As any avid sports card collector will tell you, certain names elicit a gasp of admiration, a momentary pause as they reverberate with significance. June 22nd promises such moments in abundance for the sports aficionado; Miller & Miller Auction is on the verge of unleashing a nostalgic whirlwind. With an exclusively online auction featuring 235 lots of pre-1980 sports cards and memorabilia, enthusiasts and collectors alike are primed for a bidder’s bonanza.
Leading the legendary pack is none other than Mickey Mantle, star of the auction and a name synonymous with baseball royalty. His 1952 Topps #311 rookie card is not just a card. It’s a talisman of baseball history, a holy grail nestled in the hearts of collectors. Marketed with an enticing estimate ranging between $40,000 and $50,000 CAD, even in a PSA 2 Good grade, Mantle’s card bears the whisper of countless passionate games. Its corners have undoubtedly felt the sands of time, but the card’s core appeal remains untainted, promising a bidding battle reminiscent of a hard-fought world series.
Not content with just one crown jewel, Miller & Miller has lined up a veritable treasure trove: 40 Topps cards from 1952’s elusive Sixth Series, including Mantle’s #311 and running the gamut to #407. As highly coveted as holiday-season must-have toys, these cards are expected to fetch between $3,000 and $5,000 CAD. Despite the badges of honor that come with age — a scratch here, a faint here — each holds its own slice of hobby history.
Turning our attention from the baseball diamond to icy pastures, hockey enthusiasts will find themselves spoiled for choice. Foremost among hockey highlights is the 1951 Parkhurst #66 Gordie Howe rookie card, a vintage gem poised to entice with an estimate of $8,000 to $10,000 CAD. Mighty even from a PSA 3 Very Good grading, it remains an eye-catcher, holding its place as the crown jewel of Parkhurst’s 1951-52 collection.
As if Gordie Howe’s presence wasn’t enough to make hearts flutter, Bobby Orr’s 1966 Topps #35 rookie card joins the fray. A KSA 6 Excellent-Near Mint card, it is projected to draw significant attention and possibly fetch between $8,000 and $9,000 CAD, a testament to Orr’s lasting legend as much as the card’s allure.
The auction is not just about the commonplace, either. It promises unique items like a game-used, team-signed hockey stick from the 1951 Stanley Cup-winning season of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Signed by Bill Barilko with the critical capstone of his teammates’ signatures, this relic is a unique artifact from a celebrated era in hockey history, expected to realize between $3,000 and $5,000 CAD.
A monumental shadow box honoring Maurice and Henri Richard further raises the stakes. It’s akin to a window into the past, containing Parkhurst rookie cards, a Louisville Pro Flex stick brandishing both brothers’ autographs, and adorned with a Canadiens puck and bronze plaque. Estimated at $4,000 to $6,000 CAD, it offers both collectors and hockey fans a tangible slice of Montreal Canadiens lore.
Adding to the lineup is a complete collection of 1964-65 Topps “Tall Boys,” a set revered both for its lengthy dimensions and its all-star roster. Featuring legends such as Gordie Howe and Bobby Hull, this crispy set anticipates a price between $4,000 and $6,000 CAD. Nearby, a heritage-packed uncut sheet of 226 hockey cards from the 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee set offers a pristine Wayne Gretzky rookie card, piquing interest with estimates of $3,500 to $4,500 CAD.
Miller & Miller, in the words of their Consignment Director Ben Pernfuss, brings forth an auction that reads like a who’s who of sports legends, dipping into the fancied pools of 1951’s Parkhurst hockey and 1952’s Topps baseball sets. “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,” enthuses Pernfuss.
For those with a penchant for pursuing such treasures, now’s the time to seize your virtual paddle and partake in a digital derby of epic proportions. The auction catalog is available on Miller & Miller’s website, inviting all willing bidders to join through LiveAuctioneers. Known as Canada’s trusted purveyor of high-value collections — be it sports cards, watches, or art deco lamps glowing with yesteryear’s charm — Miller & Miller ensures that every piece is cradled with care akin to a rookie embracing their first glove. And as the gavel swings in cyberspace, collectors everywhere will feel the heat of nostalgia mingling with the thrill of acquisition.
