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Goldin Auction Preview
Goldin will close their Goldin Elite Auction on October 23-24th. Investors can track multiple assets that are comparable to items offered by the various alternative asset marketplaces including the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle Rookie Card, 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan, 2000 Bowman Chrome Refractor Tom Brady, and more! Altan Insights will complete a full review of the event with more relevant coverage once final bids have been placed and all prices have been realized.
Fractional Wish List
This section highlights assets that would fit in the fractional world but have not been offered as of publication.
There have been six Lionel Messi cards offered by alternative asset investing platforms but Goldin is carrying a Messi asset that may close at a price higher than the market cap of any fractional Messi. Lot #81 at the Goldin Elite Auction is Messi’s membership card from the Asociación Rosarina De Fútbol (Rosario Football Association). This unofficial Messi rookie “card” is a 1/1 auto that features the future fútbol legend’s name penned in blue ink. The bids for Messi’s original membership card have already reached $51,000 which means with 20% buyer’s premium, the price tag would be $61,200. The most expensive fractional Messi card is currently the 2004 Panini Mega Cracks La Liga graded BGS 9.5 on Otis which carries a market cap of $62,513.50. The bidding war for this asset could get competitive as the Newell Soccer Club is attempting to buy the OG membership card once carried by their most impressive alum.
Speaking of soccer- now might be a good time to fractionalize the rookie card of the player often credited for inventing the modern style of play. As a player, Cruyff won three Ballon d'Or awards in the 1970s and helped propel Dutch football to new heights during his storied career. No European impacted the game more than Cruyff during the 20th century as he established a reputation as both an icon on the field and a trailblazer on the sideline. Once his playing days were over, Cruyff became a prolific manager, leading Ajax to the European Cup in 1886 followed by a run at Barcelona that included four consecutive La Liga titles in the 1990s. Even after his passing in 2016, the play and coaching styles of Cruyff have been emulated around the world. Ajax and Barcelona are two clubs that built their youth academies based on Cruyff’s coaching methods and the ‘Cruyff Turn’ is a maneuver popularized by its namesake that is still used by players today. Goldin Auctions is offering Cruyff’s 1968 Palirex Campeoes Rookie Card and their lot is the only PSA 8 in existence with just a single example graded higher. The card has already attracted six bids and has reached $77,000 heading into the final weekend. The current price already establishes a new record for any Cruyff card and will possibly settle more than 3x above any previous price. Goldin sold a PSA 7 example for $44,280 on August 8th and with three days remaining on this PSA 8, Cruyff will likely surpass six figures for the first time. This incredibly rare post-war soccer card carries crisp coloration combined with strong centering that is rare for this card as the thick white border emphasizes focal point errors.
It is time for a Canadian baseball card? While our neighbors to the north are known for producing some of the most coveted hockey cardboard, Goldin’s event features a card that was produced in the Great White North but highlights an American baseball legend. The 1937 O-Pee-Chee Joe DiMaggio is one of the earliest cards ever printed for the Yankee legend. The Goldin DiMaggio of one of only four graded PSA 8, with no example graded higher. The black and white card carries impeccable edges and while the corners are slightly frayed, the 84-year-old Canadian card is in impressive near-mint condition. In an ode to its production headquarters, the back of the card features DiMaggio’s attributes and measurements in both English and French. While this card will strike a price well under the going rate for a PSA 8 graded Gretzky or Lemieux, its current price of $48,000 is already more than double the highest price ever paid for a PSA 8 example.
One-of-one game worn and game-used memorabilia continues to lag the record-breaking pace of card sales. Goldin has three pieces of Hank Aaron memorabilia that will settle well below the price of a PSA 9 graded Topps Aaron rookie card but should push towards previous records established for Aaron memorabilia. Currently, the highest-priced piece of game-worn Hank Aaron memorabilia sold by Goldin is his road jersey that was worn during his record-breaking 1974 season. The jersey sold for $109,200 and is almost 2x the price of any other piece of Aaron memorabilia sold by the acclaimed auction house. That fact will change this weekend though, as a jersey. helmet, and bat, all used by Aaron, will likely push six figures as final bids come through. There is a 1974 Hank Aaron home jersey that is photo matched to Aaron’s final games as an Atlanta Brave. The offering also includes ticket stubs to the 1974 All-Star Game and three ungraded All-Star Game ballots. The price for the lot has reached $76,000 through the first 18 bids.
The helmet Aaron wore when he tied Babe Ruth with 714 career home runs is also up for auction this weekend and the price is expected to establish an all-time record for any helmet sold by Goldin. Heading into the weekend, the scuffed but iconic batting helmet sits at $65,000.
There is also expected to be a new record established for any Hank Aaron bat sold by Goldin this weekend. The auction house is offering a game-used and signed 1968 Hillerich & Bradsby A99 Model Bat that was used by Aaron during his 14th All-Star season. The bat has already hit $56,000 through 23 bids which is more than double the price of any Aaron bat previously sold by Goldin.
Cards with Catalysts
This feature includes assets with an upcoming event that could impact the short-term value of the card or collectible.
The 2021 NBA season tips off this week and the Goldin auction is filled with multiple cards that carry six-figure potential. There is momentum for basketball heading into this event as Goldin’s private sales division brokered the sale of a 1997 UD Game Jersey Auto /23 Michael Jordan for $2.7 million. The sale established an all-time record for any Michael Jordan card and follows two strong auctions for NBA cardboard.
On October 3, Goldin set a new record for any LaMelo Ball card when they sold a Black Gold Prizm (PSA 9) for $148,830. The headlining Ball card at this auction is a National Treasures RPA /99 that has already reached $48,000 with three days remaining. Another player with a recent record-breaking sale is Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young. Goldin sold a 1/1 Nebula Young Rookie Card for $400,980 on August 7th and while no card of his will surpass that price at this event, there is a Gold RPA /10 that has reached $76,000 through the first 11 bids. Collectors and investors alike should follow the sales of other rising superstars including Luka, Zion, and Michael Porter Jr. Goldin is carrying a Panini Flawless Star Swatch Signatures Luka /5 that has garnered 23 bids and a $91,000 price tag heading into the weekend as well as at least two Zion cards that will settle around $200,000. While Michael Porter Jr. is not commanding six-figure prices yet, there is a National Treasures RPA /99 that has reached $10,000 through four bids and is expected to set a new record for that card and grade.
Attainable Auctions
This feature includes cards that we find particularly interesting and are still available at an affordable price.
Admittedly, there are not many offerings at this Goldin event that will sell for under $1,000. That being said, the auction features a variety of memorabilia from the estate of legendary coach Lou Holtz. Holtz coached the 1988 Notre Dame football team to a national title and closed his career with a 249-132 record. Each asset is authenticated by Holtz and 100% of net proceeds from the sale of his items will be donated to the Holtz Charitable Foundation.
Arguably the most interesting Holtz-related asset is the chair he used while watching film as head coach of the Fighting Irish. The chair displays heavy wear but features the iconic Notre Dame logo, threaded in navy against a gold leather backdrop. The chair has attracted seven bids and sits at $400 heading into the final three days. You may need to splurge a little to win this classic armchair but just think, you can sit back like Lou and watch over your alternative asset portfolio.
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