Auction News Network

Over $3m For Rare Nickel

Few American coins are as rare as the 1913 Liberty Head Nickel that Heritage offered this week in Illinois. Even fewer have as colorful a history. Recovered from a fatal car crash and initially dismissed as a fake, the coin—one of only five known examples– languished in a box for four decades. Only after what Heritage called “a secret midnight meeting in Baltimore in 2003,” did its owners discover its true value. Yesterday they received more substantial confirmation when it sold for $3,172,500.

Babe Ruth’s Last Yankee Jersey At Heritage

Anything connected to Yankee great Babe Ruth is likely to excite considerable collector attention, but the jersey that highlights Heritage’s Sports Memorabilia sale early next month is certain to be a particular attraction. It’s the last one the Yankees ever issued to the slugger, a heavy grey flannel number from 1935, after his playing career with the team was effectively over.  Included is the lot is Ruth’s last Yankee Player’s contract, an insult to the legend calling for a payment of $1. Not surprisingly, Ruth never signed.  Heritage expects it will take over $300,000 to take the items home.

Teenaged Rembrandt Peale Painted Washington

Charles Wilson Peale, the famed painter of George Washington, took his 17-year old boy (named Rembrandt) along for a sitting with the Founding Father. The teenager painted to acclaim and went on to recreate portraits of Washington for decades. One of those, known as a “porthole” copy, will be offered by Heritage next month, with a high estimate of  $175,000.

$60,000 Hermes Bags Lead Heritage Pocketbook Sale

After observing that vintage ladies pocketbooks had ascended in value to a point where they rivaled other high-end collectibles, Heritage introduced a semi-annual auction devoted to the category. For the past three years, they’ve offered an assortment of Hermes and Chanel bags, as well as others, in exotic skins, the most expensive of which was sold for $202,000 in 2011.This Spring’s event on April 28 in New York features a similar assortment, with one of the top valued lots likely to be a diamond-adorned crocodile Hermes Birkin bag, which carries a $60,000 estimate.

Grand Price Expected For $1000 Bill

There was so much sliver pouring out of Nevada in the 1890s, they printed $1000 and $10,000 bills to soak up the bullion. That ended and the $1000 notes are now so rare, the only one believed still in private hands goes to auction at Heritage later this month for an anticipated $2m.

Beatles Signed Album Goes For A Maniacal $290,000

Put it down to crazed Beatlemania or shrewd investment, whatever the reason, a Midwesterner bought a signed 1967 album of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band for $290,500 at a Heritage auction over the weekend. Prior to that the highest price paid for a different signed Beatles album was $150,000.

Two 1913 Dodgers Uniforms Surface

Major League game jerseys from baseball’s so-called Deadball period—from about 1900 to 1919, when Babe Ruth ushered in the power-hitting era—are rare as old baseball stadiums. This makes Heritage’s recent discovery of two 1913 game worn Brooklyn Superbas/Dodgers uniforms even more unusual. One is a white home jersey, the other a gray uniform for away games. Both belonged to southpaw pitcher Earl Hershey Yingling, who spent two of his five years in the majors with the Dodgers. Heritage hasn’t released an estimate for the items, which are being sold separately, but they’re sure to ignite some major bidding at the auction house’s May Sports Auction.

Two Sports Jerseys Score $1.4m

Lou Gehrig’s heavy gray flannel “road jersey,” and Mike Eurzione”s splashy 1980 Olympic hockey jersey teamed up to sell for a total of $1.4m over the weekend at Heritage’s Platinum Sports night in New York. Eurzione’s stick that scored the winning goal went for $262,000.

Brando’s Golden Globe Seeks Gold

It’s not as big, doesn’t weight as much, and isn’t as professionally important as an Oscar, but the Golden Globe awarded to Marlon Brando for “On The Waterfront” in 1954, will be auctioned by Heritage next Month. At least he accepted that one. The 1972 “Godfather” Globe that Brando rejected sold two years ago for $24,000.

$500,000 Expected For Batman Comic

The last time the copy of Detective Comics #27 that Heritage is currently offering came up for auction, it sold for $68,500. That was in 1995 at Sotheby’s. Since then this mid-rated 1939 book, which marked the debut of Batman, has soared in value. By the time the bidding ends at the Vintage Comics & Comic Art auction in New York on February 21-23, the Batman comic is expected to sell for at least $500,000.

First U.S. Silver Dollar (1794) To Be Sold

Hard to believe that just 218 years ago the United States didn’t have its own national money system. The Coinage Act changed all that and authorized striking the first uniform silver dollar by a U.S. Mint in 1794. One of those so-called “flowing hair” or Frothingham dollars will be offered at Heritage’s coin auction in Orlando in early January.

“Prohibitively Rare” Gold Coin At Heritage

The 1887 Queen Victoria Crown was struck in the days when coins really were works of art, as seen in the reverse of this coin with a crowned lion and a chained unicorn, surrounded by intricate border wreaths.  Heritage is selling the piece rated R7, or “prohibitively rare,” at its New York auction on Jan.6-7. High estimate is $250,000.

Marilyn Calendar, a bit tattered, Still In Demand

By big auction standards it won’t sell for much, it’s a bit tattered and worn, even torn in places, but it’s still Marilyn, naked on red velvet, and she even signed the 1952 calendar that was quite a shocker in its day. Heritage is auctioning the 60-year old icon next week. High estimate is $8,000+, but that may not be reflective of the final price depending on unknown demand.

Curtis Photos Of Native Americans May Fetch $3m

Many of the images are burned into the American psyche, photos by Edward S. Curtis of Native Americans and their way of life just before it disappeared forever. Curtis dedicated 30-years to his work. Fewer than 300 20-volume sets of 1500 hand printed pictures were produced for subscription. Heritage will auction this set on Dec.11.  An auction spokesman said it is believed to be the last in private hands. Earlier a similar set sold for nearly $3m.

Over $50,000 Expected For Custer’s Spencer Carbine

Over the course of his military career General George Custer had many firearms. He seems to have had a special fondness, however, for his 1865 Spencer Carbine, going so far as to mention it in his autobiography, in which he calls the rifle “my trusty Spencer which was always at my side.” When Heritage offers the weapon as part of its Political, Western Legends & Americana Memorabilia sale in Dallas on December 11, it’s expected to sell for more than $50,000.

Update: the Spencer more than tripled its high estimate, selling for $179,250.