1952 Topps Unopened Packs Top $1.1 Million at REA

1952 Topps unopened packs set a new auction standard

Eight unopened packs of 1952 Topps baseball cards, once purchased for a combined 40 cents, sold for more than $1.1 million in REA’s Summer Catalog Auction, which closed Sunday night. The result established a new high for one of the hobby’s rarest unopened treasures and moved the item into the seven-figure range for the first time.

The group, described as a brick of five-cent packs, is one of only three known survivors from Topps’ early years. It also surpassed the previous record of $852,000, which was set in 2023.

The packs were part of a major early-1990s discovery in Seattle that produced 84 unopened packs in all, including 12 singles and nine cellophane-wrapped bricks. The find traced back to the family of a 1950s grocery store owner, and many of the packs eventually entered the hobby as store owners took advantage of renewed interest in baseball cards.

One collector who bought a brick from that discovery later opened packs that yielded, among other cards, the only known PSA Gem Mint 10 example of the set’s No. 1 card, Andy Pafko. The brick that sold Sunday remained intact and now stands as the highest-priced example of these rare relics.

REA Summer Catalog Auction tops $18 million

The auction generated more than $18 million in total sales and featured a strong mix of unopened wax, rare vintage cards, and high-grade modern material. Several items set records during the sale, with unopened product drawing especially strong attention throughout the event.

A 1987-1988 Fleer Basketball factory-sealed unopened wax case brought $332,100, setting a record for the item. Extremely rare First and Fourth Series unopened wax boxes of 1971 Topps Baseball each sold for $246,000, also record prices for those boxes.

Another standout was a newly discovered 1986-1987 Fleer Basketball unopened wax box. The box had a Michael Jordan rookie card visible on top of one pack, and Jordan rookie stickers showed on the backs of five packs. It sold for $239,850.

Rare unopened wax boxes of 1961 and 1962 Topps Football also performed well, bringing $221,400 and $196,800, respectively. A 1998-1999 Skybox Molten Metal Basketball factory-sealed unopened hobby case finished at $110,700.

Vintage card records fall across multiple eras

Beyond unopened material, the auction produced a long list of notable vintage results. A 1962 Topps No. 300 Willie Mays graded PSA MINT 9 sold for $369,000, setting the highest price ever for the card in any grade.

A 1954 Topps No. 94 Ernie Banks Rookie graded PSA MINT 9 realized $215,250, also an all-time high for that card in any grade. Ty Cobb cards drew strong bidding as well, including a 1914 E145 Cracker Jack No. 30 graded PSA NM 7 that sold for $184,500 and a 1909-1911 T206 White Border Portrait Green Background graded PSA NM 7 that brought $153,750. Both were record prices for those cards in the grade.

Other notable results included a 1921 E121 American Caramel (Series of 80) “Babe” Ruth PSA EX-MT 6 at $147,600, a 1934 R320 Goudey No. 61 Lou Gehrig PSA NM-MT 8 at $147,600, and a 1957-1958 Topps Basketball No. 77 Bill Russell Rookie PSA NM-MT 8 at $135,300.

A 1934 R320 Goudey No. 37 Lou Gehrig PSA NM-MT 8 brought $129,150, while a 1959 Topps No. 10 Mickey Mantle SGC MINT+ 9.5, the highest graded example, sold for $123,000. A 1938 R323 Goudey “Heads-Up” No. 250 Joe DiMaggio PSA NM-MT 8 reached $113,775, a record for the card in that grade.

Newly discovered cards and set pieces draw strong bids

The auction also included several newly discovered or especially scarce cards that found strong demand. A newly discovered 1922 Olsen Games Co. Babe Ruth PSA GOOD+ 2.5 sold for $110,700, setting a record for the card in that grade.

A 1952 Topps PSA-graded near-complete set, missing only one card from completion at 406 of 407, brought $107,625. Another newly discovered rarity, a 1916 Holmes to Homes Bread No. 86 Joe Jackson PSA POOR 1, sold for $101,475 as the only PSA-graded example known. A 1915 E145 Cracker Jack No. 103 Joe Jackson SGC VG 3 realized $98,400, also a record for the card in that grade.

REA says bidder activity was especially strong

REA President Brian Dwyer said the auction stood out for both energy and participation across the hobby.

“This was one of the most energetic and exciting auctions we’ve had in a long time,” Dwyer said. “A record number of new bidders were engaged across all areas of the hobby, countless records were set, and the marquee 1952 Topps brick set a new standard for this incredible piece of history as it joined the seven-figure club.”

With unopened rarities, newly discovered vintage cards, and several all-time highs, the sale added another major chapter to the market for high-end sports collectibles.

Source: Original source (www.sportscollectorsdaily.com)