by Mike

When the Rare Book Hub was founded in 2003 (then known as Americana Exchange), its purpose was to provide auction prices for rare books and related works on paper. Books dominated the highest prices. Now, over 20 years later, that is no longer the case. Manuscripts, prints, comic books, even trading cards at times can be dominant. Some weeks, you can look at the top 25 highest prices and nary a book will be found. This is one of those weeks. Twenty-four of the top 25 prices were paid at a Heritage Auction of sports cards. Mickey Mantle can still hit one out of the park even if Shakespeare at times struggles.

I know some people think we should stick to books on this site and not follow the other stuff. Those of us who have been here since the “good old days” can sympathize. Nevertheless, we have to follow the market. Youth must be served. You couldn't really have a website today about automobiles if all you followed was American cars. In my youth (many years ago), that and VWs was about all you could find in America. Japanese cars came on later, and at first they were made fun of. Times change
 

That doesn't mean books are dead. A Shakespeare First Folio or first edition Birds of America will still bring prices in seven figures. A Bay Psalm Book can go to eight figures. So can very important documents. A first printing of the U.S. Constitution is the highest priced item in our database of almost 16 million records, having sold for over $43 million. However, we have also seen a Michael Jordan & Kobe Bryant trading card, and a Mickey Mantle baseball card, exceed $10 million. Nipping at the heals of $10 million is a Superman comic book going for over $9 million. So this past week's sales, being dominated by sports cards, is not that surprising. It's just frustrating that I didn't keep those baseball cards and comic books I had when I was young. Some youngsters of those days were much wiser than I.

Topping the auction prices this past week was another Michael Jordan/Kobe Bryant card, though “cheap” compared to the other one. It sold for $869,250. This is not an antique. It was produced in 2000, though these aren't cards you found in a package with bubble gum. They were meant to be more valuable and collectible, but it is unlikely anyone expected to see prices like this back then.
 

Runner-up was the card for another basketball player, but not one I've seen on a high priced card before. He couldn't dunk. He never made a three-pointer. He wasn't seven feet tall or close. He barely made it over six at 6' 1". Those who follow today's amazing athletes, whose feats more resemble the aforementioned Superman than mere mortals, probably never heard of him. He was the first major star of the hard court. His name is Bob Cousy, and he led many of those early Boston Celtic dominators of the NBA. This is a 1957 Topps Bob Cousy card. He could dribble and pass like a shorter man because, by today's standards, he was, barely tall enough to play the game today. He played pro ball from 1950-1963. He later was a coach and TV analyst, and he's still with us today at age 97. His MVP year card sold for $353,800. That amount is close to what Cousy made during his entire career, his salary peaking out at $35,000.

The top two were basketball cards, but by far the best known and oldest sports cards are baseball cards. The highest priced baseball card this week was for a 1951 rookie Mickey Mantle card. Perhaps surprisingly, Mickey is regularly the price champion, even more powerful that the Babe. It wasn't even a Topps card, but a Bowman one. It still took in $231,800.

These sports cards aren't antiquarian, but at least they're old. No. Here's one printed in 2025. It's all of one year old. It's some gold patch logoman card of Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge. It sold for $219,600. I know it's special, but it is still a one-year-old baseball card. $219,600? What did the guy who bought it, and I have no doubt it was a guy, tell his wife? I don't envy him. Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio? Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you. Joltin' Joe was way more careful with his money than the people who buy these cards.

Here it is. The one item in the top 25 prices that was not a sports card. It is a print, Portrait de Jacqueline by Pablo Picasso. Jacqueline was Picasso's second wife, 47 years younger than he. She was with him when he died. Thirteen years later, she killed herself. Picasso was not an easy man to live with, but evidently even more difficult to live without. His print sold at Rago Arts and Auctions for $102,400.

                              Jacqueline Roque, by the camera and by Picasso

If you have any money left over from last week, fear not. You will have plenty of chances this week. Another 108 auctions will be held in the coming week, starting today, Wednesday, April 15. It is the busy season. Click here to see the auction calendar: www.rarebookhub.com/auctions/calendar