On Saturday, August 27, a baseball card, the Honus Wagner T206, was sold at auction for $7.25 million, surpassing the previous high of $12.5 million. This makes it the most expensive piece of sports memorabilia in history, far exceeding the mint condition Mickey Mantle Topps 1952 card.
Once consumers completed their cigarette pack, a large portion of them were discarded. Only a handful were published or distributed, as those cards were initially manufactured for insertion into cigarette packs. A minuscule fraction has managed to endure throughout the years, and only a limited quantity was created during the production of the T206 collection in 1909. The worth of the Wagner card stems from its historical significance and scarcity.
Many of them were dumped into the Hudson River because sales slowed down after the 1952 set was printed, but it is not technically Mickey Mantle’s rookie card in the first set ever produced by Topps — that would be the 1951 Bowman card — but the 1952 Mantle has an equally unique story.
In the past, it was considered “foolish”. It garnered sufficient interest that despite Giordano remaining anonymous as the purchaser, radio personalities such as Howard Stern were expressing their opinions on the acquisition. At that point in time, it was the most expensive amount ever paid for one of those cards, and the current seller, 75-year-old Anthony Giordano, initially purchased his Mantle in 1991 for $50,000.
In 2021, sales were going well and the year saw a strong increase in sales of sports cards, with eBay reporting a 142% increase. Collectors started buying more sports cards in the spring of 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic locked people down at home, sparking a huge increase in sales. It is thanks to this that the business is booming. Of course, Giordano was able to cash in on the massively appreciated value of sports cards.
Giordano’s emotions regarding the sale of his Mantle card were mixed.
“No, I don’t feel well,” Anthony Giordano informed a reporter from MLB.Com. “I no longer have my card.”
However, Giordano does possess nearly $13 million, causing him to jest that he now understands the sensation experienced by the Kardashians.
Some collectors are willing to pay exorbitant prices for certain cards, which has already sparked a surging interest in collecting. However, it is unlikely that the appreciation level for Mantle 1952, which Giordano saw, will continue.
Topps, which lost its licensing deal with Major League Baseball a year ago, could create some uncertainty as new runs will still be produced, but the same value as the old may never hold. In early 2022, Fanatics sold cards with uncertainty, creating a new era for MLB.
The room where Giordano kept his Mantle was completely secured, ensuring that nobody could access it. The pieces of cardboard, which were several decades and even a century old, were gathered, preserved, and safeguarded to maintain their appeal for future generations. This guarantees that their value will not diminish. However, it is possible that one day they may decrease or even stabilize, such as the value of cards like the 1952 Mantle, which will inevitably reach a plateau.
No matter how much they are sold for at auction, both valuable and rare pieces of baseball history are the baseball cards. It has been claimed by Mickey Mantle — it has long been called the “Mona Lisa” of baseball cards — but now Honus Wagner’s card holds the position as the most expensive baseball card in the world.
Giordano expressed, “Indeed, the financial aspect of it is splendid.” “However, I believe the most remarkable aspect of the entire endeavor was simply the voyage that I embarked upon. The impact it had on my sons, grandchildren, and my family was extraordinary.”