There are few experiences in life as exciting as watching sports. From the thrill of victory to the agony of defeat, sports are an event that can leave you with a lasting memory for years to come. But what if there was more than one way to remember how you felt? What if there were hundreds? This is where sports memorabilia comes in.
Sports memorabilia is something that you can hold on to forever or even bring a fortune to you sooner.
Whether a fan likes sports memorabilia because they want to relive past memories or because they want to create new ones, there are many different types of collectibles available today that will help them achieve this goal. This article will show you the most expensive sports memorabilia ever sold.
14. Mark McGwire Baseball
Type: Ball
Sport: Baseball
Sold: 1999
photo source: DC Database
The historic baseball that marked Mark McGwire’s 70th home run brought in $3 million at auction. The sale amount comprises the $2.7 million winning offer plus a $305,000 fee paid to Guernsey’s auction house, totaling $3,005,000. A researcher at Washington University in St. Louis, Philip Ozersky, was the one who sold the ball.
On September 27, in St. Louis’ Busch Stadium, Mr. Ozersky successfully caught the ball. He said he planned to contribute a percentage of the sales earnings to charity. Irwin Sternberg, the head of the New York tie manufacturer Stonehenge Ltd., who placed the second-highest bid at $2.6 million, withdrew from the competition.
Did You Know?
Roger Maris’ 61 home runs record had stood for 37 years before Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs and Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals competed to break it in the 1998 baseball season.
13. 1857 Laws of Baseball
Type: Sporting Literature
Sport: Baseball
Sold: 2016
photo source: Beckett
One of the most expensive pieces of sports memorabilia was purchased at auction on Sunday by an anonymous buyer for $3.26 million: a collection of documents from 1857 that outlined some of baseball’s foundational principles.
Initially, in 1999, the document came to light. As a piece of a general paper deal, it was purchased at auction. There wasn’t much information available without an author; therefore, it was practically forgotten.
The Official Historian for Major League Baseball, John Thorn, assisted SCP Auctions in their investigation when the owner brought the text to their attention. Daniel Lucius “Doc” Adams wrote “Laws of Baseball” around 1857, according to the findings of SCP Auctions and Thorn’s investigation. He was the president of the Alexander Cartwright-founded New York Knickerbockers at the time.
Did You Know?
SCP Auctions offered “Laws of Baseball” for online auction; the amount paid was the highest ever for a baseball document.
12. Kobe Bryant Jersey
Type: Athletic Clothing
Sport: Basketball
Sold: 2021
photo source: Bleacher Report
Through Goldin Auctions, a 1996–1997 Bryant jersey that had been used in a game and was personally signed sold for over $3.7 million. As a result, Goldin Auctions surmised that this would have been one of Kobe Bryant’s very first Lakers shirts.
The seller, who had the shirt for 25 years, and the bidder both requested anonymity, SCP Auctions said on Sunday. The 1996–1997 jersey was expected to sell for between $3 million and $5 million, according to David Kohler of SCP Auctions.
Did You Know?
Bryant’s name comes from a particular kind of steak. Wagyu cattle, which are bred in Japan’s Kobe area, are the source of the meat.
11. 1979 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky Rookie Card
Type: Sporting Card
Sport: Hockey
Sold: 2020
photo source: Bleacher Report
Through Goldin Auctions, a 1996–1997 Bryant jersey that had been used in a game and was personally signed sold for over $3.7 million. As a result, Goldin Auctions surmised that this would have been one of Kobe Bryant’s very first Lakers shirts.
The seller, who had the shirt for 25 years, and the bidder both requested anonymity, SCP Auctions said on Sunday. The 1996–1997 jersey was expected to sell for between $3 million and $5 million, according to David Kohler of SCP Auctions.
Did You Know?
Bryant’s name comes from a particular kind of steak. Wagyu cattle, which are bred in Japan’s Kobe area, are the source of the meat.
10. 1891 Rules of Basketball
Type: Sporting Literature
Sport: Basketball
Sold: 2010
photo source: Sports Collectors
To establish a brand-new indoor winter activity for boys at a Massachusetts YMCA, James Naismith developed the 13 rules 119 years ago. Naismith, a McGill University graduate who was born in Almonte, Ontario, taught physical education at the YMCA. At Sotheby’s in New York, a historical document describing the original basketball regulations was auctioned off for more than $4 million US.
At Sotheby’s in New York, a historical document describing the original basketball regulations was auctioned off for more than $4 million US. The Naismith International Basketball Foundation obtained $4.3 million for the regulations, including the buyer’s fee. The revenues will go to the charity, which encourages sportsmanship and helps disadvantaged kids all around the globe.
Did You Know?
It was a family that chooses to put the rules up for sale and donate the proceeds to the James Naismith charity, according to Ian Naismith, the foundation’s founder, and James Naismith’s grandson, who told The Associated Press in an interview in October.
9. Autographed Patrick Mahomes 1-of-1 Rookie Card
Type: Sporting Card
Sport: Football
Sold: 2021
photo source: ESPN
The signed Patrick Mahomes 1-of-1 Rookie Card, which was sold through PWCC Marketplace, was only 1/1 and had a BGS grade of 8.5. This card, which closed at a whopping $4.3 million USD, is currently the most expensive NFL football card transaction ever. LJ’s Card Shop, situated in Ohio, purchased the card.
The asking price for this particular card is $2.25 million, placing it among the top three most expensive football cards ever sold.
Did You Know?
In the first four seasons, Mahomes had the hottest start of any quarterback in NFL history. He has only started in the NFL for three years, yet his résumé already includes NFL MVP, Super Bowl MVP, and Super Bowl MVP awards.
8. Babe Ruth 1920 Jersey
Type: Athletic Clothing
Sport: Baseball
Sold: 2012
photo source: The New York Times
The 1920 Yankees season in which Babe Ruth made his debut is still felt today. Ruth traveled to Boston, St. Louis, Chicago, Cleveland, and the other three American League towns that season wearing a gray wool road jersey.
The price of the Ruth jersey, which was purchased on a Sunday for $4.4 million, is almost four times higher than that of the bat he used to launch the inaugural home run at Yankee Stadium on April 18, 1923.
Even though Ruth existed before auto shows and QVC appearances, he is a major component of the current sports collectibles industry. With his charm, strength, and Rabelaisian appetites, he revolutionized baseball.
Did You Know?
With 714 home runs when he retired in 1935, Ruth held the big league record for over 40 years.
7. LeBron James Rookie Card
Type: Sporting Card
Sport: Basketball
Sold: 2021
photo source: Sports Illustrated
A 2003 James Exquisite Collection patch rookie card with a signed signature has been sold for a price of $5.2 million at a confidential auction, according to PWCC Marketplace.
A 2018 signed Luka Doncic Panini National Treasures card that sold for $4.6 million at a private auction in February was the most expensive basketball card ever. The record, though, was only valid for two months. The brand-new record holder is this
Did You Know?
It is unknown who purchased this famous James card. There are only 23 different versions of the James rookie card in existence.
6. Babe Ruth 1928-1930 Jersey
Type: Athletic Clothing
Sport: Baseball
Sold: 2019
photo source: CNN
One of the most expensive sports memorabilia items ever sold was a Babe Ruth jersey, a great baseball star. The item was purchased for $5.64 million on Saturday at an auction in New York. Ruth’s New York Yankees jersey sold for $4.4 million in 2012, shattering the previous record.
The shirt is from the era of Ruth’s lengthy career between 1928 and 1930, when he rose to prominence as a young athlete. The record-breaking jersey was just one of 400 items of Ruth memorabilia offered for sale at Yankee Stadium and provided by his family and private collectors. Both the buyer’s and the seller’s identities are kept private.
Did You Know?
The jersey, a gray road jersey without pinstripes, only had the “YANKEES” logo across the front from 1927 to 1930.
5. Honus Wagner Baseball Card
Type: Sporting Card
Sport: Baseball
Sold: 2022
photo source: NBC Sports
In a private auction made possible by Goldin Auctions, the renowned T206 Honus Wagner sold for a record $7.25 million. It exceeded the selling price from August 2021. At that time, the card sold for $6.6 million.
It was said that Hall of Fame shortstop Wagner, who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates in the early 1900s, was unhappy that his image was being used on a cigarette. When he rejected the company’s request to utilize his image, American Tobacco Co. stopped making his card.
From 1897 through 1917, Wagner was a baseball player. He was a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Louisville Colonels. He won the batting title eight times and helped the Pirates win the World Series in 1909.
Did You Know?
There are reportedly fewer than 50 authenticated Wagner cards in existence, making it the “Mona Lisa of baseball cards.”
4. Original Olympic Games Manifesto
Type: Sporting Literature
Sport: Multisport
Sold: 2019
photo source: NBC Sports
At a New York auction, the Olympic manifesto from the first Games brought a staggering $8.8 million. According to Sotheby’s, which arranged the auction, the historical relic ultimately sold for more than eight times the high end of the already high estimate of $700,000 to $1 million.
The New York auction participants engaged in a protracted 12-minute bidding battle, which caused the price to soar. The identity of the bidders or the buyer of the documents has not been disclosed by Sotheby’s.
The 14-page handwritten manuscript outlines de Coubertin’s motivations for reviving the Olympic Games’ Ancient Greek legacy. He stated in his letter that he intended the games to promote friendly rivalry among nations.
Did You Know?
The International Olympic Committee’s founding father, Pierre de Coubertin, penned the declaration in 1892.
3. Diego Maradona 1986 Hand of God Shirt
Type: Athletic Clothing
Sport: Soccer
Sold: 2022
photo source: CNN
Diego Maradona’s jersey from the infamous “Hand of God” World Cup goal against England in 1986 has sold for $9.3 million. The garment was sold by auctioneer Sotheby’s in an online sale that ended on Wednesday. The buyer’s identity was concealed.
On June 22, 1986, four years after Argentina and Britain engaged in a war over the Falkland Islands, Maradona scored twice in the quarterfinal match in Mexico City. Although the ball rebounded off Maradona’s hand and out of the line of sight of the referee, the Argentine legend’s first goal has declared a header.
After the match, Maradona said that it had been “somewhat scored with the head of Maradona and somewhat with the hand of God.”
Did You Know?
Argentina went on to win the game 2-1 and the World Cup.
2. Michael Jordan 1998 NBA Finals Jersey
Type: Athletic Clothing
Sport: Basketball
Sold: 2022
photo source: Hypebeast
Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls jersey from Game 1 of the 1998 NBA Finals sold at Sotheby’s for $10.1 million. The auction was held from September 6–14, and during that time, bids exceeded the initial estimate of $3–5 million by a substantial margin.
Jordan donned the jersey against the Utah Jazz on June 3, 1998, scoring 33 points in 45 minutes, according to Sotheby’s. Although the game went into overtime, the Bulls lost on the road 88-85. The Bulls won that championship in a six-game series, giving Jordan his sixth and last NBA championship ring. That year, he also won his sixth MVP award for the Finals.
Did You Know?
This specific jersey, one of just two Jordan game-worn NBA Finals jerseys to be put up for sale, is a classic remembrance of the five-time MVP’s legendary “Last Dance” with the Bulls.
1. Mickey Mantle Baseball Card
Type: Sporting Card
Sport: Baseball
Sold: 2022
photo source: Beckett
The greatest price ever paid for sports memorabilia in a market that has become considerably more profitable in recent years was $12.6 million for a pristine Mickey Mantle baseball card. The Mantle card was guaranteed to be a high selling due to its almost flawless condition and renowned topic, according to Chris Ivy, the head of sports bids at Heritage Auctions, which handled the sale.
According to Heritage Auctions, the card was given the Sportscard Guaranty Corporation’s “Mint+ 9.5” grade. The world-famous trading card company Topps created the record-breaking card, which is from his rookie season.
Did You Know?
In 1991, Anthony Giordano paid a then-record-breaking $50,000 for the Mantle card. Before presenting it to Heritage Auctions, he kept it secret for three decades.
