unopened wax packs would attract substantial auction attention. Those speculations proved right on the money.
The selling price of $345,596 made the 1941 Joe DiMaggio streak bat the second most expensive bat in history. New York Yankee Tommy Henrich put this legendary bat away in an attic more than 60 years ago. Soon after, Henrich married and forgot about the bat his friend and teammate DiMaggio had given him as a gift to commemorate DiMaggio’s record-breaking 1941 56-game hitting streak. More than six decades later, the bat came out swinging at auction. One of three bats used in the streak, the remarkable piece of lumber received 27 bids, and was purchased by Hille-rich & Bradsby, manufacturers of the Louisville Slugger.
Part of an unprecedented wax pack find, an unopened 1952 Topps baseball five-cent wax box (24 packs) created an auction buzz right from the start. A total of 32 bids were placed and the final price tag was $208,740, setting an auction record.
A George Washington three-page letter on the subject of raising troops for the first major battle of the Revolutionary War, sent on August 8, 1776, sold for $185,463.
Setting new auction records, were a 1909-11 T206 white border Honus Wagner baseball card, $109,639; a 1915 Babe Ruth rookie card, $109,639; and a 1954-55 Topps Hockey five-cent wax box with 19 packs, $85,531.
Unopened wax packs represented many of the auction’s top lots. In addition to those already mentioned, here are a few more: 1965/66 Topps hockey five-cent wax packs (33 packs), $43,172; 1957/58 Topps hockey five-cent wax box (31 packs), $41,515; 1961-62 Fleer basketball wax box (24 packs), $34,310; 1961-62 Topps hockey five-cent wax box (17 packs), $24,108; 1963 Topps five-cent wax box (36 packs), $23,431; 1967-1982 O-Pee-Chee wax box hoard (14 boxes), $19,861; 1954 Topps baseball unopened five-cent packs (5), $18,307; 1959 Fleer Ted Williams unopened five-cent wax box (24 packs), $17,603; and 1955 Topps “Double Header” one-cent wax box (89 packs), $13,606.
Prices reported include 15 percent buyer’s premium.
