Just released: The Sports Collectibles Market 2Q 2023 Report
The newest member of the 700 club and the baseball from that historic moment will sell this weekend at Goldin. The baseball is one of many sports collectibles set to sell this week in an auction that will provide price points across multiple pieces of game-worn memorabilia and modern cards.
In the 150 years of professional baseball, there are four players who have hit at least 700 home runs.
Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, and now, Albert Pujols.
Heading into the game at Dodgers Stadium on September 23, 2022, Albert Pujols had hit 698 home runs. In the third inning, Pujols crushed home run number 699 and followed that in the fourth inning with yet another round-tripper that pushed him into an elite class of baseball's greatest hitters. It had been over 15 years since Barry Bonds crossed the 700 home run threshold and there is currently only one active player, Miguel Cabrera, within at least 500 home runs. With no player within striking distance of the magical 700, at least in the near future, there is a good chance this baseball will be the last of its kind sold for at least the next decade. The MLB authenticated Pujols baseball is currently priced at $192,000 through 24 bids and could be in for an active extended bidding session considering where it stands compared to other comparable sales. In 2004, the baseball that gave Barry Bonds 700 career homers sold for $804,129 and while the valuation dropped due to steroid indictments that have kept Bonds from the Hall of Fame, the fair market value of the ball hit by a more beloved player like Pujols should command at least $250,000.
Where does the Albert Pujols card market stand today?
That question will be answered this weekend as Goldin sells the first PSA 9 Rookie Autographed Refractor to hit the market since June. The price will be compared to the last PSA 9 sold by Goldin, which went for $28,800 and currently holds the record for the card in a like-graded copy. The PSA 9 currently up for auction has reached $19,200 and has 16 bids including two already in the last two days. In a world that has watched prospect cards seamlessly reach six-figures time and again, can the Pujols market capture any of that energy after a season that saw him reach an entirely new level of legends.
The 2022 World Cup is quickly approaching and the first impact of soccer's shining moment could be felt this weekend with the sale of this star-studded limited edition card. Surrounded by a gold border and encased in a BGS 8 slab, this card combines Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi - two of the world's most recognizable names in soccer. While the overall market for both Messi and Ronaldo has receded in 2022, this Panini World Cup set is the provider of the current Messi card record. In April, Goldin sold a Gold Prizm Messi (PSA 10) for $522,000 and established a new standard for the highest end of the modern soccer market. The Gold Prizm card up for auction this week has an average subgrade of 8.3 and carries a pair of 9's, for centering and edges.
The most expensive piece of sports memorabilia up for auction this week at Goldin is a Luka Doncic Rookie jersey that will sell for at least $60,000 at a time when Luka is dominating the NBA. Through his first seven games of the season, Luka has registered 30 points in each game, which puts him in elite company alongside Wilt Chamberlain who was the last player to achieve that feat. It had been 60 years since Wilt the Stilt managed to tally at least seven 30-point games to start a season, something that he actually did twice, and there is only one other player who ever has matched Luka and Wilt.... Jack Twyman (bet you didn't guess that one). The Luka threads for sale is a road Dallas Mavericks jersey which was worn by Luka in a game against the Utah Jazz in November 2018. In that game, Luka scored 24 points and added 2 assists with 6 rebounds in a losing effort as the Jazz won 117-102.
No two players have epitomized the modern NBA more than Steph Curry and LeBron James and both stars will have playoff-worn items on display this weekend at Goldin with the cumulative final price could push above six-figures. The Curry jersey, which is photomatched by MeiGray, was worn in 2019 in a critical Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals. With the series tied 2-2, Curry scored 25 points alongside 5 assists and 6 rebounds to help guide the Warriors to a 104-99 win. The sneakers are a pair of Nike Zoom LeBron VII's which are photomatched to Game 1 of the 2010 Eastern Conference playoffs. In a winning effort, LeBron tallied 24 points with 6 rebounds as the Cavaliers beat the Chicago Bulls 96-83. The Curry jersey has garnered 12 bids with a current price of $31,201 while the LeBron sneakers have 9 bids and sit at $21,600 heading into the final hours of the event.
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