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- Caitlin Clark Dominates the Week's Big Auctions
Hey Collectors,
The WNBA season is underway and all eyes are on Caitlin Clark- on the court, and at auction. This week SEVEN of her best 1/1s cards are on the block, from her 2024 Panini Prizm Draft Picks Black Auto to her 2024 Panini Prizm WNBA Throwback Signatures White Sparkle.
It’s rare for this many mega cards of one athlete to land at auction at the same time, says Mantel’s own Mike Metzler. But it’s a testament to the hype surrounding Clark, and a bunch of sellers employing a similar strategy… sell before that hype has a chance to fade. As Rhomel Joshue Gutierrez (aka GucciRips), collector and current owner of the Prizm Draft Picks Black Auto said, "If someone told you that you could go back in time and buy one of LeBron James’ best rookie cards, would you do it?”
Which begs the question… are these collectors selling too soon?
via NYT/Getty Images
The “Hall of Excellence,” opening June 20 at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas, is a new memorabilia museum founded by Tom Brady and broadcaster Jim Gray. Featuring nearly 300 items, the collection pulls heavily from Brady’s and Gray’s personal archives and includes cultural and sports milestones like Michael Jordan’s first Air Jordans, a Jackie Robinson bat from 1947, Tiger Woods’ 1997 Masters ball, and Oprah Winfrey’s Presidential Medal of Freedom. With narration from Morgan Freeman and other notable voices, the museum promises to blend pop culture and sports history into an immersive, self-guided experience designed to showcase the stories and objects behind moments of iconic achievement.
via The Realest
The Realest is spotlighting Tony Gwynn with a high-profile memorabilia auction featuring key artifacts from the Hall of Famer’s legendary career. Headliners include his 1987 and 1994 Silver Bat Awards (bidding at $10K and $11K), the latter tied to his near-.400 season before the ’94 strike. Also up for grabs: his 1991 Gold Glove Award, a reminder of his defensive prowess; milestone baseballs from his 2000th hit and his 200th hit of the record-setting 1987 season, complete with handwritten notes. The auction runs through June 1 and offers a rare glimpse into Gwynn’s personal archive.
A Michael Jordan game-worn jersey from the 1992–93 season sold for $2.6M at Heritage Auctions this past weekend. Jordan wore the uniform in at least 17 games during a championship-winning season that also earned him the scoring title. The jersey is notably featured on the Oct. 18, 1993 cover of Sports Illustrated. While impressive, the sale price is well below the $10M fetched by Jordan’s 1998 NBA Finals “Last Dance” jersey, which sold in 2022.
Al Capone’s custom platinum Patek Philippe pocket watch, famously retrofitted with 90 diamond-set “AC” initials, is headed to Sotheby’s with an estimate of $80,000 to $160,000. Originally sold in 2021 for $229,900, the watch blends gangster lore with early aftermarket customization, making it a standout crossover of vintage horology and pop-culture memorabilia. While the dial is worn and missing a minute hand, the solid platinum case and bespoke gem-setting—a rarity at the time—capture Capone’s flair for the extravagant. It’s not just a timepiece, it’s a heavyweight relic of style, status, and street-level innovation.
Trading cards featuring iconic game show hosts are carving out their own niche in pop culture collecting, per this fun story from SI. Bob Barker’s 1991 Starline Hollywood card, often signed and graded, celebrates his legacy on The Price Is Right. Passionate collector Scott Rogowsky’s quirky HQ Trivia fame is captured in 2018 Topps Allen & Ginter autos ($35–$75) and a parody dual auto with G.A.S. Trading Cards (~$100). Michael Strahan’s crossover appeal pushes his 2021 Panini Absolute Kaboom! card to $500+. Meanwhile, TV veterans Bob Eubanks and Chuck Woolery both have signed cards in Donruss Americana, typically priced at $65–$75. Plenty of good options out there for a card collector who generally parks in front of the TV at 7:00PM for a night of gameshow watching.